Service-Learning

Dick Kinsley

Ohio Campus Compact

www.ohiocampuscompact.org

Participant Outcome:

I have few answers and many more questions. I am confused as ever, but I believe that I am confused at a higher level about more important questions.

Setting the Context

Service-Learning as a Teaching Methodology

Service-Learning Key Concepts Course Integration Resources on service-learning

John Dewey/ Kurt Lewin/ Jean Piaget “Conceptualized learning is a

process where intelligence is shaped by experience over time.”

Jean Piaget

Learning from Experience

“A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”

Mark Twain

“We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it -- and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again -- and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.”

- Following the Equator, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar

Kolb’s Learning Cycle

Experiential Learning Cycle

The Service-Learning Cycle

Service-Learning Definitions “Service-learning is an educational methodology which combines community

service with explicit academic learning objectives, preparation for community work, and deliberate reflection. Students participating in service-learning provide direct and indirect community service as part of their academic coursework, learn about and reflect upon the community context in which service is provided, and develop an understanding of the connection between service and their academic work. These learning experiences are designed through a collaboration of the community and the institution or academic unit/program, relying upon partnerships meant to be of mutual benefit. Improvement and sustainability of the experiences and the partnerships are enhanced through formal assessment activities that involve community, faculty, student and institutional perspectives.”

Source: Gelmon, Sherrill B., Holland, Barbara A., Driscoll, Amy, Spring, Amy, & Kerrigan, Seanna (2001). Assessing Service-Learning and Civic Engagement: Principles and Techniques. Campus Connect: Brown University, Providence, RI., p. v.

What is Service Learning?

The service learning instructional methodology integrates community service with academic instruction as it focuses on critical, reflective thinking and civic responsibility. Service learning programs involve students in organized community service that addresses local needs, while developing their academic skills, sense of civic responsibility, and commitment to the community. Service learning is related to but does not include cooperative education, practicum, or internship programs.

What is service-learning?Service-learning is a form of experiential education characterized by all of the following:

student participation in an organized service activity

participation in service activities connected to specific learning outcomes

participation in service activities that meet identified community needs

structured time for student reflection and connection of the service experience to learning

(Abes,Jackson & Jones, 2002)

Experiential Education

What is learning?

Service-learning is embedded in a view of learning as:

• Beginning with personal connections

• Useful as its core purpose

• Developmental and incremental

• Transformative

• Foundational to citizenship in a complex society

Key Themes in Service-Learning

•Collaboration with the community (reciprocity)

•Importance of reflection

•Active learning (meaningful work)

•Development of a sense of caring

•Promotion of a sense of civic responsibility

•Impact societal problems

(O’Grady, 2000)

Service-Learning Outcomes

Moral Political Intellectual

Charity Giving Civic Duty Additive Experience

Change Caring Social Reconstruction

Transformative Experience

Types of Service ExperiencesCommunity Service

(Service learning)

Service-Learning

(Service Learning)

Internships/Practicums

(service Learning)

Primary Intended Beneficiary

Recipient Recipient AND Provider

Provider

Primary Focus Service Service AND Learning

Learning

Intended Educational Purposes

Civic and Ethical Development

Academic and Civic Development

Career and Academic Development

Integration with Curriculum

Peripheral Integrated Co-curricular/Supplemental

Nature of Service Activity

Based on a Social Cause/Need

Based on Academic Discipline

Based on on Industry or Career

Types of Service ExperiencesCommunity Service

(Service learning)

Service-Learning

(Service Learning)

Internships/Practicums

(service Learning)

