What is service-learning ?

What is service-learning?

• Credit-Bearing educational experience

• Students participate in an organized service activity

• Service activity meets an identified community need

• Reflection about service activities occur in such a way that to gain a further understanding of the course, and enhanced civic responsibility!

Robert Bringle and Julie Hatcher, “A service-learning curriculum for Faculty.” The Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning,” Fall 1995

Distinguishing service-learning from other service/volunteer opportunities

Example 1: Students remove trash from an urban stream to help clean up their community park

Example 2: Students are in a environmental class where they are studying pollution and learning about its effects.

Are any of these examples service-learning?

Why or Why not?

Example 1 exhibits the service component and example 2 exhibits the learning component. By themselves, they are not an example of service-learning.

Information taken from: Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School district Service-learning tool kit Fall 2005

Connecting Service with Learning

Remember examples 1 and 2. By themselves they are not service-learning.

Who could give me an example of combing these examples to create a service-learning opportunity?

Service-learning: Students are in an environmental course, where they are studying pollution. As a group, students visit a local park, and remove trash from the area. Back in class, students analyze material collected and gather information about pollutions effect on the environment at the park. Students then present this information to the park and the community. They also create a final write up report of suggestions and/ ways to reduce pollution for the park.

Information taken from: Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School district Service-learning tool kit Fall 2005

Key Components for effectiveService-learning:

Curricular Connection: the connection of the service back to the course material

Serving a genuine community need: serves a genuine need

Community Partnership: (an aspect of social capital): mutually beneficial, reciprocal partnerships formed between the campus and a community organization

Student Voice: allowing students, when ever it is possible, to have say in the service projects that they are to complete and/ or develop

Wisconsin Campus Compact . AmeriCorps VISTA Training In-service/Binder. 28-31 August 2005

Key Components for effective Service-learning continued….

Student Voice: allowing students, when ever it is possible, to have say in the service projects that they are to complete and/ or develop

Reflection: is an activity that occurs before, during and after a service project is completed. Through reflection, students are able to glance back on the service they have completed and its connection to their course topics, there by enhancing their education. Examples of reflection: papers, posters, and discussion sections.

Assessment: occurs after a service project is completed. Assessment allows for evaluation of a program, to relay input given about the success of a program from professors, students, community partners and recipients of service. Through this information, program organizers will know how to create a more effective program for the future.

Wisconsin Campus Compact . AmeriCorps VISTA Training In-service/Binder. 28-31 August 2005