+ Developing successful service learning courses A framework for civic engagement

+ Welcome Let’s introduce ourselves

+ WANTED! What are you looking for in a service-learning partnership? Take 2-3 minutes and write a want ad for your ideal service-learning partner:

+ WANTED! What type of service-learning partner are you looking for? What needs can your partner help you to fulfill? What might you be able to offer your partner? What goals could your partner help you to achieve?

+ Developing successful partnerships A framework for service learning Our own experiences with Project SHINE Opportunities for you to revisit your initial thoughts on service learning partnerships

+ A framework for service learning “Service” implies that someone is in need and someone else is in a position to help. “I am doing you a favor.”  Your students are gaining valuable experience.  Your agency is getting the help it needs.

+ A framework for service learning This tends to perpetuate deficit views Of community agencies Of students and faculty Of community members

+ A framework for service learning A new framework is needed, one which emphasizes: Reciprocal knowledge-sharing Collaborative problem-solving Social action

+ Service-learning as Civic Engagement “Collaborative knowledge construction... brings together academic knowledge with the local knowledge of community stakeholders in order to Define the problem to be addressed Establish a shared understanding of the problem Design, implement, and evaluate the actions taken to address the problem Goals are democratically set, learning capacity is shared, and success is collaboratively evaluated.” Saltmarsh, Harley, & Clayton (2009)

+ Building partnerships between higher education and immigrant communities for over 25 years…

+ Project SHINE Mission and Work Project SHINE is an award-winning national immigrant integration initiative that helps college students, older adult volunteers, and immigrant & refugee elders connect and contribute to their communities. SHINE builds meaningful campus community partnerships to promote intergenerational engagement between college students, older adult volunteers and immigrants. SHINE builds the capacity of Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs) and Community/Faith-Based Organizations (CBOs) to deepen their services in immigrant and refugee communities.

+ Strategic Footprints & Pathways for Promoting Immigrant Integration

+ I have problems with interpreter sometimes. Sometimes the interpreter will miss some information. I want to communicate with the doctor. So I…ask the interpreter to fully translate what I said, otherwise there will be misunderstanding. The translator or interpreter may not be qualified enough.” - Chinese elder

+ Project SHINE’s Impact Robust infrastructure in 16 states Engaged over 9,000 students Served over 40,000 immigrant and refugee elders Resulted in more than 150,000 hours of service

+ The SHINE Philosophy Approach Orientation Community Members as “Clients” Community Members as “Contributors and Colleagues” Community Members as “Community Leaders” Role of Agency Service Provider Agency identifies the needs of the community and provides culturally and linguistically appropriate services. “Authentic” Partner and Colleague Agency seeks and obtains community advice in identifying the community needs. Agency invites community members to participate in program development, implementation and evaluation. Capacity Builder/Supporter Community needs and goals are identified by community leaders. Project design originates with community members. Program is run by community leaders. From Client to Colleague to Community Leader

+ WANTED! What are you looking for in a service learning partnership? Let’s revisit our ads for the ideal service-learning experience.

+ WANTED! What important issue/challenge/problem do you want to address through service learning? What types of reciprocal knowledge-sharing are needed in order to address this issue? What types of collaborative problem-solving are needed? How can community agencies, faculty, students, and community members all work together to develop a plan of action?

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Our focus: Assisting elder refugees in their efforts to learn English and pass the citizenship exam Collaborative partners: The English Language Center, Boise State English Department, Center for the Study on Aging, Idaho Office for Refugees, Service-Learning Program

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Our focus: Assisting elder refugees in their efforts to learn English and pass the citizenship exam Collaborative partners: Supported by a grant from the Mountain States Group and the Office for Refugee Resettlement

+ Project SHINE Boise State University LING 310 Service Requirements Course Assignments

+ Project SHINE Boise State University LING 310 An introduction to the processes involved in child language acquisition and the acquisition of additional languages later in life.

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Service Requirements Two hours per week At least 15 hours total Two choices: Borah High School Bridge Program Elders class at the English Language Center

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Problem-solving reflection (P-SAP)(P-SAP)

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Problem-solving reflection (P-SAP) Many elder refugees in Boise have difficulty passing the citizenship exam, and thus are in danger of losing their benefits.

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Problem-solving reflection (P-SAP) Why might this be a problem?

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Problem-solving reflection (P-SAP) What are some possible causes of this problem?

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Problem-solving reflection (P-SAP) What could be done to try and solve this problem?

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Problem-solving reflection (P-SAP) What are the strengths and limitations of these possible solutions?

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Service-Learning Reflections (DEAL)(DEAL)

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Service-Learning Reflections (DEAL) Personal Growth Social Responsibility Course Content

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Course Assignments Article Critiques Connect to service learning experience Identify key gaps in our knowledge of language acquisition

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Reciprocal knowledge-sharing SHINE orientation Collaborative effort of the ELC, BSU faculty, BSU students who arrived as refugees, experienced SHINE volunteers, and elder refugee students

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Reciprocal knowledge-sharing SHINE orientation Visit from Steve Rainey, Director of ELC Simulated experience of learning a new language Discussion of the refugee experience– what makes it different from other language learning experiences?

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Reciprocal knowledge-sharing SHINE orientation Visit with Chalise Eyre at the ELC Introduction to the elders class and the citizenship exam A chance to try out classroom activities with experienced volunteers

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Reciprocal knowledge-sharing SHINE orientation Social mixer with the elders Meet the elders! Meet the volunteers! Kick-off to a new semester

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Reciprocal knowledge-sharing Other examples Chalise’s mentoring of volunteers on a daily basis Collaborative materials development with the elder refugees Sharing what we do with local, national, and international organizations

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Developing plans of action The Project SHINE Team Boise State SHINE mentors The English Language Center The Center for the Study on Aging The Idaho Office for Refugees

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Developing plans of action The Project SHINE Team Working with the Library! to create a display on “The Languages of Boise” and to make resources more accessible to elder refugees.

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Developing plans of action The Project SHINE Team Developing health literacy materials based on interviews with health care professionals and the elder refugee students

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Developing plans of action The Project SHINE Team Developing classroom materials and tasks for multiple literacy levels

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Assessing outcomes The numbers Recruited 34 volunteers in the first year. Increased class time by 4 hours per week. Provided differentiated instruction to over 30 elder refugees. Over 500 total hours served

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Assessing outcomes Impact on student volunteers What aspects of the service learning experience contribute to students’ understanding of second language acquisition? What types of civic engagement will students engage in after the semester ends?

+ Project SHINE Boise State University Assessing outcomes Impact on community members What role do SHINE volunteers play in elder refugees’ English language acquisition? How do the elders feel about Project SHINE? Will we see an improvement in the number of elders who pass the citizenship test?

+ Next steps for you How can we help?