Learning through Engagement: Service-Learning Quality Enhancement Plan College of Coastal Georgia Serve. Learn. Succeed.

Presentation Overview QEP Steering Committee Service-Learning Definition Emergence of Service-Learning Broad-based Process & Involvement Institutional Capacity Focus of Plan Assessing the Plan Next Steps

Serve. Learn. Succeed. QEP Steering Committee MemberTitle Holly Christensen, M.Ed.Director, Camden Center Carla Bluhm, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Psychology Michael Butcher, Ph.D.Director of Residence Life Sandra CrumFull-Time Student Leon Gardner, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dawana Gibbs, M.S.N.Associate Professor of Nursing Michelle Ham, CPAController Kay Hampton, M.S.N.Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs Debbie Holmes, Ed.S.Dean of Information Commons Stacy Howe, M.Ed.Coordinator, Center for Academic Advising Claire Hughes, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Education Leo Mundy, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Sociology Niki Schmauch, M.Ed.Coordinator, Learning Center Andrew Smith, B.A.Director of Student Activities Tony Wege, M.A.Professor of Political Science

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Service-Learning Definition Service-learning is a credit-bearing experience in which students participate in organized service experiences that respond to a wide spectrum of community needs. Through structured reflection on their service activities, students gain a deeper understanding of course content, develop skills in community leadership, and advance their appreciation of social responsibility, global awareness, and diversity. Service-learning allows students to practically apply and test their academic learning through hands-on career and professional development opportunities that also promote community interests.

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Emergence of Service-Learning YearEvent College Degree Access for Coastal Southeast Georgia, a study to determine whether baccalaureate programming should be offered to benefit residents in southeast Georgia, identified the benefits associated between service-learning and new degree programs at then-named Coastal Georgia Community College Vision: A Decade and Beyond, a comprehensive strategic master plan, infused service-learning as a key piece of its new vision statement: Providing outstanding education for tomorrow's leaders and citizens through service-learning, global awareness and engaged entrepreneurship

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Emergence of Service-Learning YearEvent During the process of revising the Colleges mission statement to reflect its new state college status, service-learning was identified as a key directive Participation in Foundations of Excellence® (FOE) in the First College Year helped the institution identify areas that needed improvement and to map pathways for success; service-learning was identified as a vehicle to meet the needs of the College and the community

Serve. Learn. Succeed. BROAD-BASED PROCESS & INVOLVEMENT Learning through Engagement: Service-Learning

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Community & Campus Outreach Fall 2009 – Campus introduced to the QEP process through forums and focus group meetings – Campus invited to submit proposed QEP topics – SACSCOC Leadership Team determined topic selection criteria, based on alignment with identified needs and guided by the mission statement Spring – Summer 2010 – SACSCOC Leadership Team approved the QEP topic of service-learning – QEP Steering Committee appointed – Generous grant provided by St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation to help College start its service-learning program

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Community & Campus Outreach Fall 2010 – Summer 2011 – QEP Steering Committee Refined selected topic Developed organizational framework Formed 4 working subcommittees – Development » Develop student learning outcomes, strategies, assessment, and resources – Marketing » Publicize and promote QEP – Implementation » Develop plan to commit institutional resources to support QEP – Assessment » Determine appropriate data collection and analysis tools and processes

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Community & Campus Outreach Fall 2010 – Summer 2011 – QEP Steering Committee Piloted four (4) service-learning courses Identified student learning outcomes Crafted implementation plan Finalized budget and resources details – Community Outreach Held one-on-one meetings in the community Formed a Community Advisory Board Provided community agency fairs and forums Engaged in on-going communication and service- learning trainings

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Development of Plan Process used to develop the QEP consisted of varied activities, involving faculty, staff, students, and local community leaders Approach contained three critical components – Formation of the QEP Steering Committee subcommittees – Initiated a Service-Learning Faculty Scholars Program – Clarification of the QEP process to internal and external stakeholders – Infusion of preliminary service-learning professional development

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Implementation of Plan Support faculty development and efforts of faculty to incorporate service-learning into their courses Identify, educate and support community partners Provide opportunities for student leadership in service-learning Continue to build service-learning programming infrastructure Broadly institutionalize service-learning Implement an assessment plan that includes development of an evaluation system

Serve. Learn. Succeed. INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY Learning through Engagement: Service-Learning

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Assuring Capacity Created feasible timeline for QEP development, implementation and assessment Developed an organizational structure – Identified functions to be performed – Determined staffing and space requirements – Addressed faculty and course development needs Budgeted operational costs to address institutional staffing, financial and physical resource needs Gained commitment from Faculty Senate, Staff Assembly, Student Government Association, and Alumni Association

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Organizational Structure

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Key Roles & Responsibilities Vice-President for Academic Affairs – Provide oversight for the implementation and evaluation of the Quality Enhancement Plan QEP Director (Director of Service-Learning serves as QEP Director) – Manage and execute all QEP activities, as well as monitor the project budget and facilitate the annual evaluation Implementation Committee – Facilitate and assure the institutionalization process – not developing, carrying out or doing the creative work behind the initiatives

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Key Roles & Responsibilities Community Advisory Board for Service-Learning – Set current and future priorities in service-learning related to community-based service opportunities Service-Learning Advisory Committee – Offer creative support to the Center – brainstorm, develop and monitor new service-learning and community engagement programming and initiatives Director of Institutional Effectiveness – Provide statistical analyses of all QEP-related data; provide annual QEP evaluation updates

