Service learning in reflection - WACE Papers... · SERVICE LEARNING IN REFLECTION Service learning in reflection Annadine Vlok ... This discussion paper is part of pre-reading for

SERVICE LEARNING IN REFLECTION

Service learning in reflection

Annadine Vlok

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Authors Note

This discussion paper is part of pre-reading for a Doctoral in Design

Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Annadine Vlok, Fashion

Department, CPUT, PO Box 652, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.

Contact: [email protected]


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Abstract

Over the past decade, service learning has emerge as an essential part of higher

education across the globe and the implementation of service learning as a form of

experiential training has had a great impact on education. The importance of service learning

is reflected in countries across the globe, such as the Learn and Serve America project when,

in 1990, the American government made grants available to integrate community service

with curricula through service learning. This grant fosters, amongst other, collaboration

between institutions of higher education to meet immediate community needs. This

discussion paper deliberate the role of service learning in South Africa with a specific focus

on Universities of Technologies. At the 2010 South African Society for Cooperative

Education (SASCE) conference, the development of the youth was foremost in most of the

discussions and presentations. When the development of youth and the theories for

successful youth development merge, the importance of service learning through community

and practical projects, emerge. This discussion will reflect on the current projects within

Universities of Technologies, and indicate whether these projects are monitored and reflected

on effectively. Service learning can only be fully successful within higher education if

student can reflect and place their learning. Theorists John Dewey and David Kolb both

agreed that service learning should incorporate both individual participation and the

engagement in reflective thinking. Only in this way, a student will develop a greater

understanding of himself and the content he is engaging.

Keywords: Service learning, reflective thinking, WIL


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Service learning in reflection

Introduction Situation

Globalization has given newfangled focus and meaning to higher education in today’s

world (Pink, 2005). The rapid changes in socio-economical, technological and information

sectors of society has prompt recent challenges to higher education institutions to deliver

suitable and appropriate answer to an essential such as learning opportunities to all. These

learning opportunities do not include students alone, but cut across the bigger community as

well. The circulation of knowledge to a local community is considered the most effective

means of developing and uplifting a community (Jones, 2006). The sharing of knowledge

can increase local empowerment and contribute to the assurance of improved levels of life

quality.

According to Arredondo & De la Garza (2006), the ”improvement of local capacities

at less privileged communities means to promote individual and collective self-managed

skills” they also highlighted the fact that self-esteem would facilitate the needed conditions to

assure accepted standards on health, nutrition, productivity, family and community

integration, and sound environmental indicators. This is also relevant within South Africa

and the requirements of community engagement within the South African environment are

embedded into various educational policies (CHE, 2006). Therefore, the Founding

Document (2001) of the Higher education Quality Committee (HEQC) in South Africa

identified knowledge based community service as one of the three areas, along with teaching

and learning, and research, which are needed for accreditation and quality assurance in higher

education (CHE,2006). The inclusion of service learning has therefore channelled higher

education within South Africa on a new path.


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References to Relevant Literature

Over the past decade, service learning has emerge as an essential part of higher

education cross the globe and the implementation of service learning as a form of experiential

training has had a great impact on education. The importance of service learning is reflected

in countries across the globe. According to the web site Learn and Serve America, in 1990

the American congress passed, and President Bush signed the National and Community

Service Act of 1990. According to this legislation, authorized grants would be paid to

schools to support service learning and demonstration grants for national service programs to

youth corps, nonprofits, and colleges and universities. This grant fosters, amongst other,

collaboration between institutions of higher education to meet immediate community needs

(US Gov).

Julie, Daniels & Khanyile (2007) stated that there is an emerging global movement of

universities, which strive towards greater community engagement. At the end of 2000, the

Department of Education in South African commissioned an education service organization

with the task of developing a policy framework for community service in higher education.

During the same year, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) instructed for the

development of a discussion document on the role of community service in higher education

(Lazarus, 2000). Five years prior to the South Africa initiative, a consortium of California

organizations sponsored a conference entitled “The Education of the New California

workforce.” The discussions at this conference were aimed at discovering new insights into

what will be needed in a new educational system (Deruosi & Sherwood, 1997). The

discussions highlighted that Community Service programs have multiple goals which

includes amongst others:

• The enhancement of student learning by joining theory with experience and putting

thought with action.


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• Doing these projects to fill unmet needs in the community through direct service,

which is meaningful and necessary.

• This will enable students to help others, give of themselves, and enter into caring

relationships with others.

• This action assists students to see the relevance of the academic subject to the real

world.

• Participation in Service learning projects enhances the self-esteem and self-

confidence of your students.

