What Is Service-Learning? Community Service-Learning Rich Harris, Director Wilson Hall

What is the Difference Between Volunteering and Service-Learning?

Volunteering Focused on the individual. The agency is generally grateful just to have the help The service experience is focused on how it makes the “volunteer” feel No structured learning - learning unknown Reflection not built into the experience A gateway to deeper forms of service

Service-Learning Reciprocity of benefits between the “service- learner” and the agency Focus on benefits and learning of both the “service-learner” and agency. Structured learning component that prepares the service learner for the service experience Structured and guided reflection experiences built in

Defining Service-Learning What are the Elements of Good Service-Learning?

JMU Service-Learning Definition (Modified From the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993) Students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service Is conducted in and meets the needs of a community Is coordinated with an institution of higher education and with the community Helps foster civic responsibility Is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum of the student Includes structured time for the students to reflect on the service experience

JMU Service-Learning Educational Goals Link academic studies with the service experience Personal growth and development for participants Life long commitment to service and civic involvement

Elements of Good Service-Learning Reciprocity Thoughtfully Organized Service - Partnerships Enhances Academic Learning Structured Time for Reflection Fosters Civic Responsibility

Reciprocity Between the Community and JMU Partnership developed and defined by the host community and JMU The needs of all partners (JMU and the community) are clearly identified to each other The experience meets the needs of all partners It is okay to say that some projects or partnerships are not appropriate because one or both partners needs are not being meet

Thoughtfully Organized Service All partners contribute to the development of the service and partnership structure The expectations, roles and responsibilities of each partner is agreed upon and defined The purpose, expectations and structure of the service experience is explained to all participants

Enhances Academic Learning As part of service-learning courses Connects co-curricular service-learning (ASB, FWS, personal community service, etc.) to students academic studies

Action Research Service-Learning Course Service-Learning Component Extra Credit for Service-Learning Levels of Service-Learning Courses

Structured Time for Reflection Reflection is the way all participants discover, articulate and act on what they learn from the experience Reflection time and structure is integrated into the service-learning experience The best reflection is ongoing, allows for different structures and builds on previous learning and insight

Fosters Civic Responsibility Makes connections between current service- learning and future actions This process is ongoing and takes place over time and multiple service-learning experiences Looks at causes and develops skills and actions for change

Action without reflection leads to burnout; Reflection without action leads to cynicism. Reflection: The Heart of Service-Learning

The Three Reflection Questions What? Looks at what happened. What did you/we do? What happened? What were individual and group feelings? What relationships were developed? So What? Looks at making meaning of the experience. What impact did the experience have on you and the group? How have you and and the group changed because of the experience? What have you learned or what questions have been raised? Now What? Looks at what will be done in the future because of the experience. Will you take any actions or make any changes because of the experience? Will you make plans to change others? How will this experience shape your future? The groups future?

Cone and Harris Experiential Learning Model (1996-Modified from Kolb 1984) Pre-Reflection Concrete Experience Reflection Active Experimentation Conceptualization Mediated Learning

The Four C’s of Reflection Continuous and takes multiple forms Connected to academic learning and life Challenging – pushes the student to stretch and grow Contextualized – gives background information, guided questions, connection to learning goals, modeled by the instructor

The JMU Mission: We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who will lead productive and meaningful lives

Evidence of CS-L’s Impact on JMU Mission Peace Corps – JMU Ranked #14 Nationally for large universities (53 active alumni). (347 total since 1962, 247 in the past eight years.) Model Community Based Federal Work Study Program - Connecting Classroom Learning and Real-World Living – 2008 – Campus Compact. President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction – Corporation for National and Community Service and Campus Compact. Princeton Review – 2005 – Selected as a Colleges With A Conscience: 81 Great Schools with Outstanding Community Involvement. U.S. News and World Reports – 2002 – JMU Ranked #24 Nationally for Service-Learning Programs Break Away – 1999 Alternative Spring Break National Program of the Year Mother Jones Magazine, 1998 and 2003 – JMU, Top 10 Activist Schools Who Cares Magazine, 1997 – JMU, Top Ten Schools That Make A Difference

The CS-L Mission Statement: Community Service-Learning is a partnership joining JMU students, faculty, staff and the surrounding communities by identifying and coordinating intentional service opportunities to cultivate social responsibility and life-long learning, thereby fostering a generation of leaders committed to positive social change.

The Service-Learning Process Action (Now What) Understanding (So What) Exposure (What)

The Service-Learning Process Exposure –Diversity - Different people, groups and organizations –Different ways of thinking –New situations –Feeling of perplexity or satisfaction –Historically this has been volunteerism

The Service-Learning Process Understanding –Builds on exposure –Understanding the perspective and history of different individuals, groups and organizations –Multiculturalism –Understanding causes of social issues –Understanding the influence and effect of power and privilege in society –Involves both reflection and formal educational processes –Creates an attitude of openness and wanting to learn more –Historically this has been the emphasis of service- learning

The Service-Learning Process Action –Builds on exposure and understanding. –A developmental and ongoing process that develops over time –Getting involved in and influencing the decision making and change process –Development of skills and behaviors to address improved quality life and unmeet needs for all members of society –The University is actively involved in this process and in the community. –Nationally this is being called civic engagement