Serve. Learn. Succeed. FOCUS OF PLAN Learning through Engagement: Service-Learning

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Guiding Goal & Program Objectives Guiding Goal – To integrate and enhance student learning and development through service-learning activities and experiences that also meets community needs Program Objectives 1.Enable community engagement and promote leadership; 2.Enable enhanced understanding of course content; 3.Develop critical and creative thinking and reflection skills; and 4.Promote social responsibility, global awareness, and openness to diverse perspectives

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Student Learning Outcomes Students will … 1.1 Collaborate and build relationships with community organizations 1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of how communities function 1.3 Demonstrate effective leadership in community activities, including skills of interpersonal communication, collaboration, and collective action 1.4 Demonstrate the ability to access the larger community as a resource for course- specific skill building and learning

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Students will … 2.1 Demonstrate ability to effectively apply theories, concepts and methods to practical problems 2.2 Demonstrate effective use of problem- solving skills and strategies in service- learning assignments 2.3 Demonstrate the ability to effectively transfer course theories, concepts and knowledge to novel situations Student Learning Outcomes

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Student Learning Outcomes Students will … 3.1 Demonstrate higher levels of critical and creative thinking by recognizing and analyzing problems, identifying viable solutions when possible, and defending choices of solutions 3.2 Demonstrate an ability to analyze and reflect upon their own and others' beliefs and assumptions about an area of service

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Student Learning Outcomes Students will … 4.1 Demonstrate comprehension of the community issues that are relevant to their service-learning course content 4.2 Demonstrate awareness of global issues, processes, trends and systems in relation to their service-learning experiences 4.3 Demonstrate the ability to understand, make reasoned judgments, and respond to differences in perspectives and viewpoints 4.4 Gain practical experience and make community contacts that will help them start and/or advance their careers

Serve. Learn. Succeed. ASSESSMENT OF PLAN Learning through Engagement: Service-Learning

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Assessing the Plan Planned data collection measures – Direct and Indirect – Quantitative and Qualitative Details of survey instruments and rubrics to be developed simultaneously Community needs assessments to continue Assessment timeline allows for three full years of data collection prior to submission of Impact Report

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Assessing the Plan OrganizationResponsibility Center for Service- Learning Organize service-learning assessment instrument dissemination Collect data from service-learning courses to improve the practice of service- learning Office of Institutional Effectiveness Provide statistical analyses of all QEP-related assessment data Provide annual QEP evaluation updates QEP Implementation Committee Monitor progress on assessment and institutionalization benchmarks and goals Make needed adjustments to assessment plan based on data analysis Service-Learning Advisory Committee Develop new assessment measures Monitor and refine community engagement programming and service-learning initiatives

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Assessing the Plan Assessment includes measures to ascertain program implementation objectives at the institutional-level and course-level – Faculty course-level assessment – Faculty focus groups and presentations – Student focus groups and interviews Each of the four (4) student learning outcomes will be assessed through multiple measures – Rubrics aligned with specific SLOs in course – Checklist of SLOs included/met in course – Student self-assessment surveys

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Institutional-Level Assessment Utilize Andrew Furco's (2006) Self- Assessment Rubric for the Institutionalization of Service- Learning in Higher Education – Analyze the current level of service-learning integration in the five dimensions outlined in the Rubric Utilize Strategic Planning Worksheet for Institutionalizing Service-Learning in Higher Education (Washington Campus Compact) – Determine and plan for strategic initiatives intended to move the College forward along the continuum of service-learning integration

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Course-Level Assessment Provide an alignment between the student learning outcomes and the assessment of those outcomes The achievement target is that at least 75% of service-learners will demonstrate achievement of the prescribed SLOs (when included in a course)

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Measurable Outcomes Student Learning Outcome 1.1 – Grow to at least 30 service-learning course sections offered to students on a yearly basis by 2015

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Measurable Outcomes Student Learning Outcomes ; ; ; and – Students will score at least at a proficient level using Common rubric associated with a specified objective; Faculty checklist of SLOs included/met in the course; and Post-course student self-assessment of learning (survey)

Serve. Learn. Succeed. NEXT STEPS Learning through Engagement: Service-Learning

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Planned Initiatives Develop upper and lower level service-learning courses Provide support for service-learning integration in internships and capstone experiences Create Service-Learning Student Assistants program Develop pathway for service-learning leadership: certificate program/transcript designation Provide on-going faculty and course development opportunities Offer students leadership opportunities

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Planned Initiatives Provide faculty with assessment development workshops Infuse service-learning component into CCGA 1101, first-year seminar Create learning communities in residence life with a service focus Develop Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program Create Community Outreach Student Committee

Serve. Learn. Succeed. Intended Consequences Help students develop the intellectual skills needed to be successful – adaptability, sophisticated knowledge, problem-solving capacities and self- directed learning skills Assist students to achieve a broad range of important personal and academic outcomes Enhance Colleges broader institutional goals of encouraging civic engagement among students and increasing outreach to local communities Build capacity for the practice of service-learning so that the College of Coastal Georgia will become Georgia's College for Service-Learning

Serve. Learn. Succeed. THANK YOU Learning through Engagement: Service-Learning