• These projects help to develop an environment of collegial participation among

students, faculty, and the community.

Over the past years numerous organizations has developed criteria for successful

service learning programs. In 1995, the California State University, Fresno published a paper

setting out their “Model for Enhancing Curriculum” (California State Univ., 1995). Similarly

Howard (2001) and Stacey, Rice and Langer (2001) refer to the same criteria for service

learning. The South African Council of Higher Education (CHE) has also adopted the same

criteria and states these as:

• Relevant and meaningful service with the community;

• Enhancing academic learning;

• Purposeful civic learning (social responsibility); and

• Structures opportunity for reflection.

(Service learning in the Curriculum: A Resource for Higher education, P25)

In view of the short literature review, it is clear that Service learning, as a prescribed

activity, has only emerged into the South African higher education system during the past

years. In the discussion that follows the focus will be on the structures that are in place in

higher education that offers opportune reflection of service learning.


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Discussion of Important Issues

Early theorists such as Dewey (1963) and Kolb (1976; 1984) both agreed that service

learning should incorporate both individual participation and the engagement in reflective

thinking. The engagement in reflective thinking was described as the only way in which

student will develop a greater understanding of himself and the content he is engaging. It is

through reflective enquiry that a student can make the connection between “thought and

action, theory and practice, knowledge and authority, idea and responsibilities” (Saltmarsh,

1996, p. 18). This discussion paper deliberate the role of service learning within the

Universities of Technologies of South Africa with a specific focus on learning outcomes and

the evaluation thereof. The CHE document (Service learning in the Curriculum: A Resource

for Higher education, p. 40, 41) set clear guideline for formulating both the critical cross-field

outcomes, and the specific learning outcomes that is defined in the module descriptors.

At the 2010 South African Society for Cooperative Education (SASCE) conference,

the development of the youth was foremost in most of the discussions and presentations. It is

when the development of youth and the theories for successful youth development merge,

that the importance of service learning through community and practical projects, emerge.

Although Service learning is included in, the new curriculum, there are limited evidence of

the existence of structures of reflection, assessment, and evaluation according to the standards

that is set out in the CHE document. The analysis of fifteen projects that were probed into

shows that current projects are mostly done as an add-on to the current syllabus. For higher

education in South Africa to embrace Service learning as an integral part of the curriculum a

comprehensive implementation of the reflection and assessment activity should be

implemented. Students should engage into a structured reflection process. Possible tools to

implement this process could include the Three-stage model of Toole & Toole (1995).

Through this process student could reflect on their experiences by asking questions such as


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What?, So What? and What now? (Toole & Toole, 1995). Billig, Root, and Jesse (2005)

established that service-learning methodologies, which featured cognitively challenging

activities and reflection, were linked with students being more likely to value their learning

experience, students also felt more successful, engaged in learning and enjoyed subject

matter, and obtained more community knowledge and more positive community dispositions.

For the successful use of the power of refection so that students can engage in social-

emotional learning a strong and rich social-emotional vocabulary and an ardent storage and

retrieval process for communication should be developed. The ability for students to reflect

on service learning experiences demand a vocabulary that enable them to express themselves,

and describe the complexity of the interaction of thoughts, feelings and behaviours inherent

in human relationships.

Chapter four of the CHE document (Service learning in the Curriculum: A Resource

for Higher education) is allocated to the explanation and guidance on how to successfully

guide reflection and evaluation of Service learning. It is fundamental that these processes are

incorporated into all Service-learning projects in future. The CHE document states that it is

the role of academic staff (i.e. the lecturer of the module) to design the reflection, coach

students during reflection; and monitor reflection and provide feedback (CHE, 2006).

According to Toole & Toole (1996) service learning is a form of experimental learning where

students apply their academic knowledge and critical thinking skills to address real

community needs. This process should include the three stages as indicated in Figure 1;

before service learning (analysis), during service learning (critical thinking) and after the

service learning experience (decision making) (Toole & Toole, 1995).


Figure. 1 Reflection Cycle in Service learni(Toole & Toole 1995)

Implications and recommendation

Although the Council of Higher education has published a

Service Learning in the Curriculum, very little evidence

of Universities of the required reflection and evaluation processes

(2007) confirm this when they stated that although community service and co

education are an integral part of most nursing and medical curricula, the predominante focus

has been on the service itself and the community that benefits from this service.

be numerous reasons for this situation

traditional being seen as a ‘social service’ and the learning process was not

of the focus. Community projects were seen

reflections were mostly left to the individual lecturer to

learning, now formalized in South African Higher educati


Reflection Cycle in Service learning

Implications and recommendation

Although the Council of Higher education has published a 223-page

Service Learning in the Curriculum, very little evidence were found in the current

ired reflection and evaluation processes. Julie, Daniels & Khanyile

(2007) confirm this when they stated that although community service and co


on the service itself and the community that benefits from this service.

numerous reasons for this situation. One of these reasons is that service projects have

traditional being seen as a ‘social service’ and the learning process was not

Community projects were seen as an outreach program and student

were mostly left to the individual lecturer to engage either in or not.

