Higher Education Conference

Higher Education Conference on Enrollment Management February 20, 2007 Rose State College Service-learning Shows Promise in Retaining Students

Oklahoma Campus Compact Mission Oklahoma Campus Compact (OkCC) supports the civic purpose of higher education that includes developing students as citizens. OkCC will assist member institutions in their efforts to develop citizenship skills by promoting and advancing methodologies including service- learning (SL), volunteerism, community service, and political engagement.

OkCC ACTIVITIES What Does that Mean? 32 Higher Education Institution Members (public and private) Offer Faculty Development Initiatives (service- learning workshops and conferences); Provide Resources (identify sources of financial support for member institutions); Sub-grants (provide funds to develop service-learning courses or initiatives that engage students); Offer Specialized Training and Technical Assistance (annual assessments of members needs and tailor workshops to program age, size, location, and specific requests);

Handouts Overview and Bibliography of Literature Linking Service-Learning and Retention (dated – Is currently being updated) One-Pager on Oklahoma Campus Compact Power Point Slides

Civic Engagement Methodologies Academic Service-Learning: A pedagogy that connects course learning objectives to meeting critical community needs (e.g., non- profits, schools, community-action groups). Volunteerism: Direct service to recipient and the primary beneficiary is the recipient. Community Service: The engagement in activities where services provided and received are mutually beneficial to both the community and the student. May be connected to coursework, but credit is not awarded (also called co-curricular). Political Participation: Individual and collective actions designed to address issues of public concern. Internships: While similarities exist between internships and service- learning, distinctions exist in the purpose, method, structure, and duration.

SL EXAMPLES Business courses that offer tax assistance (VITA Program) to the community and conduct seminars. Education students tutor children or meet other K-12 partner needs. History students interview the elderly to collect and write oral histories. Nursing students participate in community health care projects by providing supervised health care and health education to community members. Computer Science students create web sites for non- profit agencies.

SL PROGRAMS ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL IF…. Mission-based. Intentionally integrated and coordinated with academic and student affairs. Responsive to learning outcomes, student, and community needs. Driven and supported by multiple stakeholders (administrators, faculty, students).

Effective SL Principles Eyler and Giles Five Principles of Effective SL: Connection – people (peers, faculty, administrators, and community partners). Continuity – lifelong learning and continuous reflection. Context – allows students to think and learn with appropriate tools, concepts, and knowledge. Challenge – encourages growth and make room for new knowledge and understanding. Coaching – support from faculty, community partners, and peers while navigating SL experiences.

SL BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY Infusion of people power to help More informed/involved citizenry New ideas and energy New employees Access to college resources Reinvigorate supervisors/staff

Higher Education SL Research Findings (Holland) Over 1/3 of postsecondary students are involved in service-learning or community-based problem solving; SL increases retention and persistence; Aligns with the needs of todays student learning style; Encourages students to be active in campus and community; and Important that SL be integrated into courses including general education and the major.

Reliable SL Scholars on Retention and Research Some reliable names in service-learning and retention research include (see handout): Vincent Tinto Janet Eyler Dwight Giles Christine Stenson Charlene Gray Barbara Holland Alexander Astin Edward Zlotkowski….and more

SL Retention Connections Tinto indicates that social integration can be viewed as a persons fit into the social system of the college. Friendship associations, relationships with faculty, administrators, and extracurricular activities contribute to his or her social integration.

Reasons for Departure for Higher Education According to Tinto, there are three major reasons students leave college: Academic difficulties; The inability of individuals to resolve educational and occupational goals; and Failure to become or remain involved in the intellectual and social life of the institution (or the community).

SL Retention Strategies Tinto outlines three key principles of effective retention: Effective retention programs are committed to the students they serve – student welfare is put ahead of other institutional goals; Effective retention programs are first and foremost to the education of all, not just some of the students; and Effective retention programs are committed to the development of social and educational communities in which all students are integrated as competent members.

SL Retention Strategies Those that relate to SL include: Promoting growth and learning not only in the classroom, but within the community and university. Promoting SL and Co-Curricular programs and resources, e.g., support groups, peer counseling, mentoring programs, to engage the student into the institutional community; and Promoting faculty, staff, and administrator awareness of and access to appropriate SL and co-curricular programs and resources.

SL Retention Strateges Implications for SL Practice/Retention (Mundy, Meaghan, Eyler): Design SL projects to maximize interaction for students of diverse backgrounds. Design SL projects to facilitate interaction between faculty members and students. Design SL projects to incorporate improvement among faculty members, students, and administrators (i.e., student affairs personnel, counseling staff). Use reflection activities that promote students personal and cognitive development.

SL Retention Strategies Implications for SL Practice/Retention (Mundy, Meaghan, Eyler) – continued: Use reflection activities that engage students with peers in the classroom. Encourage students to reflect on how their community experiences might be related to the skills or activities they want to pursue as part of their personal career development. Build SL into the freshman year to help establish diverse campus and community connections early. Utilize the principles and good practice in undergraduate education with SL programs.

SL Retention Strategies Implications for SL Practice/Retention (Mundy, Meaghan, Eyler) – continued: Create SL activities that meet diverse student learning needs. Design SL experiences with an explicit focus on quality in regard to placement, reflection, and application.

Working Together for SL (Tinto) There is a growing discourse about the need to construct seamless education environments to bridge the gap between the academic and social domains of their college experience. Doing so, George Kuh argues, facilitates a deeper learning where the social and academic merge. Learning becomes a shared experience, not one marked only by solo performances and independent, unconnected learning.

Resources Dr. Barbara Holland Drs. Meaghan Mundy and Janet Eyler Drs. Janet Eyler and Dwight Giles Drs. Catherin McHugh Engstrom and Vincent Tinto

Contact Ms. Gina M. Wekke, Executive Director Oklahoma Campus Compact Post Office Box Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (405)

Higher Education Conference