Dr. April Heiselt Associate Professor and Director Center for the Advancement of Service-Learning...
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No Trivial Pursuit: Implementing Service- Learning in Your Curriculum Dr. April Heiselt Associate Professor and Director Center for the Advancement of Service-Learning Excellence (CASLE) Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology Center for Teaching and Learning Workshop April 24, 2013
Dr. April Heiselt Associate Professor and Director Center for the Advancement of Service-Learning Excellence (CASLE) Department of Counseling and Educational
Dr. April Heiselt Associate Professor and Director Center for
the Advancement of Service-Learning Excellence (CASLE) Department
of Counseling and Educational Psychology Center for Teaching and
Learning Workshop April 24, 2013
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Introductions Dr. April Heiselt Associate Professor &
Student Affairs Program Coordinator Director of the Center for the
Advancement of Service- Learning Excellence (CASLE) Courses taught
with service-learning pedagogy: Introduction to Assessment,
Administration of Student Personnel Services, Student Affairs in
Higher Education, Literature of Student Affairs, Internship in
Student Affairs, Day One Leadership Community
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Brief Program Overview CASLE Description What is
service-learning? Selected service-learning benefits Guiding
principles of service-learning courses Six models of
service-learning coursework Ten steps to implementing
service-learning in the curriculum Examples of service-learning
courses Question and Answer Period
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Center for the Advancement of Service-Learning Excellence
Learn, Serve, Become. Learn. The Light Bulb Students are able to
learn more, with more depth, and critical thinking than in a
typical classroom setting Serve. The Hand Students give their time
to help, assist, provide knowledge, and to in essence give a hand
to an entity who needs it. Become. The Infinite Arrow Students will
take this knowledge with them throughout their experience at MSU
and into the future as independent, critical thinkers, who
(ideally) will want to become civically engaged, active
citizens.
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References Learn and Serve America http://www.learnandserve.org
National Service Learning Clearinghouse SLICE (Service-Learning
Ideas and Curricular Examples) http://www.servicelearning.org/slice
http://www.servicelearning.org/slice Northwest Service Academy
Reflection Toolkit
http://bennioncenter.org/documents/faculty/Reflection_Toolkit.pdf
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Service-learning is NOT One-time volunteering experience One
sided (only the student or community benefits) Logging community
service hours in order to graduate Service assigned as a form of
punishment An add-on to other assignments
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What is Service-Learning? Service-learning is a pedagogy...
Service-learning is a pedagogy... A method of teaching and learning
linking meaningful community service with instruction and
reflection to 1. Meet the needs of a community organization 2.
Enrich the learning experience and enhance student understanding of
course material 3. To teach civic responsibility and critical
thinking 4. Strengthen communities
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Community Service Example Students removing trash from a city
streambed. Valued, one-time service that helps a community and is
important.
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Service-Learning Example Students remove trash from a city
streambed Take trash back to campus and analyze what they found Go
into the community and share their results with residents of the
neighborhood Provide suggestions for the futurelike ways to reduce
pollution The students continually reflect and critically think
about their experience
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Some Student Benefits Hands-on use of knowledge that increases
relevance of academic skills and deepens understanding of core
academic concepts and theories Increased sense of self-efficacy
Valuable and competitive career guidance and experience Increased
sense of civic responsibility
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Some Faculty Benefits New perspectives on learning and
increased understanding of how learning occurs Opportunities to tap
into expertise of community agencies as co-teachers Identifying
areas for research and publication related to current trends and
issues Feel a renewed sense of connection to their work Connecting
the community with the curriculum
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Builds partnerships between the university and other
organizations Engages parents and adults in supporting student
learning Creates short- and long-term solutions to pressing
community needs Development of a pool of potential employees Some
Community Benefits
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Some University Benefits Enhanced teaching, research, and
outreach activities Faculty and student engagement in local and
state community issues Positive community relationships Increased
development and preparation of university graduates Access to
wisdom and experience of community agencies as co-teachers
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Four Guiding Principles for Service-Learning Engagement
Reflection Reciprocity Public Dissemination
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Engagement Does the service component meet a public good? How?
How have school- community boundaries been negotiated and how will
they be crossed? MSU Day One Leadership students work with the
Starkville in Motion community group for Walk to School Day
promoting exercise and healthy habits for children and their
families.
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Reflection Ever wonder why there is a hyphen in service-
learning? Eyler and Giles (1999), state that reflection is what
facilitates a students making connections between their service and
their learning experience. The hyphen in service-learning
represents this connection. Reflection is key in service-learning.
