|
More About Service Learning
Service Learning is an instructional strategy in which students learn through working in a community organization or school. Students apply academics and classroom learning to real-world experiences which address community needs. Students actively reflect upon these connections usually in a journal before, during and after a project is complete. Another important aspect of Service Learning is the integration of course content with the service activities. Reflection and curriculum integration are some of Service Learning characteristics which differentiate it from mere volunteerism and Community Service.
Other key elements of high quality Service Learning include:
- Student Voice - Students participate actively in choosing, planning, implementing and evaluating the project.
- High Quality Service - Service provides significant benefits for students and community
- Collaboration - Parents, students, community-based organization staff, school administrators, teachers and service recipients- all collaborate on the project and benefit from it.
- Civic Responsibility - The project promotes students' responsibility for the community and helps them understand how they can impact their community
- Evaluation - Evaluation of the progress toward the learning and service goals of the project. It is done by all the partners, especially the students.
Service learning popularity is rapidly growing in schools nationwide. Community Colleges in more than 40 states currently offer Service Learning to their students. They are ideal locations for Service Learning programs since community service is a part of their mission.
Service Learning can work anywhere -in rural area as well as urban areas and in all types of curricula (See 101 Ideas for combining Service and Learning). It may be offered as:
- Optional activity for extra credit (About 15-25 service hours) ( Valley College )
- Optional activity substituting a course requirement (about 15-25 service hours)
- An official requirement of a specific departmental course (May or may not necessitate a formal curriculum change).
- An additional unit to an existing course as a co-requisite ( Mt. SAC ).
- Designated ("generic") course unrelated to specific departments. The course introduces students to the principles of service learning and the benefits of community service. These courses usually incorporate a service learning project and are commonly an introductory course that leads to other courses that require service learning. Units of credit are available but are not always transferable. (Glendale Community College-Introduction to Community Volunteerism 145 and Community Volunteerism Lab 146)
- Interdisciplinary service learning courses: A single course taught by a number of professors concentrating on one problem by looking at it from various viewpoints. Alternately, several faculty members may each teach a service learning course and collaborate with each other in developing a single large project for their students.
- Independent (Directed) study for I unit. Facilitated by an instructor or a Service Learning counselor.
There are other models for Service Learning. Most models always involve projects of individual students, groups or a whole class:
Examples:
- In English classes, students write about their experiences working in homeless shelters, hospitals, etc., and discuss similar issues found in literature
- Students learn about local community institutions, organizations and public policies ad as they perform service activities linked to Social Studies and History.
- Students, with appropriate adult supervision, restore creeks, watersheds, and riparian habitats as part of science classes.
- Math students tutor third-graders in arithmetic.
- Accounting students help senior citizens with tax returns
- Nursing students provide home health care to elderly or disabled.
Students:
Benefits
- Increased interest in school
- Improved academic performance
- Awareness of the relevance of academic work to real life experiences
- Positive self-image
- Improved interpersonal and communication skills
- Satisfaction and rewarding experiences
- Exposure to a wide variety of experiences and career pathways
- Increased responsibility, and care as participant member of community
- Developed workplace skills and competencies
- Increased networking opportunities
Responsibilities
- Identify agency for Service learning
- Complete service agreement that indicates their schedule of hours and service learning objectives for the semester
- Respect for the policies and expectations of the organization, especially in regard to confidentiality and participation in required training sessions and orientation
- Professional behavior in carrying out the tasks assigned to them, including dress code
- Advance notice if they expect to be absent
- Advanced notice if they must end their service with the organization
- Complete a Reflection journal
- Complete all course/project requirements
- Complete and submit all related documentation in a timely manner
Educators:
Benefits
- Enriched teaching experiences
- Enhanced curriculum
- Improved teacher and student relationship
- Increased student motivation and involvement
- Because it is the right thing to do
Responsibilities
- Apply for the program
- Attend training/orientation
- Create or modify syllabus to incorporate service learning
- Complete project agreement form with students
- Conduct student follow-up (reflection)
- Collect and evaluate final projects
Employers:
Benefits
- Energetic and motivated pool of volunteers
- Stronger visibility in the community
- Community partnerships: Enhanced ties with all stakeholders: Students, parents, and the educational system
Responsibilities
- Provide meaningful tasks related to the student's skills, objectives and availability
- A position description identifying what is required of them
- Adequate supervision and continuous feedback
- An orientation for the site and training for the position
- An evaluation of the student's performance and conduct at the end of the semester
- A place where they can sign in to document their hours
|
