Engaging Students Through ServiceLearning

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Engaging Students Through Service-Learning

• Charles Mohr, Administrator
• Andrea Hohlier, Coordinator
• Learn and Serve America
• State Department of Education
• Charles_Mohr_at_sde.state.ok.us
• [phone]

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Youth Engagement

• the degree to which students are
  psychologically connected to what is going on
  in their classes. They are there emotionally as
  well as physically. They concentrate on the task
  at hand, they strive to do their best when tested
  or called upon. They participate actively in
  class discussion, think about the material
  covered in their courses, and genuinely care
  about the quality of their work.

(Steinberg, Beyond the Classroom)
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Common Answers from Research

• Lack of challenge (too easy).
• Lack of success (too hard).
• Lack of relevance (cant see the point).
• Lack of relationships (dont care about the
  people).
• Lack of value in subject (dont care about the
  information).
• Other factors (e.g., safety, hunger, lack of
  sleep).

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• Service-Learning

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The Difference Between Service-Learning and
Other Forms of Service
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How Service-Learning Works
Service-learning is a form of experiential
education where learning occurs through a cycle
of planning, action, and reflection. Working
with others, students acquire knowledge and
skills and apply what they learn in the
classroom as they try to meet community needs.
They experience consequences, both literal and
emotional.
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Relationship to Learning

• Service-learning experiences
• Are typically positive, meaningful, and real.
• Involve cooperative rather than competitive
  processes, thus promoting skills associated with
  teamwork and interdependency.
• Address complex problems in complex settings
  rather than simplified problems in isolation.

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Service-learning experiences (continued)

• Offer opportunities to engage in problem- solving
  by requiring students to gain knowledge in
  specific contexts rather than drawing upon
  generalized or abstract knowledge.
• Promote deeper learning because results are
  immediate and are not contrived (no right
  answers in the back of the book).
• Are more likely to be personally meaningful and
  to generate emotional consequences.

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Service-Learning Components

• Investigating Identifying community issues
  through research and community needs assessments.
• Planning How students will address the issue.
• Action Performing the service activity.

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Service-Learning Components

• Reflection Thinking about impact on others and
  self, what worked and what did not, relationship
  of oneself to the world.
• Demonstration Showing impact on others and
  self.
• Celebration Students and community partners
  enjoy the completed project.

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Bridge Creek Elementary School Veterans Project
EDUCAT ION
Bridge Creek Elementary School Store
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ENVIRONMENT
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HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY
Ada High School Project Ignition Slow
Buckle
Mark Twain Elementary Art Ambassadors
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Purcell Senior-Senior Prom
HUMAN NEEDS
Colbert High School Backpack Buddies