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Implementing Quality Service-LearningPrograms in Community CollegesLauren Weiner Vaknin a & Marilee J. Bresciani ba Associate Dean of Student Affairs , Cuyamaca College , El Cajon ,California , USAb Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Learning, SanDiego State University , San Diego , California , USAPublished online: 27 Sep 2013.
To cite this article: Lauren Weiner Vaknin & Marilee J. Bresciani (2013) Implementing Quality Service-Learning Programs in Community Colleges, Community College Journal of Research and Practice,37:12, 979-989, DOI: 10.1080/10668926.2010.515515
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Implementing Quality Service-Learning Programs inCommunity Colleges
Lauren Weiner Vaknin
Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Cuyamaca College, El Cajon, California, USA
Marilee J. Bresciani
Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Learning,San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
This cross-case comparative study at Western Community College and the University of the Coast
explored through a constructive lens the characteristics that lead to sustainable, high quality service-
learning programs and how they are implemented at institutions of higher education. The researchers
determined that both Western Community College and the University of the Coast (a) have diverse
collaborative partnerships that promote excellent communication between all of the entities, (b) offer
a wide variety of service-learning courses to connect curricular and cocurricular experiences, (c)
have a stable funding base, (d) provide the necessary resources, (e) have continuity in staffing,
and (f) incorporate feedback and assessment into their respective service-learning programs. The
findings from this study, based on one-on-one interviews, focus groups, observations, and document
analysis, serve as a model on how to create quality and sustainable service-learning programs that
combine academic scholarship, off-campus learning discoveries, reflection, civic engagement, and
meaningful community service. The research may be applicable for educators at community colleges
at various stages in developing service-learning programs, or who are transforming faltering
programs, trying to make them sustainable.
By creating a sense of community for students both on and off campus, service-learning is a
pedagogy that connects classroom learning and community service with ‘‘public-service activi-
ties’’ (Furco, 2002, p. 39), expanding students’ educational horizons, making them more aware
and compassionate of those who live in neighborhoods very different from their own. Service-
learning courses may also encourage ‘‘. . . personal and civic responsibility . . . address local
needs while developing their [students] academic skills and commitment to their [students]
communities’’ (Robinson, 2010, p. 1).
Service-learning is an excellent way to encourage a better understanding of diversity without
making any value judgments on these differences (Mintz & Hesser, 1996). It is an instructional
Address correspondence to Lauren Weiner Vaknin, Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon,
CA 92019-4369. E-mail: [email protected]
Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 37: 979–989, 2013
Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1066-8926 print=1521-0413 online
DOI: 10.1080/10668926.2010.515515
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‘‘tool’’ which may promote the advancement ‘‘of democratic principles’’ (Chapdelaine, Ruiz,
Warchal, & Wells, 2005, p. 5) and may also play an essential role in combating a ‘‘growing civic
disengagement . . . especially among college students’’ (Hodge, Lewis, Kramer, & Hughes,
2001, p. 676). In addition, service-learning may also enable instructors to ‘‘enhance the academ-
ic education of students in areas that are not accessed with traditional pedagogy’’ (Prentice &
Garcia, 2000, p. 26).
While the concept of service-learning is not new and has its roots in history, many institu-
tions are now placing far more importance on service, making it a vital component in a post-
secondary education (Bringle & Hatcher, 2000). According to Prentice and Robinson (2010),
there is an increasing trend among community colleges to add service-learning courses into their
programs; this trend is not surprising because ‘‘. . . a primary mission of both is to increase stu-
dent learning’’ (p. 14). For example, the Horizons Project, which is managed by the American
Association of Community Colleges, has numerous goals, including increasing ‘‘. . . the number,
quality, and sustainability of service learning programs in colleges nationwide’’ (Robinson,
2010, p. 1).
