Integrating Service-Learning into the Civic Education Curriculum in Palestine

Hussain Al-Fadhli, Ph.D.MCID Consultant

What is Service-Learning?• An innovative instructional strategy that actively involves

youth in the curriculum through service to their community.• It is a teaching method whereby students learn and

develop through active participation in organized service experiences that:

• Are integrated into the academic curriculum• Meet the needs of a community• Provide structured time for reflection• Help foster civic responsibility

Why do Service Learning?• Research indicates that educators who provide

opportunities for students to participate in high quality service-learning activities across schooling years can:

• improve student achievement• build strong relationships between the school and

community• promote the development of committed citizens.

Typology of Citizenship Three conceptions of the “good citizen”:

• personally responsible citizen follows the law, pays his/her taxes, volunteers, and contributes to charitable causes.

• participatory citizen participates in the civic affairs and the social life of the community at all levels.

• justice oriented citizen emphasizes need to analyze the root causes of social problems in order to identify and critique unjust social structures and bring about systemic change.

Conceptual FrameworkPutnam (2000) argues that structural social

change in terms of size of family, suburban sprawl, & electronic entertainment has lead to

• Lack of Political and Civic Engagement.• Limited Informal Social Ties.• Low level of tolerance and trust.• Overall decline in social capital

Social CapitalSocial capital is the:• Fabric that binds society together• Degree of social cohesion existing in community• Level of cooperation between people in community.• Level of ability and motivation of community to

share responsibility for their collective wellbeing

Social Capital…• The main aspects of social capital are citizenship,

neighborliness, trust and shared values, community involvement, volunteering, social networks and civic participation.

• The stronger these networks and bonds, the more likely it is that members of a community will co-operate for mutual benefit.

• Crime can be reduced, educational achievement enhanced and better health fostered through the strengthening of social Capital. (World Health Organization, WHO, 1998)

Strategies to Strengthen Social Capital• considering civic engagement as

process that builds social capital (networks) which can be drawn upon to address social problems.

• utilizing five elements of citizenship: Values, knowledge, skills, efficacy, and commitment

How is Service Learning Different from Community Service?• Service Learning uses community service as the vehicle

for the attainment of students’ academic goals and objectives

• Students perform a valuable, significant, and necessary service which has real and self-sustaining consequences to the community

• The needs of the community dictate the service being provided

• The goal of the service is to empower students and those being served

Example of Difference• Cleaning up a river bank is just service.• Looking at water samples under a microscope is

just learning.• Science majors meeting government standards by

taking samples from local streams, analyzing the samples and then presenting the information to a pollution control agency is service-learning.

Service-learning is NOT…• Community Service• Volunteering

These are “Service”• Experiential Learning• Hands-On Learning• Internships

These are “Learning”

Service-Learning & Experiential Learning Methods• Balance between service and learning• Emphasis on addressing community-identified

concerns and problems• Integral involvement of community partners• Emphasis on reciprocal learning• Emphasis on reflective practice• Emphasis on developing citizenship skills and

achieving social change

The Kolb Learning Cycle

I hear, I forget; I see, I remember; I do, I understand. Chinese proverb

Reflection Requirement

Reflection is a key component in experiential and service-learning pedagogy:

• Creates a deeper understanding and better application of subject matter

• Increases appreciation of problem and encourages solution analysis

Competencies gained from Service-learning pedagogy

– Enriching student learning of course material and “brings books to life and life to books.”

– Learning about people’s experiences and day-to-day management of social problems

– Serving people by taking different roles– Increasing students’ self-confidence in

working with people with challenging conditions

Competencies gained from Service-learning pedagogy (Contd.)

– Enhancing the role of students as contributing individuals, civic-minded, and socially responsible citizens

– Developing leadership abilities and role-modeling– Practicing the positive religious and cultural

values of the society such as: altruism, cooperation, volunteerism, brotherhood, sisterhood, Faza’ah الفزعة, Nafeerالنفير etc.

Win-Win Situation !Who Benefits?• Community• Schools• Students

Need for Integrating Service-Learning into Civic Education in Palestine 1. Service-learning pedagogy needs to be enhanced in the curriculum --

( Modeling TCC efforts)2. Should be promoted within the civic education classes as well as other

subjects and disciplines.3. Meet a real community need.4. Provide for structured group reflection time.5. Engage students in group decision making and problem solving.6. Find ways to match the skills and talents of students with the needs of

the community.7. Provide a wide variety of options for students.8. Provide recognition for services rendered.

Questions & Dialogue