1. Department of Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies
Service Learning
Elizabeth Heineman
Department of History
Department of Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies

2. What is Service Learning?
Service learning incorporates community engagement into academic coursework. Assignments link community-based student experience to course learning goals and objectives. Service learning experiences respond to real community needs and enhance students' civic responsibility.
Students not only learn to serve but also serve to learn. Service learning is a deliberate, adaptable, interdisciplinary pedagogy. It is based on intellectual rigor, civic involvement, and lifelong learning.
Adapted from Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology

3. Service Learning: Advice and Pitfalls
Mutuality with community partner
Our students assist with community partner’s goals
The project furthers the course’s learning goals
Pedagogical goals & assignments to match
Logistics
advance planning; relationship-building
good communication with community partner
clear expectations of teaching staff, CP, and students
Group work
Common pitfalls / misconceptions
For CP: service learning is not volunteer work
For students: showing up isn’t enough
For instructors: service learning isn’t an “add-on”
Campus resources
Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology
Provost’s Office of Outreach and Engagement

4. Gender, Sexuality & Human Rights
Upper-level undergrad course; cross-listed in History and Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies
5 groups partnering with 4 organizations
Guidelines (including mandatory first meeting already scheduled) in syllabus
CEP-related assignments:
Schedule/agreement with CEP
2 reflection papers
1 6-page paper
Wiki
Group presentation on project
Group presentation on wiki
Sample wiki pages:
Monsoon: Asian United Women of Iowa
LGBTQ Clinic