Numerous factors are involved in the creation of quality service-learning programs, and
although much of the literature is focused on service-learning in the context of a four-year
experience, many of the themes can still be applied to the two-year institution. For example,
close collaborative partnerships that involve students, faculty, student affairs, and the commun-
ity are vital in the creation of all quality programs. According to Engstrom (2003), teamwork
will not only enrich each of the partners, but also will benefit society as whole. Gugerty and
Swezey (1996) noted when partnerships are built upon a foundation that includes recognition
of numerous factors, including each other’s capabilities, there can be a greater likelihood of
creating ‘‘. . . a long-term impact in leveraging the necessary resources to create change . . .’’(p. 107).
Although collaborative partnerships are vital, students in service-learning programs need to
see the linkage between the content of their courses and their service in the field (Hatcher &
Bringle, 1997). To achieve greater success, service-learning courses should have a direct
relationship with the academic aspect of a program. For example, Crews (2002) noted that stu-
dies agree ‘‘improved learning outcomes occur when there is better integration of service-
learning programs into courses and programs . . .’’ (p. 10).Quality service-learning programs at community colleges not only connect curricular and
cocurricular experiences, but also provide their students a variety of ways to reflect. More than
a summary of the service-learning experience, reflection, which Eyler (2001, p. 42) called
‘‘. . . the hyphen in service-learning’’ is an educational tool that may increase civic responsibility
by putting into perspective academic instruction with hands-on experience in the field with the
needs of the community. It is important to understand the ‘‘. . . reciprocal relationship between
those serving and those served’’ (Rubin, 1996, p. 298).
Another characteristic of quality service-learning programs is assessment, which can provide
pertinent information that will enable faculty, administrators, and partners to determine the best
aspects of a service-learning program and pinpoint areas that may need improvement. The col-
lection of data can be accomplished in various ways, including ‘‘surveys, interviews, focus
groups, document reviews, observations, journals, and critical incident reports’’ (Gelmon,
Holland, Driscoll, Spring, & Kerrigan, 2001, p. 12).
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METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This cross-case comparative study explored, through a constructivist lens, the important charac-
teristics leading to sustainable, high quality service-learning programs at a two-year institution
comparing the results to a four-year institution. The researchers conducted (a) one-on-one inter-
views with students, faculty and staff, and community partners at Western Community College
and the University of the Coast, (b) a student focus group at Western Community College and
the University of the Coast, and (c) a document analysis at Western Community College and the
University of the Coast that included official documents such as strategic plans, assessment
plans, student evaluations, reflections, and mission statements. The researchers also searched
their websites to print additional documents. In addition, the researchers were able to triangulate
the data by conducting several observations to personally view service-learning programs that
(a) the researchers had heard about from the one-on-one interviews and the focus groups and
(b) read about in the document analysis.
Site Selection and Sampling Method
The researchers selected Western Community College’s Service-Learning Program and the
University of the Coast’s Community Service-Learning Center for the study because these
particular institutions have long established service-learning programs with strong ties to their
respective communities. For example, established more than seven decades ago, Western
Community College is a public two-year community college that has more than 10,000 students
on its two campuses plus an additional 4,000 students attending its Community Learning Center
(Institution’s name omitted website, 2009). In addition, Western Community College has one of
the highest transfer rates to the state’s four-year universities. Unlike Western Community Col-
lege, the University of the Coast is a private, religiously affiliated university that has more than
7,500 students (Institution’s name omitted website, 2009), which attracts students from across
the United States and from approximately 100 different countries.
The researchers utilized purposeful sampling and asked for recommendations from the
service-learning administrators at Western Community College and the University of the Coast
based on our criteria that included participants who had varying backgrounds in service learning.
For instance, to promote diversity in the selection process of students, the researchers asked for
recommendations of students who not only had different types of majors, but who also came
from different educational backgrounds. The researchers asked the service-learning coordinators
to identify faculty or staff members with different areas of expertise and varying degrees of
experience. Based on the recommendations of the service-learning coordinators, the researchers
interviewed community partners from (a) both small and large nonprofit organizations, (b) long
established and newly formed nonprofit organizations, (c) those working with different age
groups, different socioeconomic groups, and different ethnic groups.
