What is Service-Learning? Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse www.servicelearning.org

National Commission on Service-Learning “…a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with academic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.” One of many service-learning definitions

Corporation for National and Community Service Promotes learning through active participation Provides structured time for students to reflect Provides an opportunities to use skills and knowledge in real-life situations Extends learning beyond the classroom Fosters a sense of caring for others CNCS definition of service-learning Adapted from the National and Community Service Act of 1990

What’s in a name? Volunteerism Service-Learning Youth Service Community Service Peer Helping Experiential Education Community-Based Learning Volunteerism: refers to people who choose, on their own, to perform service to others without pay Service-Learning: particular emphasis is placed on the learning that occurs through service; often connected to classroom objectives; may be eligible for academic credit Youth Service: umbrella term for involving youth as community resources Community service: general term for work without pay in the community; also used as form of punishment, which can create misunderstandings Peer Helping: youth help other youth through tutoring, conflict mediation and peer counseling; some SL projects engage students in peer helping Experiential Education: broad term for various teaching methods that emphasize hands-on learning; includes service-learning, but not all experiential ed is SL Community-Based Learning: any learning experience that occurs in the community (as opposed to in the classroom), can include service-learning, field trips, internships Citation: A Practical Guide for Developing Agency/School Partnerships for Service-Learning p.6 Eugen Roehlkepartain, Points of Light Foundation and the National Youth Leadership Council

Community service example If students remove trash from a streambed: they are providing a service to the community as volunteers a service that is highly valued and important

Service-learning example When students remove trash from a streambed, analyze what they found, share the results and offer suggestions for the neighborhood to reduce pollution, and then reflect on their experience THAT is service-learning! the students are providing an important service to the community AND, learning about water quality and laboratory analysis, developing an understanding of pollution issues, learning to interpret science issues to the public, and practicing communications skills by speaking to residents. They may also reflect on their personal and career interests in the process.

Not just academic Service-learning can also be organized and offered by community organizations with learning objectives or structured reflection activities for their participants Service-learning is already being implemented by many AmeriCorps programs and a growing number of Senior Corps programs Could easily be incorporated into character or skills development goals for: 4-H, Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, campus orgs, fraternities/sororities, church youth groups

Many roads to service-learning Different Interpretations Objectives Contexts All seek Combination of service objectives with intentional learning objectives Changes in both the recipient and the provider of the service there are many different interpretations of service-learning as well as different objectives and contexts Ultimately, all service-learning seeks to accomplish the same core concepts

Service-learning is not: An episodic volunteer program An add-on to an existing school or college curriculum Completing minimum service hours in order to graduate Service assigned as a form of punishment Only for high school or college students One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community These may be elements of a successful comprehensive service-learning project, but they do not qualify as service-learning on their own

Common characteristics of authentic service-learning positive, meaningful and real to the participants cooperative rather than competitive experiences; promotes teamwork and citizenship addresses complex problems in complex settings rather than simplified problems in isolation engages problem-solving in the specific context of service activities and community challenges, rather than generalized or abstract concepts from a textbook

Common characteristics of authentic service-learning students are able to identify the most important issues within a real-world situation through critical thinking promotes deeper learning; there are no "right answers" in the back of the book generates emotional consequences, which challenge values and ideas supports social, emotional and cognitive learning and development

Added benefits of service-learning National studies suggest that students in effective service-learning programs: improve academic grades increase attendance in school develop personal and social responsibility

Learn more about service-learning www.servicelearning.org K-12 Higher Ed Community-based Tribal nations

NSLC resources www.servicelearning.org Website Site-wide search to find resources on your topic Hot Topics, Fact Sheets & Quick Guides Service-Learning Lesson Plans, Syllabi & Curricula 1600+ service-learning examples from LSA grantees Service-learning links to related Web sites Publications offered for purchase NSLC: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

NSLC resources www.servicelearning.org Library Books, journals, videos for LSA grantees Online library catalog available to anyone for identifying service-learning publications Research & reference service Downloadable documents & bibliographies NSLC: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

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