Faculty Role None Classroom Instructor/Supervisor

Classroom Instructor

Agency Role Supervisor Instructor/Supervisor

Instructor/Supervisor

Benefits of Service-Learning

Benefits to Students

Hands-on use of skills and knowledge that increase relevance of academic skills

Opportunities that incorporate different learning styles I

Interaction with people of diverse cultures and lifestyles

Increased sense of self-efficacy

Analytical skills, and social development

Valuable career guidance and experience

Opportunities for meaningful involvement with the local community

Increased civic responsibility

Benefits to Faculty

Inspiration and invigoration of teaching methods

Increased student contact through emphasis on student-centered teaching

Increased understanding of how learning occurs

Connecting the community with curriculum and becoming aware of current societal issues as they relate to academic areas of interest

Identifying areas for research and publication related to current trends and issue

Benefits of Service-Learning

Benefits to the University

Enhanced teaching, research and outreach activities

Faculty and student engagement in community issues

Increased student retention

Opportunities to extend university knowledge and resources

Positive community relationships

Increased development and preparation of university graduates

Increases in the overall quality of education

Benefits to the Community

Awareness of and access to university resources

Positive relationship opportunities with the university

Awareness-building of community issues, constituents, agencies

Opportunities for contributing to the educational process

Affordable access to professional development

Short and long term solutions to pressing community needs

“Transformative potential” Ability to connect subject matter with “real-

life” experience: experiential learning Personal development, critical thinking,

sensitivity to diversity, and development of citizenship

(Eyler and Giles, 1999; Jones, 2002)

Outcomes of Service-Learning

Major learning outcomesStereotyping and Tolerance outcomes• More positive view of people with whom they work

• Growing appreciation for difference: seeing similarities through differences

• Increased capacity for tolerance

Related Program Characteristics:

Placement quality, reflection activity, application of service and subject matter, diversity

Major learning outcomesPersonal Development outcomes• Greater self-knowledge, spiritual growth, reward in helping

others

• Increased personal efficacy, increased relationship between service-learning and career skill development

Related Program Characteristics:

Placement quality, reflection activity, application of service and subject matter, diversity

Major learning outcomesInterpersonal Development outcomes

• Increased ability to work well with others

• Increased leadership skills

Related Program Characteristics:

Placement quality where students are challenged and have appropriate opportunity to take responsibility over work

Major learning outcomes

Community and College Connection outcomes• Increased connectedness to community

• Development of connectedness with peers

• Increased closeness of faculty-student relationships

Related Program Characteristics:

Strong community voice, placement quality, reflection, and application

Retention and Career Skills

First-year SL students were more likely than NSL peers to indicate they planned to re-enroll and graduate from their current institution

o Muthiah, Bringle, & Hatcher, 2002

SL participation enhances mediating variables for student retention, including students’ interpersonal, community, and academic engagement, and peer and faculty relationships

o Gallini & Moely, 2003; Bringle, Hatcher, & Muthiah, 2010

Civic engagement activities enhance students’ sense of technical competence in a variety of fields

o Langley, 2006; Vogelgesang, 2003; Vogelgesang & Astin, 2000; Astin, Sax, & Avalos, 1999; Sledge et al., 1993

The underside of service-learning

The complexities that emerge when undergraduate students engage with ill-structured, complex social issues in the community service settings typically associated with service-learning courses

The underside of service-learning

Some students just “don’t get it”

Cannot see the connections between their service work and the course content

Embark upon their service insincerely: severe consequences for service site and class

(Jones, 2002)

Diary of a Fish

Sunday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.

Monday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.Tuesday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.Wednesday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.Thursday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.

Friday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.

Saturday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.

Student Reflection

Today I got to the nursing home at 2:00. Talked to some ladies. Passed out popcorn at the movie. Went home at 4:00.

Reflection as Key to Learning

Reflection is:

Reflection is a skill, more accurately a cluster of skills, involving observation, asking questions and putting facts, ideas, and experiences together to add new meaning to them all. Learning in this way, and instilling the practice as a habit, can allow program experiences to live on in the students’ lives in new experiences and new learning.

