What’s it like to be a fly on the wall? Our team of 25 active research assistants have a unique take on what this experience is actually like. Equipped with a tablet, a room thermometer, and a measurement pen, they often take a seat in a back corner or pew to observe the action.
While they collect data on various aspects of civil society organizations that furthers general research aims about community engagement, leadership, and democracy, doing this kind of field work is also a positive experience for our observers. Attending college can be a little like living in a silo (minus the dystopian elements of the new Silo TV series). Your world and social circles often revolve around the university and campus life. However, working for the Observing Civic Engagement Lab offers students the opportunity to experience Bloomington in its entirety, not just the university portion.
Though Indiana University shapes Bloomington’s population and culture in many ways, Bloomington has its own chapters of nonprofits and hobby organizations like Kiwanis, Habitat for Humanity, and Coin Club that are less directly influenced by IU’s happenings. Bloomington may seem calmer in the summer with fewer students around, but most of our organizations continue to volunteer, meet, plan, socialize, celebrate, and organize.
Though most of our research assistants are undergraduate and graduate students, we have recently hired three members of the Bloomington community as observers as well. This helps us cover a wider variety of meeting times and expands the kinds of connections our observers make.
Our research assistants have commented on how working for OCE has positively affected their lives so far. They have enjoyed learning about their community, different organization dynamics, and effective leadership. Here are some of their reflections on their experiences:
Through OCE, I’ve been exposed to observing local government and community dynamics on a close-up level. I’ve witnessed firsthand the extent to which volunteers are necessary to make a city function and thrive.
I have enjoyed witnessing how connected Bloomington's community is! I have observed many organizations, ranging from clubs to boards to nonprofits, and I will recognize participants who go to multiple organization's events. It is special to see a civically engaged community.
All the clubs really help me expand my interests and my views and being an RA always reminds me to have an open mind.
This project has shifted my understanding of community group meetings. I’ve noticed groups of different educational levels, levels of knowing one another and income differ in how efficiently they discuss agenda items.
I have thought of ways I can use previous experiences to benefit the community.
I am inspired by the passion and commitment of many participants to their organization.
It’s always rewarding when I get a message from our RAs after a convening that says something like, “Today was great! I loved observing X organization” or “Can I please observe X organization again?”. We are very grateful for all 46 of our participating organizations and their willingness to allow our research assistants to act as flies on the wall. They are making a big difference in our research as well as the work experience of our research assistants!
A cross section of all research assistants working on the OCE project