There were 26 participants in the study, five of whom are males. The researchers conducted
one-on-one interviews with 18 persons including (a) five students, (b) six faculty members,
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(c) three staff members, and (d) four community partners. In addition, the researchers conducted
two focus groups with a total of eight students. The gender breakdown for the study included
three male participants and 15 females for the one-on-one interviews; in each focus group, there
were three females and one male participant.
Data Analysis
This next stage of the study involved a ‘‘. . . process of inductive reasoning, thinking, and the-
orizing’’ (Taylor & Bogdan, 1998, p. 140) as the researchers utilized data analysis strategies.
From the transcripts of the one-on-one interviews and focus groups, the researchers captured
from students, faculty, staff members, and partners their feelings about their service-learning
program including (a) their reactions to their service-learning experience, (b) their definition
of sustainability, (c) their interactions with all of the entities that comprise the program, and
(d) any issues of concern.
FINDINGS & DISCUSSION
Based on the study, the researchers determined that Western Community College’s service-
learning program not only encourages educational excellence, but also serves the needs of the
community by (a) incorporating strong collaborative partnerships, (b) connecting curricular
and cocurricular experiences, (c) featuring reflection, (d) including feedback and assessment,
and (e) promoting sustainability. The researchers also found similar themes at the University
of the Coast, and the two institutions appear to have a great deal in common with respect to their
service-learning programs even though the mission of a public community college like Western
Community College and a private four-year religious-based institution like the University of the
Coast, differ.
However, there was a distinct difference between Western Community College and the
University of the Coast’s service-learning programs with respect to the four-year institution’s
offering of a for-credit class that connects service learning to leadership. University of the Coast
students, who are taking between 12 and 18 units, are recruited from all of the different
service-learning classes and can sign up for the one-unit leadership class offered through its
School of Education Leadership Program. The class consists of 40 hours, half of which is a sem-
inar where students learn leadership skills, and the other half is a practical component.
Diverse Collaborative Partnerships
Western Community College offers a wide variety of courses with a service-learning component
to more than 1,000 students a year, and there are more than 50 faculty members from 28 disci-
plines that utilize the service-learning component on an optional basis or as a mandatory require-
ment (Institution’s name omitted Mid-Term Review: Service Learning Program, 2008–2009,
p. 1). According to Western Community College’s Service-Learning Coordinator, Michelle, the
service-learning program has created cohesive collaborative partnerships with the district’s K–12
schools and with 65 different nonprofit organizations involved in health care, social services,
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environmental areas, and senior centers, many of which serve low income, ethnically and
religiously diverse communities with a high influx of non-English speakers.
During the 2007–2008 academic year, Western Community College students logged in more
than 10,000 service hours and were able to select from more than 80 service-learning courses
(Governing Board Presentation) such as administration of justice, business, child development,
health, nursing, sociology, biology, math, chemistry, geology, psychology, humanities, ocean-
ography, physical science, horticulture, English, Spanish, counseling, media arts technology,
marketing, and computer technology (Institution’s name omitted website, 2009).
Service-Learning Coordinator Michelle cautioned that collaborative partnerships are not
based upon a numbers game. When she came to Western Community College as its service-
learning coordinator, the college had a database of 100 to 200 organizations that were listed
as its community partners. When she personally called each of the organizations to introduce
herself, she discovered that ‘‘no one knew who I was or what our program was about,’’ Michelle
said. Michelle made changes and now ‘‘strong community partnerships, which are strengthened
by strong partnerships with the faculty members’’ are the core of Western Community College’s
service-learning program.
The University of the Coast also has a wide variety of collaborative partnerships, and accord-
ing to Diane, a sociology professor at the university, they are an essential component of its
service-learning program. She stressed that it is a ‘‘real plus’’ that the University is located in
a ‘‘low income, culturally, socially, religiously, ethnically diverse neighborhood’’ because it
enables the service-learning program to promote a close relationship with organizations that
reflect the diversity of its surroundings.