Dan Conrad & Diane Hedin Youth Service: A Guidebook for Developing and Operating Effective Programs

Developmental Perspective on Learning

Prior knowledge is the key to learning Prior knowledge must be activated Learners must be actively involved in

constructing personal meaning Deep understanding takes time Context reinforces learning

Effective reflection…

Facilitates learners goals and objectives Activates prior knowledge Reinforces new knowledge Identifies problems Reinforces critical questions Provides support Enhances trust and dialogue

Keys to Reflection

Continuous Contextual Challenging Connected

“How will we know when we get there?” said Alice. “Oh,” said the Cat, “You

will always get somewhere if you don’t care where you

are going.”

Principles of Good Practice: Mintz & Hesser (1996)

An effective program:

• engages people in responsible and challenging actions for the common good,

• provides structured opportunities for people to reflect critically on experience,

• articulates clear service and learning goals for everyone involved,

• allows for those with needs to define needs,

• clarifies all partners’ responsibilities,

• matches service providers and needs while recognizing changing circumstances,

Principles of Good Practice (con’t)An effective program:

• expects genuine, active, and sustained organizational commitment,

• includes training, supervision, monitoring, support, recognition, and evaluation to meet service and learning goals,

• expects that time commitment for service and learning is flexible, appropriate, and in the best interests of all involved; and

• is committed to participation by and with diverse populations.

Mintz & Hesser, 1996, pp.41-44

Essential Elements of Effective Service-Learning Practice includes:

Clear educational goals that require the application of concepts, content and skills from the academic disciplines and involves students in the construction of their own knowledge.

Having students engaged in tasks that challenge and stretch them cognitively and developmentally.

Using assessment as a way to enhance student learning as well as to document and evaluate how well students have met content and skills.

Service tasks that have clear goals and meet genuine needs in the community and have significant consequences for themselves and others.

Formative and summative evaluation in a systematic evaluation of the service effort and its outcomes.

Valuing diversity through its participants, its practice and its outcomes. The preparation of students for all aspects of their service work including a clear

understanding of task and role, the skills and information required by the task, awareness of safety precautions, as well as knowledge about and sensitivity to the people with whom they will be working.

Student reflection before, during and after service, that uses multiple methods to encourage critical thinking, and is a central force in the design and fulfillment of curricular objectives.

Multiple methods are designed to acknowledge, celebrate and further validate students’ service work.

Developing Service-Learning Courses The effectiveness of Service-Learning as a teaching approach

depends largely on the preparation phase. When designing the course, faculty need to consider several factors from preparation to implementation to evaluation. The following steps are recommended to ensure a successful experience to all constituents:

Explore how service-learning fits into your teaching philosophy Determine how service-learning experiences may facilitate learning by

drawing connections to course objectives and desired outcomes Gather resources on community needs and ideas for potential

projects Identify community partners and build a collaborative relationship Integrate information on service-learning into the course syllabus,

review logistical details and make necessary arrangements Plan how students will be oriented to service-learning Decide on strategies to connect service to learning though reflection Set-up evaluation procedures

Exemplary Service-Learning Syllabi:

Include service as an expressed goal. Clearly describe how the service experience will be measured and

what will be measured. Describe the nature of the service placement and/or project Specify the roles and responsibilities of students in the service site Define the need(s) the service placement meets. Specify how students will be expected to demonstrate what they have

learned in the placement/or project (journals, papers, presentations). Present course assignments that link the placement and the course

content Include a description of the reflective process Include a description of the expectations for the public dissemination of

student’s work.

Service-learning design matters!• High quality placements matching students’ interests and developmental readiness with opportunity for direct service

• Application/Connection between course subject matter and issues raised by service experience

• Structured reflection in the form of writing and discussion

• Diverse life experiences, view points, and ways of knowing are integral to design

• Presence and validation of the wisdom of community voice

ResourcesOhio Campus Compact

http://www.ohiocampuscompact.org

National Campus Compact

http://www.compact.org

Service-Learning Clearinghouse

http://www.servicelearning.org

Community College National Center for Civic Engagement

http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/other/engagement/