South African Higher education programs, will require a

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page document on

found in the current structures

Julie, Daniels & Khanyile

(2007) confirm this when they stated that although community service and co-operative


on the service itself and the community that benefits from this service. There could

One of these reasons is that service projects have

traditional being seen as a ‘social service’ and the learning process was not a significant part

as an outreach program and student-learning

in or not. Service

will require a


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dedicated effort and plan from all higher education institutions to implement. The

implementation will have to incorporate the processes as it is laid out in the formal document

from the Council of Higher Education. It is however only through the exchange of

knowledge and through a well-planned and coordinated effort, that higher educational

institution will be able to contribute to, not only the development and uplifting a community,

but also to ensure a structured learning process takes place at the same time.


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References

Arredondo, V.A. & De la Garza, M.F. (2006). Higher education, community service and

local development. Paper presented at the CHE-HEQC/JET-CHESP Conference on

Community Engagement in Higher education 3 to 5 September 2006.

Billig, S. H., Root, S. & Jesse, D. (2005). The relationship between quality indicators of

service-learning and student outcomes: Testing professional wisdom. In S. Root, J.

Callahan, & S. H. Billig (Eds.), Advances in service-learning research: Vol. 5.

Improving service-learning practice: Research on models to enhance impacts (97–

115). Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

California State University, Fresno, Service-learning Committee. (1995). A model for

enhancing Curriculum. Manuscript prepared for the University’s Academic Senate.

Deruosi, P. & Sherwood, C.S. (1997). Community service scholarships: combining

cooperative education with service learning. Journal of Cooperative Education,

XXXIII (1), 46-54.

Dewey, J. (1963) Experience and Education. New York: Collier.

Higher education Quality Committee, (2006). Service-Learning in the Curriculum,

A Resource for Higher educations. CHE.

Howard, J. (2001) Service Learning Course Design Workbook. Ann Arbor, MI: University

of Michigan, Edward Ginsberg Centre for Community Service and Learning.


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Kolb, D.A. (1976). Learning Styles Inventory: Technical Manual. Boston, MA: McBer and

Co.

Jones, M. (2006). Artful leadership Awakening the commons of the imagination.

Pianoscapes

http://www.pianoscapes.com/pdfs/webWalkInThePark.pdf

Retrieved: [20 January 2011]

Julie, H., Daniels, F., & Khanyile, T. (2007). Service learning: A Creative means of teaching

nursing. Journal for Community and Health Science, 2(1), 48-55.

Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential Learning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Lazarus, J. (2000). Community Service in Higher education. Discussion Document Prepared

for the Board of the South African Qualifications Authority. Braamfontein: Joint

Education Trust.

Pink, D.H. (2005). A Whole New Mind. New York: Riverhead books.

Saltmarsh, J.E. (1996). Education for Critical Citizenship: John Dewey’s Contribution to the

Pedagogy of Community Service-Learning. In Michigan Journal of Community

Service Learning, 3, 13-21.


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Stacey, K., Rice, L.R. & Langer, G. (2001). Academic Service-Learning faculty Fellows’

Attitudes and Actions: From a National and International Perspective. Paper

presented at the 5th Annual, 13-15 November 2005, International K-H Service

Learning Conference East Lansing, Michigan, USA.

Subotzky, G. (1999).Alternatives to the entrepreneurial university: New modes of

knowledge production in community service programs. Journal for Higher

Education, 38(4), 401-440.

Toole, J., & Toole, P. (1995). Reflection as a tool for turning service experiences into

learning experiences. In Kinsley, C. & McPherson, K. (Eds.), Enriching the

curriculum through service-learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision

Curriculum and Development.

Toole, J., & Toole, P. (1996). Learn to serve. Learning. 25,44-49

US Government, Learn and service America, retrieved on February 21, 2011, from

www.learnandserve.gov/about/lsa/history_timeline.asp.

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Service learning in reflection - WACE Papers... · SERVICE LEARNING IN REFLECTION Service learning in reflection Annadine Vlok ... This discussion paper is part of pre-reading for