Encourages students to link their service experience to course
content and to critically think about and reflect upon why the work
they are doing is relevant.
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Misunderstanding Reflection Confusion about how to conduct
reflection Not an emotional process Not enough to plant a student
in a service- learning setting with the hope they will blossom and
grow and come away with something theyve learned. On-going process
that when done carefully yields deeper and more meaningful growth
for students.
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Adapted from:
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he
_facts/he_reflection/
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he
_facts/he_reflection/ Expanded based on Kolbs Cycle of Experiential
Learning (1984)
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Reciprocity Everyone involved in service- learning acts as both
a teacher, and a learner. Participants are perceived as colleagues,
not as servers and clients (Heffernan, 2001). MSU Architecture
students present designs to Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity
board members and homeowners.
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Public Dissemination Is service work presented to the public or
made an opportunity for the community to enter into a public
dialogue? For example: Do oral histories that students collect
return to the community in some public form? How is information
made public? To whose advantage?
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Six Models of Service-Learning Heffernan, K. (2001).
Fundamentals of Service-Learning Course Construction. Providence,
RI: National Campus Compact, Brown University. Price: $62.00
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1. Pure Service-Learning What is looks like: Students are sent
into the community to serve. These courses have as their
intellectual core the idea of service to communities by students,
volunteers, or engaged citizens. They are not typically lodged in
any one discipline.
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2. Disciplined-Based Service-Learning What it looks like:
Students are expected to have a presence in the community
throughout the semester Students reflect on their experience
regularly Students use course content as a basis for their analysis
and understanding
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3. Community-Based Action Research What it looks like: Students
work closely with faculty to learn research methodology while
serving as an advocate for the community partner. The results of
the research are communicated to the community partner so that the
information can be used to address community identified needs.
Projects can support the ongoing community-based research of
faculty.
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4. Service Internship What it looks like: More intense than
typical service-learning courses. Students work 10-20 hours a week
in a community setting. Students produce a body of work that is of
value to the community or site. Students maintain regular, on-going
reflective opportunities that help them analyze their new
experiences using discipline-based theories.
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5. Capstone Course What it looks like: These courses build upon
students cumulative knowledge in a specified discipline and
demonstrate the integration of that knowledge with real life
issues. Upper-class students can explore ways their disciplinary
expertise and competencies translate into addressing community
needs.
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6. Problem-Based Service-Learning What it looks like: Students
or teams of students act as consultants working for a client (the
community). The students determine a particular community need or
problem. This model presumes students have some knowledge they can
draw upon to make recommendations to the community or develop
solutions to the problem.
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Work in Progress Grab a piece of paper and a pen Start
brainstorming as we move through the steps Feel free to ask
questions as we move through the process Be ready to share/discuss
ideas at the end of the workshkop
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1. Brainstorm the ways you could add service-learning to your
class. A. Service-learning can be effectively used in every
academic discipline. (Really!) B. Think about how your course
content connects with the community. C. Consider what kinds of
volunteer opportunities might be available at the linkage
point.
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2. Identify community partnerships. A. Choose the best
opportunities with the most potential for your students. B. How
many partners are needed? This depends 25 students might use a
single school that provides an array of programs Determining the
number of sites is based on the capacity of the community
partner
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Visit the Sites and Meet the Representatives Opportunity to get
a first-hand look at the site Ask: What is your mission? What
population is served? What mission-related needs could be met
through student effort? What community issues does/will the project
address?
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Talk with the Community Partner about your class Discuss
learning objectives Share your syllabus Describe the students level
of knowledge and skill Discuss start dates, semester breaks, and
last date students will perform service
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If Its A Good FitAsk How many students can the partner
accommodate? What days and times can the students come to the site?
Who from the organization will supervise the students? What
resources will be provided for the students?
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Create A Written Agreement Expectations of student behavior
Service start date and ending date Identify a Communication Plan
Students with site supervisor Site supervisor and instructor
Contingency plans what if the site needs to close? Role of
community partner in evaluation of the student
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Written Agreement Articulate problem-solving techniques
followed by all parties Contact information for site supervisor,
and instructor Signatures of student, site supervisor, and
instructor Copies provided and original kept on file
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3. With service site(s) in mind, consider your goals and
motives in using service-learning. A. What are you trying to
accomplish for your students, yourself, and the community? B.
Review your course objectives and list two or three specific and
measurable service-learning goals and objectives.
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4. Based upon your goals and objectives choose a service-
learning model. A. Decide how you will incorporate community
service into your course. B. One time service project?
Service-learning throughout the course?
