1 Service-Learning in Higher Education October 4, 2010 Allison Edwards, Ed.D. Assistant Professor & Director, Undergraduate Family and Consumer Sciences Department of Human Environmental Sciences

Is service-learning different from experiential learning? 2

Experiential Learning In Experiential Learning, knowledge is continuously created through the transformation of experiences; learning occurs through action; new experiences must be integrated with past experiences through on-going reflection for true experiential learning to occur. (King & Kitchener, 2004; Kolb, 1984; Dewey, 1938) 3

4 Experiential Learning: Common Types Cooperative Education Travel/Field Study Practicum Service- Learning Internship Experiential Learning

Service-Learning – What is it? A form of experiential learning that encourages intellectual development and civic engagement through student interactions with real-world problems. – Praxis: Formation of knowledge through critical, reality- based action and reflection (Connecting theory to practice) – Reciprocal: Learning reinforces the service, and the service reinforces the learning. (American Association of Higher Education, 1997; Freire, 1973; Prentice & Garcia, 2000) 5

Service-Learning… Service-Learning includes: active, meaningful participations, purposefully organized experiences, a focus on community needs, academic curriculum focus, integration into course objectives, structured time for on-going reflection, opportunities for application of skills and knowledge, development of civic responsibility. (Corporation for National and Community Service, 2008.; Howard, 1998; Madsen, 2004; Weigert, 1998) 6

Service-Learning as a Viable Pedagogy Benefits to students include: intellectual growth, greater understanding of course concepts personal development & epistemological transformation, social commitment & civic responsibility (serve the dear neighbor, and appreciation for diversity. (Astin, et al., 2000; Eyler & Giles, 1998; Holland, 2001; Hughes, 2001; Markus, Arbor, Howard & King, 1993; Rhoads, 1998) 7

8 Service-Learning: “My eyes were opened to a different world and to situations that were beyond control. These women did not ask to be put in this situation. A lot of the time I just thought they [specific population] were lazy. It really gave me a different outlook on people. Life is not always hard; somebody else is always fighting a harder battle” (Participant Interview 2). “I think this experience [service-learning] is very important. I do think that when you are in a classroom all the time and getting stuff out of a book you do not really know how to apply the information until you are in a situation where you need it. I think that is very important ” (Participant Interview 7).

Quality Service-Learning Experiences Include: Student Input: student participation in the selection of the service site and community need to address. Structure: the setting of the service, type of service, preparations the student receives prior to the experience and the experiences/tasks during the service. Application: extent to which students are able to link the classroom curriculum to the community experience. Reflection: the on-going connection between the service and academic learning (reflection before, during and after ). Diversity: opportunity to work with people from diverse groups during the service. (Eyler & Giles, 1999; Schine, 1990; The Corporation for National and Community Service, 2008) 9

10 Our Roles as Educators Organize and facilitate experiences that will ultimately lead to students’ meaningful learning. (Smith, 2003) Preparing graduates to critically analyze, transfer and apply knowledge and skills to real-life situations. ( Baxter Magolda, 2006; Ngai 2006; Boyer, 1994) Create experiences that will lead to educational goals through hands-on and active learning, reflective thinking and shared communication. (Smith, 2003) 10

Resources Higher Education – Service Learning List Serve Campus Compact – Dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service- learning in higher education. The National Center for Service Learning – Service learning resources, lessons, syllabi, scholarly resources and faculty tool kit. Corporation for National & Community Service – Supports the American culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility. 11

12 References Astin, A.W., Sax, L.J., & Avalos, J. (2003). Long-term effects are affected by service participation. Journal of College Student Development, 39(3), Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2006). Evolution of a constructivist conceptualization of epistemological reflection. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), Boyer, E. L. (1994, March 9). Creating the new American college. Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A48. Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books. Eyler, J., & Giles, E. G. (1998). A service learning research agenda for the next five years. [Monograph] New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 73. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. King, P. M. & Kitchener, K. S. (2004). Reflective judgment: Theory and research on the development of epistemic assumptions through adulthood. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experiences as the source of learning and development. Inglewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Ngai, S. S. (2006, Spring). Service-learning, personal development, and social commitment: A case study of university students in Hong Kong. Adolescence, 41(161), Markus, G., Arbor, A., Howard, J. P. E., & King. D. C. (1993). Integrating community service and classroom instruction enhances learning: Results from an experiment. Education Evaluation & Policy Analysis, 15, Rhoads, R. A., & Howard, J. P. F. (1998). Academic service learning: A pedagogy of action and Reflection. [Monograph] New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 73, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Ryerson University, (n.d.). Experiential learning outcomes. Retrieved September 21, 2009, from Smith, M. K. (2003). Introducing informal education. Retrieved September 18, 2009, from intro.htm

“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand”. (Confucius) 13