Service-learning is a method of teaching and learning that intentionally integrates 1) community service, 2) academic learning, and 3) civic learning. This criteria is described in a Service-Learning Course Design Workbook published by the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning.
1) Relevant and Meaningful Service with the Community – there must be service provided in the community that is both relevant and meaningful to all stakeholder parties. Minimum of 15 hours per semester.
2) Enhanced Academic Learning – the addition of relevant and meaningful service with the community must not only serve the community but also enhance the academic learning in the course.
3) Purposeful Civic Learning – the addition of relevant and meaningful service with the community must not only serve the community and enhance academic learning in the course, but also directly and intentionally prepare students for active civic participation in a diverse democratic society. MA Board of Higher Education Policy on Civic Learning
Service-Learning Office – Support Services:
Project Development:
Consult with Service-Learning Coordinator on project ideas and community partners. Coordinator will arrange meetings and site visits with potential community partners. Assist in designing special pre-service trainings for students as needed.
Project Implementation & Evaluation:
Provide SL Student Orientation, CORI office referrals, Collect Service Site Project Agreements, monitor students’ work in the community through site visits to agencies and on campus meetings with students, manage a database to track student service hours, administer final evaluations of student performance to service site supervisors and conducting a student survey.
Faculty, Student and Community Recognition:
Service-Learning Office hosts a “Recognition Luncheon” at the end of each semester to honor and thank students, faculty and community partners for their service. Students are presented with a certificate of participation.
BCC Service-Learning Project Description – Syllabi Outline
Civic Engagement
Definition: Civic engagement is “working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.”(Excerpted from Civic Responsibility and Higher Education, edited by Thomas Ehrlich, published by Oryx Press, 2000, Preface, page vi.) In addition, civic engagement encompasses actions wherein individuals participate in activities of personal and public concern that are both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community.
A Framework for Twenty First Century Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement
Select civic learning objectives for your course from this list of civic knowledge, skills, values and collective action.
Civic Engagement Rubric
Highlights key benchmarks for the development of students’ civic identity and skills.
Rubric from American Association of Colleges and Universities. A project of LEAP (Liberal Education and America’s Promise)
General Resources:
- Introduction: What to include in a SL course syllabi http://www.compact.org/initiatives/syllabi/syllabi-introduction-page-2/
- Reflection in Higher Education – Service-Learning
- SL Toolkit from National Service-Learning Clearing House
- Brochure from Campus Compact on Service-Learning Comprehensive overview with general info and links for more info.
Search Service-Learning syllabi from across disciplines and institutions
http://www.compact.org/category/syllabi/
Connect with SL Colleagues:
Link to join Google group for HE-SL listserv hosted by the National Youth Leadership Council
https://groups.google.com/a/nylc.org/forum/#!forum/he-sl-listserv
This service-learning listservs is a place for sharing resources, discussions, and to see the continued growth of service-learning through quality practice and research.
This CBO-SL listserv is a forum for community based organizations, out-of-school time, and after school organizations to discuss issues and share information and resources relevant to service-learning
To join you must be signed into a Google account; if you do not have a Google account but would like to join please email Marcus Penny at mpenny@nylc.org to be added to the list.