The reason for doing this was that the new terms describe shared activities, usually led by faculty, that have mutual consequences. The older terms tend to connote a one-way activity, generally conducted by experts. The new triad works well for describing the range of ways in which a college or university can incorporate good citizenship into its traditional work. Discovery can encompass community-based scholarship and the development of new knowledge through collaborations with community participants. Learning can be done in a way that links educational goals with the challenges of life.
Education is life itself.
Engagement can be achieved through community-university alliances and partnerships. Whether it is discovery, learning, or engagement, the activity can be community-based. It can have shared goals that link the mission of a college or university with the goals of the community participants, as well as an agreed-upon definition of success that will be meaningful to the institution and the community. An engaged activity can also be supported by a pooling of resources across sectors of the campus as well as within the community. When these features are present, the resulting partnership is likely to be mutually beneficial and can build the capacity and competence of all parties.