Service Blogging: Using Collaborative e Publication as a Bridge to Community Engagement Matthew Cazessus

Why Service-Learning? Consistent improvement in… Student engagement Knowledge retention Applying course concepts Service Project ! Kendrick 1996, Blau 1999

Why the Reluctance? Too busy wrong neighborhood Community service = punishment No transportation Cant make a difference Not my town Hattery 2003, Mobley 2007

Bridging the Distance to Service Community: shared learning with peers Confidence: expertise on subject area Coordination: develop/perform service together Service Project Community Confidence Coordination

Phase I: Community Survey student interest by theme Sort students by interest to create weblogs (blogs) about subject area Blog groups become identifiable peer group Peer-enforced responsibility to contribute

Application: Social Problems Students identify a social problem that impacts the community around campus Failing Infrastructure and Government Waste Domestic Violence Crime and Policing Educational Inequalities Sexual Identity and Behavior Gender Discrimination Homelessness and Poverty Substance Abuse Health and Nutrition

What are Your Subject Areas? Think about the course you might convert into a service-learning course What are the main topics of that course? How do those topics intersect with needs in your community?

Phase II: Confidence Topical e-publishing by students: Commentary on news/opinion Review movies, books, media Personal reflections

Blog Rubric and Best Practices Grading standards: Relate content to course concepts Contribute new information Credit and link back to sources Professional presentation How am I going to grade all of this?!

Practicality Check Solutions: In-site review RSS Feed – Google Reader google.com/reader Student empowerment

Access and Control Access and Control Best practices: Students help compose and sign a contract about blogging behavior Instructor has admin rights over all blogs during course Blog visibility set to only be seen by its contributors (may be adjusted later)

Student Created Blogs

Blogging & Learning Outcomes Greenville Tech: College-Wide Communication Technological Literacy Critical Thinking Professionalism Diversity

Phase III: Coordination Blog groups identify a service organization that intersects with their topic Campus and community resources In-class recruitment or service fair

Outcomes – Service Locations Transitions – residential and case management for homeless adults SC HIV/AIDS Council Harvest Hope Food Bank Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands Richland County School Districts

Outcomes - Quantitative I am aware of volunteer opportunities within the City of Columbia and surrounding areas. I feel well prepared for my future career.

Outcomes - Qualitative created via free online application at wordle.net

Outcomes – Anecdotal Public relations major wrote press releases for non-profits events Psychology major became trained as a volunteer advocate and used experience in application for graduate school in counseling Public health major expanded service into an internship with SC HIV/AIDS Council Exercise science major continues to volunteer with the USC Mental Health Team

Contacts and Commendations Special thanks to: Jimmie Gahagan – Office for Student Engagement at University of South Carolina Sara Catoe – Center for Teaching and Learning at Greenville Technical College Contact me at: or Tweet with