Learning Through Service

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Learning Through Service

• Susan Baker
• Associate Professor of Science

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Why is SL Important?

• Students gain first hand knowledge of a community
  issue directly related to course content.
• SL develops critical thinking and problem-solving
  skills.
• Interactions with diverse populations challenges
  assumptions and stereotypes.
• SL is consistent with several of the NSSE
  benchmarks of quality education.

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Key Components of Service-Learning

• Service is related to course objectives
• Service meets a real need in the community
• Goal is to work with and not do for those in
  need.
• A reflection component is required.
• How does the service relate to course content?
• What are the underlying issues that contribute to
  the need for the service?
• What skills did you learn?
• Has your view of the population served changed?
  How?

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SL and NSSE Benchmarks of Quality

• Active and Collaborative Learning
• Participation in a community-based service
  project as part of a course
• Part of a learning community
• Enriching Educational Experiences
• Community service/volunteer work
• Opportunity to interact with those of
  different religious beliefs, political opinions,
  personal values, different race or ethnicity,
  social, racial backgrounds

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SL and NSSE Benchmarks of Quality

• Level of Academic Challenge
• Coursework emphasizes
• Analysis of an experience, idea, or theory
• Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information
• Making judgments
• Application of theories/concepts to new
  situations
• Requirements include
• Significant writing
• Presentations

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Considerations

• Does a SL project contribute to students meeting
  course objectives?
• If a SL requirement is added, what component of
  the course will be eliminated or reduced?
• Required or optional?
• Individual or group project?
• One service location or a variety?

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Incorporating SL into Courses
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My Path to Service-Learning

• Bonus option for students in BIO 104
  Introduction to Human Nutrition
• 2-3 students/semester
• Required a SL component for all students taking a
  course for Honors credit.
• 2 students per year

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Spring 2011

• Required an international service experience as a
  component of BIO 494 Perspectives in Global
  Health

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Spring 2011

• Required all BIO 104 students to complete a SL
  project

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Considerations

• Does a SL project contribute to students meeting
  course objectives? Yes
• If a SL requirement is added, what component of
  the course will be eliminated or reduced?
• This one was tough
• Required or optional? Required
• Individual or group project? Either is OK
• One service location or a variety?
• Variety, they need to find a location, I will
  make suggestions.

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Spring 2011

• All BIO 104 students completed a SL project
• 38 students x 12 hrs service/student 456 hrs of
  community service
• All worked alone
• Many volunteered with friends and family members
• Average of 10 pages of writing/student
• Project proposal
• 4 journal entries
• Reflective essay upon completion of the project

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BIO 104 SL Assignment

• The Service Component
• Find a food related volunteer opportunity
• Ideally your service will do something to help
  the hungry or improve the quality of nutritional
  intake of a population.
• Volunteer a minimum of 3 times
• Complete a minimum of 12 hours of unpaid service
  (allowed 10 hours in some cases)
• Submit documentation of your service hours

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BIO 104 SL Assignment

• The Written and Reflective Component
• Submit a Service-Learning project proposal
• Journal service experiences
• 3 reflective journal entries required
• 1 analytical journal entry required
• Final paper
• Brief description of the organization
• Brief description of the nature of the volunteer
  work
• Detailed analysis of the experience as it relates
  to the content of this course.
• The paper should also address at some of the
  reflective questions suggested for journal
  entries.

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What I Learned

• Its possible and incredible rewarding.
• SL engages students in ways you cannot
  anticipate.
• Be flexible in the nature of service allowed.
• HIGHLY recommend volunteering with an established
  organization and not inventing your own project.
• Be structured and detailed in the expectations
  for the reflection components.
• Allow class time or discussion board time for
  students to discuss their experiences
• Structure/focus these discussions

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Modes of Reflection
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Sample Reflection Prompts

• Final reflection assignment
• Format for journals
• Sample Reflection Questions

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One more consideration

• Do you value community service?
• Do you know the challenges and the rewards?