Service Learning BasicsGavilan College, 2014

What is Service-Learning?What is Service-Learning?

““Service-learning is a form of Service-learning is a form of experiential education in which experiential education in which students engage in activities that students engage in activities that address human and community address human and community needs together with needs together with structured structured opportunities intentionally designed opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learningto promote student learning and and development. development. ReflectionReflection and and reciprocity are key concepts of are key concepts of service learning.” (Jacoby, service learning.” (Jacoby, 1996, p.5)1996, p.5)

Service is meaningful and Service is meaningful and intentionally associated with learning intentionally associated with learning objectives of the course AND meeting objectives of the course AND meeting a need of the partner.a need of the partner.

Service enables students and faculty Service enables students and faculty to reflect on how knowledge from to reflect on how knowledge from the discipline informs and shapes the the discipline informs and shapes the service experience and vice versa. service experience and vice versa.

At Gavilan College service learning is when students go into the community to do work related to what they learn in class. • It allows students, faculty, and community

organizations to work together to everyone's benefit.

• Classes are enriched and made real when students apply what they are learning at non-profits in their own communities. Faculty are challenged to update and enrich their teaching.

• And social service agencies benefit when students come in to do projects, bringing fresh perspectives to their work

The Gavilan College Service Learning Program provides avenues for students, faculty, and partner organizations to promote justice, diversity, and social responsibility by integrating academic experiences with

service.

VolunteeringVolunteering – doing good deeds, altruism – doing good deeds, altruism

InternshipInternship – experiential education – experiential education designed to assimilate and demonstrate designed to assimilate and demonstrate mastery of skills for professional mastery of skills for professional development and/or licensuredevelopment and/or licensure

Placement Placement – “dropping” students off at a – “dropping” students off at a site hoping you’ll harvest some learningsite hoping you’ll harvest some learning

An “add on” An “add on” – all courses have an – all courses have an expectation and requirement of “out of expectation and requirement of “out of class” work. SL is part of that expectation.class” work. SL is part of that expectation.

Loads of extra work for Loads of extra work for teachers--after some up-front preparation, most classes run on auto pilot for years

Loads of extra work for students--it’s Loads of extra work for students--it’s another assignment to take seriously another assignment to take seriously and to work on completingand to work on completing

An add-on to enhance a class --think An add-on to enhance a class --think integral and integrationintegral and integration

--whole class does a project for/with one agency

--three or four agencies offer similar projects for groups of students

--whole class does project of community benefit, such as park clean-up or trail clearing

Service Learning CAN BE:

--student work with clients at an agency

--work with class-relevant projects such as nitrogen-cycle measurements at an agency

--work with class-relevant projects such as cosmetology services out in the community

--research that an agency needs done, publication

--research that the community needs done, publication

Service Learning CAN also BE:

Triangulation of Service-Triangulation of Service-LearningLearning

Study

Head

Reflection

Heart

Action

Hands

Benefits Benefits for studentsfor students

A reduction in negative stereotypesA reduction in negative stereotypes Greater self-knowledgeGreater self-knowledge Enhanced interpersonal & leadership Enhanced interpersonal & leadership

skillsskills Increased awareness of the Increased awareness of the

communitycommunity Deeper understanding of subject Deeper understanding of subject

mattermatter Better integration of class concepts to Better integration of class concepts to

authentic issuesauthentic issues Useful service to the communityUseful service to the community Enhanced relations between to college Enhanced relations between to college

and communityand community

BenefitsBenefitsfor facultyfor faculty

Refreshes teachingRefreshes teaching Helps students apply Helps students apply conceptsconcepts Helps students apply skillsHelps students apply skills Makes subject matter realMakes subject matter real Updates faculty on real-Updates faculty on real-world applicationsworld applications Allows faculty knowledge Allows faculty knowledge of and service to the of and service to the communitycommunity

Putting Service-Learning into Practice

Objectives

Partnerships

Engagement

Reflection

Assessment

•Building long-term relationships

•Emphasizing good communication