Given the changing demographics on the West Coast, diversity and understanding are impor-
tant characteristics in any type of educational setting whether it is in a two-year or a four-year
educational institution. From their comments, the researchers learned that the participants in the
study at both Western Community College and the University of the Coast view their diverse
collaborative partnerships as an asset. According to Mintz and Hesser (1996), ‘‘Diversity is
an asset that brings to the process varied resources, talents, knowledge, and skills’’ (p. 38). In
the case of Western Community College and the University of the Coast, the characteristic of
partnerships reflects the mission of both of these institutions. Jacoby (2003) stated that, ‘‘For
partnerships of service-learning to survive in the long-run and to enable the partners to reap their
rich potential benefits, the partnerships must be integrated into the missions, policies, and
practices of higher education institutions’’ (p. 218).
At Western Community College, Michelle, who has a long history with service-learning pro-
grams, first as a student, then as a faculty member, and then as service-learning coordinator, was
emphatic when she said that quality service-learning programs need ‘‘strong community partner-
ships . . .with a shared vision between the partners, faculty members and the program.’’ At the
University of the Coast, there are strong collaborative partnerships that are also at the foundation
of its service-learning program. And as evidenced by the success of Western Community
College and the University of the Coast, both a two-year and a four-year institution have access
to numerous types of opportunities to create collaborative partnerships; the key is having the
knowledge, dedication, and the logistics to make it work for the mutual benefit of all of the
entities.
Even though both Western Community College and the University of the Coast appear to
have many similarities in the implementation and cultivation of their collaborative partnerships,
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there are some differences. For example, many of the service-learning students from Western
Community College not only live in the community where they serve, but they also grew up
in the community. Several of those interviewed at Western Community College said that they
had selected a school that they had attended either as a youngster or as a teenager to perform
their service-learning component. As examples, Western Community College Student Body
President, Mark, chose not only his former elementary school, but also selected the classroom
of ‘‘his favorite teacher’’ to conduct his service-learning component; a student in instructor
Megan’s sociology course not only chose his former high school, but accepted the role as the
head of the band where he had once played. These findings differed at the University of the
Coast, and the researchers did not find any similar situations where a student conducted a
service-learning component in the same school where he or she had attended.
Although both Western Community College and the University of the Coast have a wide var-
iety of service-learning sites, a large percentage of their partnerships are with K–12 schools.
Based on the comments of the participants in the study, there appears to be no difference in
the selection of partners based upon a two-year or four-year institution. The selection of public
K–12 schools by both a two-year and a four-year-institution appears to help fill the growing void
as a result of state funding cuts.
Connecting Curricular and Cocurricular Experiences
While solid collaborative partnerships are at the foundation of the programs at the Western
Community College and the University of the Coast, these two institutions have created the
framework for their quality curriculum by connecting curricular and cocurricular experiences
of their service-learning programs. During the study, the participants discussed how they were
able to connect the academic aspects of their courses with their hands-on humanitarian experi-
ences in the field, increasing their understanding of the course’s subject matter and the needs of
their community.
Although collaborative partnerships are vital, service-learning courses cannot thrive without
connecting the curricular and cocurricular experiences of students. Service-learning programs at
Western Community College encourage students to go beyond the classroom learning by getting
real-life experiences ‘‘putting theories into practice’’ to increase their ‘‘critical thinking skills’’
(Institution’s name omitted Faculty Service-Learning Handbook, 1998, p. 3). When students can
apply what they learn, it can be an amazing experience, according to Michelle, coordinator of the
Western Community College’s service-learning program. She feels by connecting curricular and
cocurricular experiences, the course material can ‘‘come alive.’’
According to Megan, a Western Community College sociology instructor, who has had a
service-learning component in many of her classes for more than a decade, it is important for
community partners to have a clear understanding of the academic components of the service
learning program. She has her students take their syllabus with them when they meet their com-
munity partner to show the partner that there are required readings, homework assignments,
quizzes, exams, and deadlines that they are ‘‘weaving’’ into the service-learning program.
Megan explained that orientation with the community agencies is a very important part of the
process of connecting the curricular and cocurricular experiences. ‘‘They look at our students’
syllabi, they know the student has responsibilities in the classroom and they know the
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student needs to be involved in a certain kind of activity or it is not going to work for them,’’
Megan added.