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5. Alter your syllabus to reflect the change. A. To be
successfully integrated the service experience must be more than
just as an add-on to an already full syllabus. B. How will you
allocate class time for discussion of the experience?
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Tips In Developing A Syllabus Service-learning is directly
related to course goals and objectives Explain role of service in
the course What the service entails Expectation of service outside
of class Rule of thumb: A 3-credit hour course = 2 to 3 of hours of
service outside of class per week (this can be changed at the
discretion of the instructor)
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Exemplary Service-Learning Syllabi... Include course
assignments that link the service activities and the course content
Describe reflection activities Articulate professional expectations
(confidentiality, professional dress) Provide students with
opportunities to be both teacher and learner (via presentations,
etc.)
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Exemplary Service-Learning Syllabi... Address liability issues
Risk Management Student Travel Insurance Provide alternative sites
(students need a choice of sites in case the site provides moral,
religious, or other concerns)
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6. Explain and promote the ideas behind including
service-learning in your class. A. Explain the benefits to the
students and the community partner. B. Make your commitment clear
and encourage students to take advantage of the opportunity for
both the personal and academic growth that service affords.
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7. Develop specific service-learning objectives for student
experiences. A. Done as a class, or faculty can create the
objectives up-front. B. Example: In a Psychology course, the
objective might be understanding the dynamics of group formation or
gender roles and their functions in a project.
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8. Teach students how to harvest the service experience for
knowledge. A. Students need to be taught to focus on these
objectives and related questions as they participate in the service
setting. B.Example: The Math student is working on a Habitat for
Humanity project. She thinks about the algebra or geometry used in
developing the architectural plans.
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9. Link the service experience to your academic course content
through deliberate and guided reflection. A.Reflection is what
links the learning to the service. B.The nature and type of
reflection determines its outcome. C. There are a variety of ways
for students to reflect. Consider what will work best for your
objectives.
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Be sure and celebrate! Provide the students with an opportunity
to be the teacher and explain their learning process Celebrate the
service and learning that has occurred Invite the community
partner(s), parents, families
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10. Evaluate Your Service-Learning Outcomes A. Students are
being graded on the academic product, not their hours of service.
B. Use the same standards used in evaluating any other written or
oral presentation: Did the student master the course material? C.
Utilize formative and summative research techniques to measure your
success in achieving your objectives.
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Evaluation Ideas Student Learning Outcomes Pre and post
measures of students sense of civic engagement Qualitative analysis
of students reflection journals to see if there were changes in
student attitudes and perspectives Impact on the community partner
Products as tangible evidence of impact Assess community partners
satisfaction with the service-learning partnership Faculty
Compatibility of the service with the course objectives and the
community partners needs
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Architecture and Service-Learning ARCH 201: Introduction to
Computer Aided Drafting Virginia Highlands Community College Gives
overview of use of computers as applied to architectural drawing.
Covers software capability of the system by generating, moving,
editing, or deleting the basic elements. Includes a
service-learning option where the students will go the Faith in
Action building located in Abingdon, VA. At this existing structure
site, the students will take measurements needed to design an
addition to the Faith in Action building.
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Foreign Language and S-L French 3295: Special Topics in Cajun
French Louisiana State University Students study the
particularities of the French spoken by Cajuns and Creoles in
Louisiana and apply this knowledge to an authentic language
documentation project. Students interview fluent senior citizen
Cajun French speakers, then preserve representative samples of
their French speech in their oral histories and other narratives.
Students transcribe, edit and translate these samples, and
incorporate them with visual support into a multimedia presentation
that are presented to the Cajun speakers as a family heirloom and
to the T. Harry Williams Oral History Collection as a linguistic
and historic artifact.
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Sports Administration and S-L KIN 4517: Sports Administration
Louisiana State University Students participate in the management
functions of planning and organizing and the human side of
administration with regard to motivation and performance, the
communication process and managing conflict and stress.
Specifically, the service engagement will involve working with
Louisiana Senior Olympic Games (LSOG) in conjunction with the
annual State Games. LSOG is a non-profit organization and this work
will expose students to the realities of community service (limited
resources, volunteerism, etc.) and to community needs within a
specific population.
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Concluding Thoughts Service-learning is only as good as the
class that is created Takes time and effort, but the benefits far
outweigh the challenges It is essential to close the loop from
beginning to end in a service-learning course.
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April K. Heiselt Associate Professor and Director Center for
the Advancement of Service-Learning Excellence Department of
Counseling and Educational Psychology P.O. Box 9727 Mississippi
State, MS 39762 (662) 325-7919 [email protected]
