Moment of Reflection... “…service is the rent each of us pays for living. It is the very purpose in life, and not something you do in your spare time.” (Marian Wright Edelman, 1994)

Service-Learning: What it is and What it isn’t. (Developing a SL elective) Wanda C. Gonsalves, MD Associate Professor, Dept. FM C.A.R.E.S faculty advisor

Session Outline I. Define Service Learning (SL) and how it differs from volunteerism II. Discuss Rationale and Barriers of SL III. Discuss how to develop a SL experience by using the “Service learning Protocol for HP” IV. Developing Service Learning Objectives III. Wrap-Up

By way of introductions... Please give your name, college, or agency, and Briefly, please tell us about your community service activities

Service Learning--What it is  A teaching methodology that combines community service with explicit academic learning objectives, preparation and reflection Serena Seifer MD, Executive Director,CCPH, 2000

Service Learning… What it is...and...What it isn’t An example...

Differences between SL & traditional clinical placements Y Balance between service & learning Y Emphasis on addressing community concerns & broad determinants of health Y Integral involvement of community partners

Differences between SL & traditional clinical placements Y Emphasis on reciprocal learning Y Emphasis on reflective practice Y Emphasis on developing citizenship skills & achieving social change

Basics of Service Learning  How it differs from: –Volunteerism –Community Service –Internships –Clinical Rotations

So, what is Service Learning? Students engaged in service learning provide community service in response to community identified concerns and learn about… - The context in which service is provided -The connection between their service & the academic course work -Their roles as citizens & health care professionals

Benefits of Service Learning Student Focused  Multiple aspects of diversity  Identifying & engaging community needs, strengths & resources

Benefits of Service Learning Student Focused  Integrating professional training & community service  Personal & interpersonal skill development

Benefits of Service Learning Community Partners *Vision sensitive, Mission driven *Strengthens purpose & goals *Adds value: Service, social, economic *Increases relationship with faculty *Ensures access to experts for research, data analysis, program evaluation

Benefits of Service Learning to Academic Institutions  Links to mission and strategic goals  Investment in faculty development  Integration of SL into existing courses

Service Learning: An LCME recommendation  IS-14-A. An institution that offers a medical education program should make available sufficient opportunities for medical students to participate in service-learning activities and should encourage and support medical student participation. Service-learning" is defined as a structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and reflection. Medical students engaged in service-learning provide community service in response to community-identified concerns and learn about the context in which service is provided, the connection between their service and their academic coursework, and their roles as citizens and professionals. "Sufficient opportunities" means that medical students who wish to participate in a service-learning activity will have the opportunity to do so. To encourage medical student participation, institutions could, for example, develop opportunities in conjunction with relevant communities or partnerships, provide information about available opportunities, offer elective credit for participation, or hold public presentations or public forums. Support for medical student participation could include offering or providing information about financial and social support for medical student service-learning (e.g., stipends, faculty preceptors, community partnerships). a.Is there a school requirement that medical students participate in a service-learning experience, either as part of a regular course or clerkship rotation or as a selective? If so, describe the opportunities for participation and reflection on the experience. b.Briefly describe the opportunities for medical student participation in voluntary service-learning activities. Include the types of service-learning opportunities that are available and the general level of student involvement.

The Barriers of Service Learning Absence of faculty Lack of training of students and faculty Costs of short-term and semester- limited engagement Lack of communication before, during, and after Benign neglect from lack of focus on community outcomes Lack of faculty rewards

Service Learning Protocol for Health Professions Schools 1. Include more community sites

Service Learning Protocol for Health Professions Schools 2. Create long term relationships

Service Learning Protocol for Health Professions Schools 3. Develop a service learning experience

Service Learning Protocol for Health Professions Schools 4. Develop an orientation component

Service Learning Protocol for Health Professions Schools 5. Develop a reflection component

Service Learning Protocol for Health Professions Schools 6. Integrate an evaluation component

Service Learning Protocol for Health Professions Schools 7. Promote the ethic of service

Examples of Service Learning Projects  Medical students work with elementary school teachers and nurses to introduce children to a visit with the doctor, and provide well child physical exams.

Mitchell Elementary School has partnered with MUSC’s “Junior Doctors of Health” program. Medical students come to school and teach a variety of nutrition lessons as part of their required service learning experience. The program has been met with great enthusiasm from the school community, and students excited look forward to the next interesting—and fun!—lesson.

Examples of Service Learning Projects  Physician Assistant students worked with staff of a community youth center providing health education modules for program participants.

Examples of C.A.R.E.S Service Learning Electives  Goal: to Support the CARES Clinic –“Caring for the Community” 1 st and 2 nd year medical, PT, OT,PA, Pharmacy –“Student as Teacher” 4 th year medical students

Brainstorming  What are your community/agency needs?  How would learners benefit from service learning projects?  What do students have to offer?

Developing Your Project  Reflect on your mission, goals  Identify a community/faculty partner  Review Course-specific Learning Objectives  Develop a Service Objective

The Community Side The Principle – Everyone a learner, everyone a teacher, everyone a leader Questions to lay the groundwork – How does service learning fit within our mission and vision? – How will this relationship and project move our work forward? – What resources do we have to give to this relationship? – What resources do we have to maintain and build the work beyond this learner’s term with the organization? Is it sustainable? – What are our expectations for the experience? Are those expectations shared by the faculty and the learner?

Preconditions for Community Impact  Creating a structure that can support community outcome attainment  Creating a process that can support community outcome attainment

Developing Your Project  Combine the Service and Learning objective to form a SL Objective  Outline the Orientation  Develop a Reflection & Evaluation component

How to--- Learning Objective + Service Objective = Service Learning Objective

Learning Objective:  Identify WHO the learner is And  WHAT the learner should acquire as a result of the course/activity

Example: Learning Objective  Health professions students (the WHO) will communicate with elementary school age children utilizing principles of growth and development (the WHAT)

Service Objective  The WHO—the Community agency and/or the population served And  The WHAT—the need to be met or the service to be provided

Example: Service Objective  Teachers at an elementary school noted that children (the WHO) may benefit from information on health related topics such as hygiene and nutrition (the WHAT)

Merging the Learning and Service Objective  The WHO from both learning and service objectives And  The What from both learning and service objectives  Keep it simple!!

Example of SL Objective  Third year health professions students (learning WHO) will provide health education (service WHAT) to children in the elementary school (service WHO) utilizing theories of growth & development (learning WHAT)

WRAP UP  Service Learning Benefits  Service Learning Objectives  Make It Happen

Tell me and I’ll forget, Show me and I might remember, Involve me and I’ll understand. Unknown

Resources  Community Standards for Service Learning  The Unheard Voices  Research Methods for Community Change  Living Knowledge—International Science Shop Network

Thank you for your Attention!