Megan also discussed some of the differences between her sociology students that opt for the
service-learning component to connect their curricular and cocurricular experiences and other stu-
dents, who are not participating in service learning in her class. She believes that ‘‘service-learning
students aremore focused,’’ whichmay result in bringing an added dimension to the learning process.
Diane, a University of the Coast sociology professor, noted that its Community Service-
Learning Center is unique because from its beginnings it was decided that if the university
was going to offer volunteer services, these services had to be integrated in a way that would
be meaningful to students. And as such, services needed to have the academic component to
connect curricular and cocurricular experiences. And instead of being affiliated with student life
like many other service-learning programs, the Community Service-Learning Center has
‘‘always reported to academic affairs through the provost,’’ according to Diane. She added,
‘‘It [the Community Service-Learning Center] is housed through the provost, not with any parti-
cular college or school, but through the provost and student affairs as well.’’
The researchers determined that the linkage between the curricular and cocurricular experi-
ences are at the heart of Western Community College and the University of the Coast’s courses;
this relationship is also an inherent characteristic of their quality programs. Based on the
comments of the participants of the study, there appears to be no difference in students making
the connection between their curricular and cocurricular experiences at Western Community
College and at the University of the Coast.
The importance of connecting curricular and cocurricular experiences is not only recognized
by Western Community College and the University of the Coast, but it is also documented in the
literature review. Enos and Troppe (1996, p. 156) noted, ‘‘Not only does service-learning have
the potential to help students learn the content in a particular discipline, it also asks students to
consider the context of a discipline and how its knowledge base is used in practice.’’ The
researchers found that both Western Community College and the University of the Coast offer
a variety of service-learning opportunities that transcend all disciplines, giving their students a
wide variety of choices in which to connect their curricular and cocurricular experiences.
In the literature review, Hatcher and Bringle (1997) discussed the importance of creating
courses that will enable students to ‘‘. . .meaningfully consider their service experience in the
light of the curriculum’’ (p. 1). Megan, a Western Community College sociology instructor with
more than a decade of service-learning experience, talked about the enthusiasm her students felt
when they made the connection between the curricular and cocurricular aspects of their course.
‘‘And I think they get excited about the opportunity to do something away from school that
counts when they come back to the classroom,’’ Megan said. This philosophy appears to be
shared by the University of the Coast, and according to Matt, assistant director of its Community
Service-Learning Center, learning is more than just ‘‘knowledge contained in a book that you’ll
sell back to the bookstore or sits on a shelf.’’
Reflection
After connecting their curricular and cocurricular experiences, service-learning students should
be offered a variety of ways to reflect because reflection puts the experience into perspective by
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combining the academic understanding of theory with its practice. From the comments of the
participants in the study, the researchers learned that there are many types of opportunities
for reflection activities at Western Community College and the University of the Coast, and that
reflection has emerged as an intrinsic characteristic of their quality programs. Mark, who is the
Western Community College student body president, reflected that the service-learning adden-
dum of his psychology course impacted his life. ‘‘It really opened my eyes to the joys of giving
back to the community,’’ explained Mark, who at the conclusion of his psychology course,
wrote a six-page reflection paper that incorporated his field notes.
The reflection process at Western Community College can also include oral presentations,
web board, and written assignments in class where the instructors ask very specific questions
to make sure students have made the necessary connections between the service-learning compo-
nent and the curriculum. According to service-learning coordinator Michelle, the Service-
Learning Program runs ‘‘numerous workshops on reflections’’ that are led by faculty members,
who mentor other faculty members that have less experience in the service learning. ‘‘The
reflection process ‘‘is so important to our program,’’ Michelle concluded. From our research,
we determined that the quality characteristic, reflection, emerged as a theme of Western Com-
munity College’s service-learning program and appears to be a vital component in its success.
