Service Learning Basics Gavilan College, 2014

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

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

 Service enables students and faculty to reflect on how knowledge from the discipline informs and shapes the 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.

 Volunteering – doing good deeds, altruism  Internship – experiential education designed to assimilate and demonstrate mastery of skills for professional development and/or licensure  Placement – “dropping” students off at a site hoping you’ll harvest some learning  An “add on” – all courses have an expectation and requirement of “out of 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 another assignment to take seriously and to work on completing  An add-on to enhance a class --think integral 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-Learning Study Head Reflection Heart Action Hands

Benefits for students A reduction in negative stereotypes A reduction in negative stereotypes Greater self-knowledge Greater self-knowledge Enhanced interpersonal & leadership skills Enhanced interpersonal & leadership skills Increased awareness of the community Increased awareness of the community Deeper understanding of subject matter Deeper understanding of subject matter Better integration of class concepts to authentic issues Better integration of class concepts to authentic issues Useful service to the community Useful service to the community Enhanced relations between to college and community Enhanced relations between to college and community

Benefits for faculty Refreshes teaching Refreshes teaching Helps students apply Helps students applyconcepts Helps students apply skills Helps students apply skills Makes subject matter real Makes subject matter real Updates faculty on real- Updates faculty on real- world applications Allows faculty knowledge Allows faculty knowledge of and service to the community

Putting Service-Learning into Practice Objectives Partnerships Engagemen t Reflection Assessment

Building long-term relationships Emphasizing good communication