Service Learning 101:
The Essentials of Service Learning
Created By: Meghan R. Callaghan and Ted Carlson
Service Learning is a pedagogy in which community service is an integrated component of academic learning. Students perform community service as part of an academic course; however, credit is not receive for service alone, but for making the service into a learning experience through critical reflection activities. For Service Learning, classes partner with community-based organizations and form reciprocal relationships to meet both community needs and the class’s academic goals and objectives.
Elements of Service Learning:
- Community Service- certain activity or hours of service at an approved community-based organization.
- Academic Integration- link between the service and the concepts being taught in class.
- Reflection- thinking and analyzing the experience, recording and/or sharing one’s thoughts.
- Evaluation- Academic and site work is graded or evaluated by the professor and agency.
The Five Purposes of Service Learning:
1. Service Learning is an effective way to learn. People learn and remember better by actually doing rather than simulating. The experience focuses on analysis and reflection rather than memorization and repetition.
2. Service Learning fulfills the goals of civic engagement. It facilitates learning, not solely for personal gain, but helps students learn ways to be good citizens and how to participate as community members.
3. Service Learning promotes personal development for students. With Service Learning students develop career goals, communication skills, and a sense of responsibility. It advocates for the decrease of stereotypes and the development of an understanding of how to work with people from different backgrounds. Students develop a sense of self as one who is competent, responsible and has good and increasing self-esteem. Most importantly, students gain a better understanding of the “real world” and how to apply the skills they learn in college.
4. Service Learning benefits the college by deepening the college’s partnerships with community-based organizations. In Service Learning, partnerships with community-based organizations are established and maintained, which allows faculty the opportunity to keep their curriculum current, while meeting the needs of today’s workforce. In addition, through Service Learning, the college becomes more visible to the community, via the student volunteers. This promotes the college’s goodwill and solidifies the college as a strong community partner.
5. Service Learning benefits the community through fulfilling community needs. Students serve a variety of needs, which in turn creates a cycle of responsibility for other community members to follow. And student volunteers can compensate for staffing shortages brought upon by budget cuts.
The difference between Service Learning, Internships, and Community Service (All are a form of experiential learning)
· Service Learning involves organized service activities that combine coursework and reflection with community need.
· Community Service or Volunteering involves activities that focus more on the service with indirect learning benefits.
· Internships involve the direct skill building and hands-on experience relative to a particular field of study.