At the University of the Coast, the researchers heard from many students that their classes
would not be as powerful without the reflection component for they would lack the human
element. Grace and Alice, both of whom are University of the Coast service-learning students,
also shared their opinions on the significance of reflection. Grace said, ‘‘I feel there is so much
more to learning in the classroom than just textbooks and tests, especially for classes like
humanities.’’ Alice, a third-year student, noted that reflection not only makes her learning
experience more realistic, but the human experience makes her a more compassionate person.
Feedback and Assessment
Adding to the list of characteristics that make up quality service-learning programs at Western
Community College and the University of the Coast is feedback and assessment. The parti-
cipants noted that their respective institution utilizes various forms of feedback and levels of
assessment from all of the entities in their service-learning programs, sharing the information
to make improvements to promote learning outcomes.
Feedback is essential, according to Michelle, coordinator of Western Community College’s
service-learning program; she noted that its service-learning program is ‘‘shaped by what our
students say, what they tell us, by what our community partners tell us, and what faculty tells
us.’’ Michelle encourages teamwork and every year works with faculty and community partners
for feedback, taking the ‘‘good, bad, or ugly.’’ ‘‘Whatever it is, we want it all, and that is how
we get better.’’ Student input is also an important factor in the assessment process, and students
not only evaluate the program, but also evaluate their instructors and their community partners.
‘‘We really do look at all different areas and try to make sure that we are assessing all aspects of
our program,’’ said coordinator Michelle.
The feedback and assessment process is an essential tool in creating quality service-learning
programs that not only reflect Western Community College’s commitment to academic excel-
lence, but also reflects its core values of ‘‘service to the community’’ and its philosophy ‘‘to
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be responsive to all learners’’ (Institution’s name omitted Academic Master Plan, 2006, p. 1).
The comments made by the participants in the Western Community College study corresponded
to those made by the participants in the University of the Coast. To elicit feedback from the stu-
dents, Diane, a University of the Coast sociology professor, looks for ways that students can relate
to, utilizing ‘‘methodologies and technologies that they are much more familiar with . . . such as a
web-based source.’’ The University of the Coast also uses more conventional methods to obtain
feedback, including a rubric, which includes numerous categories for assessment.
Sustainability
There are numerous factors that contribute to the sustainability of Western Community College’s
Service-Learning Program, but high on the list are (a) support from the administration and fac-
ulty, (b) stability in staff and funding, and (c) proper training and orientations, including mentor-
ing opportunities for all of the entities in the partnership. For instance, Michelle, coordinator of
Western Community College’s service-learning program and former instructor, noted that the
backing of the administration and faculty is essential. ‘‘If you don’t have the support of key fac-
ulty members . . . or if you have a president, who doesn’t support it, or if you have board mem-
bers, who don’t support it, it is not going to last,’’ Michelle stressed. She added that due to
funding issues, service-learning programs have to be valued by the college, and they have to
want to fund them to sustain them. Given the troubling economy, programs within two-year
and four-year institutions are facing lean times, which has increased the competition for funding,
making it even more critical to have the support of administrators, faculty, and students.
Both Western Community College and the University of the Coast began their respective
service-learning programs with grant money. Currently, they do solicit grants, but they do not
rely on them anymore, which may be another reason for the sustainability of their respective
service-learning programs. According to Megan, a longtime sociology instructor at Western
Community College, sustainable programs cannot rely on grant money for long-term funding.
She credits the sustainability of this public institution’s service-learning program to the spending
of ‘‘institutional dollars’’ for its support. ‘‘You can’t run on grant money forever because grant
money goes away,’’ Megan said. ‘‘It [Service-Learning Program] is now part of the business of
the college and is always included in everything we do,’’ Megan continued. ‘‘And that makes
for a sustainable program.’’
Unlike the University of the Coast, which is privately funded, during the 2007–2008 school
year, monies from property taxes made up more than 80% of the revenue sources for Western
Community College; state funds made up approximately 9% (Institution’s name omitted web-
site, 2009). As a public educational institution that derives its income from municipal sources,
Western Community College has different funding issues than the privately-funded University
of the Coast. For example, Michelle, coordinator of Western Community College’s service-
learning programs mentioned that several years ago, ‘‘almost all of the [community] colleges
in [name of city withheld for confidentiality] had service-learning programs,’’ but she said,
‘‘when the budget got bad, they [service-learning courses] were the first thing to go.’’
To keep service-learning programs viable and sustainable at Western Community College,
the researchers learned from Michelle that she keeps the campus informed about the attributes
of the college’s service-learning program ‘‘to make it as valuable to the campus as possible.’’
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She emphasized, ‘‘So when those budget cuts do come along, they are not going to be looking at
me . . . hopefully.’’ The importance of having the support of administrators and faculty is also
vital to the University of the Coast’s service-learning programs, and according to Matt, assistant
director of its Community Service-Learning Center, maintaining support from the administration
and from the faculty is essential. Matt, who has been at the University for six years, also added
another factor: ‘‘stability in the staff.’’
Western Community College and the University of the Coast have both allocated office space
for their respective service-learning programs. Megan, a sociology instructor at Western Com-
munity College, who works closely with Michelle, the service-learning coordinator, attributed
the location of the office in a ‘‘high traffic area’’ of the institution as one of the reasons for its sus-
tainability. Megan said that it is ‘‘very accessible,’’ and because it is easy for students to find, even
if they are not thinking about service learning at the time, they know where to locate the coordi-
nator if they have any questions. According to Wendy, director of the University of the Coast’s
Community Service-Learning Center, the administration also provides the resources to host train-
ing sessions and orientations. These programs may not only increase the understanding of the
issues facing a service-learning site, but also increase understanding of what is expected of all
of the entities in the partnership. Western Community College utilizes in-service opportunities
to offer training sessions for instructors who are interested in teaching courses with a service-
learning component and need assistance in developing learning outcomes and course content.
These types of training sessions work very well for both a two-year and a four-year institution
by attracting new faculty to teach service-learning courses, adding sustainability to the program.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
The findings from the literature review and the interviews and document analysis from Western
Community College and the University of the Coast can be adapted to other institutions. This is
because they serve as a model on how to create quality and sustainable service-learning pro-
grams that incorporate academic scholarship, off-campus discoveries, reflection, civic engage-
ment, and meaningful community service.
The process should begin slowly and in steps. For instance, the coordinator and the faculty
should work closely to identify the needs of their neighborhood and select community partners.
The researchers recommend starting with a few community partners, and as Western Community
College did, slowly building mutually beneficial collaborative relationships on a small scale.
Following the lead of Western Community College, the coordinator or the director of the pro-
gram should meet with faculty, providing one-on-one training sessions, group orientations, and
workshops to create courses with a service-learning component, connecting curricular and
cocurricular experiences.
Community colleges are a very suitable instrument to connect academics with community
service for a variety of reasons. Their students are unique because they typically live in the com-
munity, grew up in the community, and=or plan to live in the community in the future. Because
the students have ties to the area where their community college is located, service-learning pro-
grams not only provide variety in the presentation of course content, but also may increase civic
responsibility. According to Western Community College sociology instructor Megan, the
students have flexibility in their choice of sites, and several of them selected schools that are
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part of the collaborative partnerships where they had attended as youngsters. Megan noted that
students, who selected school sites, enjoy the convenience of ‘‘working in their neighborhood’’
and the opportunity to work with their former teachers.
The researchers recommend that community colleges utilize several levels of assessment and
feedback including surveys, evaluations, reflections, and face-to-face interactions; the research-
ers recommend that community colleges incorporate these types of instruments into their
service-learning programs to promote both quality and sustainability. The researchers also
strongly suggest that community colleges have a systematic process in place to review the
evidence from the assessment and to make improvements to the programs.
Western Community College and the University of the Coast appear to have a winning com-
bination of factors that include (a) the necessary resources, including financial support from
high-level administrators; (b) the dedication of students, faculty and=or staff, and community
partners; (c) consistency in staffing; and (d) diverse service-learning opportunities that enhance
curricular and cocurricular experiences. However, dedication and commitment by all of the enti-
ties in the service-learning partnership must be a part of the equation to achieve success.
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