1. Service-Learning: Improving Learning and Our Communities
William Oakes
EPICS Program
Purdue University

2. Educational Needs
What are educational challenges or issues related to students and student learning on your campuses?

3. Opportunities Equipping graduates to
address global
grand challenges
Students need more than disciplinary knowledge to succeed:
teamwork, communication,
customer-awareness,
project management,
leadership, ethics,
societal context,
professionalism
Both local and global communities need access to disciplinary expertise that is normally prohibitively expensive: improved, enhanced, new capabilities
Universities/colleges will be engaged in their communities and in the world

4. Calls to Action U.S. National Academy of Engineering Studies:
The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century
Educating the Engineer of 2020: Adapting Engineering Education to the New Century
What skills are needed in disciplines to address the challenges in today’s global economy
How People Learn

5. Service-Learning Definition
We define service learning as a type of experiential education in which students participate in service in the community and reflect on their involvement in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content and of the discipline and its relationship to social needs and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.
- Hatcher and Bringle, 1997

6. Context: Learning Pedagogies
Experiential education
Active learning,
Problem-based learning
Inquiry-guided learning
Design education
Service learning
Engagement in the community
Tied to academic learning outcomes
Reciprocity
Reflection

7. Characteristics of Service-Learning
Service – part of the service-learning experience involves service opportunities for students for the underserved in the local, regional or global community.
Academically-based - the service being performed by the students must provide reinforcement and connection with the subject material of the academic course.
Students given credit for mastery of course content, not simply for the service they perform

8. EPICS Course Outcomes (Design)
i. applies material from their discipline to the design of community-based projects
ii. demonstrates an understanding of design as a start-to-finish process
iii. an ability to identify and acquire new knowledge as a part of the problem-solving/design process
iv. demonstrates an awareness of the customer in engineering design
v. demonstrates an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams and an appreciation for the contributions from individuals from other disciplines
vi. demonstrates an ability to communicate effectively with audiences with widely-varying backgrounds
vii. demonstrates an awareness of professional ethics and responsibility
viii. demonstrates an appreciation of the role that their discipline can play in social contexts

9. Characteristics of Service-Learning
Partnerships –
partnerships between those who serving and those being served.
Meeting needs together
Doing work WITH, not for
The students and community members are partners addressing community need
Adding capacity to the community
The community, students and faculty benefit from the service learning

10. Characteristics of Service-Learning
Reflection (Analysis or Metacognition)
Participants are intentionally guided through activities to analyze and reflect upon the work that is being performed and the larger social issues..
Metacognitive activities including reflection improve learning
Metacognition can help students understand academic material covered by the course
Activities for analysis and reflection can take several forms

11. Service vs Learning service learning
Service and learning goals are separate
SERVICE-learning
Service outcomes are primary; learning goals are secondary
service- LEARNING
Learning goals are primary; service outcomes are secondary
SERVICE-LEARNING
Service and learning goals have equal weight; each enhances the other for all participants

12. New Context
A similar phenomenon occurs when students are able to marshal a body of knowledge to solve problems presented in class but fail even to see a problem, much less the relevance of what has been learned, in a different setting. The new situation does not provide the cues associated with what has been learned; the “key words” from the classroom are not present in the wider environment. A service-learning student will have more ways to access this understanding.
– Eyler and Giles

13. Benefits to Learning
Learners of all ages are more motivated when they can see the usefulness of what they are learning and when they can use that information to do something that has an impact on others – especially in their local community – Bransford et al., How People Learn

14. Kolb’s Learning Cycle
Allows diverse students to contribute and be valued.
Reflection connects learning and experiences
Concrete Experience
to experience
Active
Experimentation
Reflective
Observation
to examine
to apply
to explain
Abstract Conceptualization

15. Multi-Level Learning Students learn communication skills
Teamwork, leadership
Project planning
Resourcefulness
life-long learning
About themselves
Their place as professionals and as citizens
About others
Communities

16. Service-Learning and Diversity
Research on science education suggests that “context” is important to students.
“Image” is increasingly being cited as a deterrent to attracting women in the U.S.
What are the diversity issues facing your institutions?
Gender
Ethnicity
Cultural
Socio-economically

17. Accreditation and S-L
Service Learning projects provide opportunities for students to demonstrate that they have achieved outcomes (e.g. ABET Criterion 3 )
apply knowledge
design/analyze/interpret
design system/component/process
techniques/skills/tools
problem solving
professional/ethical responsibility
multidisciplinary teams
communication
societal context
contemporary issues
life-long learning

18. Industry: Boeing List
A good understanding of engineering science fundamentals.
Mathematics (including statistics) 
Physical and life sciences 
Information technology (far more than "computer literacy")
A good understanding of design and manufacturing processes. 
(i.e., understands engineering)
A multi-disciplinary, systems perspective. 
A basic understanding of the context in which engineering is practiced.
Economics (including business practices) 
History 
The environment 
Customer and societal needs
Good communication skills.
Written, oral, graphic and listening 
High ethical standards.
An ability to think both critically and creatively - independently and cooperatively.
Flexibility. The ability and self-confidence to adapt to rapid or major change. 
Curiosity and a desire to learn for life. 
A profound understanding of the importance of teamwork. 

19. Teaching Design The Design Process As a Full Cycle
Traditional courses use a piece of the design cycle
Problem Definition phase is often skipped
S-L provides an opportunity for start-to-finish design
Problem definition
Working designs for fielded projects
Support for fielded projects
redesign opportunities
Design for x-ability
Design
Process
Traditional
Course

20. Real Contexts Compelling Context for Classroom Material
Kinematics course – analyze playground safety
Active exercises to engage students
Diversity of learning styles
Answers “When would I ever have to use this”

21. Educating Citizens
Engineering’s responsibility to educate the “whole person”
Educating future professionals
Educating future community members
Engaged/educated citizens
Future neighbors
Lifelong impact
Career choices
Outside interests
or activities

22. Why Community Projects?
Real projects: start-to-finish design – problem definition, specifications, version control, sustainability, design/coding standards, rigorous testing, reliability, maintainability, safety, satisfying a customer, accountability, pride
A different view of engineering and computing
The university as citizen

23. EPICS has the potential to
Integrating the Curriculum
innovation
design
resourcefulness
ethics
teamwork
communication T I M E C O N T E X
problem solving
analysis
engineering
fundamentals
science
mathematics
EPICS has the potential to
realize new
efficiencies in the
engineering
curriculum

24. Service Learning works in engineering
Examples
Four models
Co-curricular
ProCEED – U. of Michigan
U. de Sherbrooke
International
Integrated within a course
U. Massachusetts-Lowell
U. of Utah
Separate courses
Freshman courses – U. of South Alabama, CWRU
Senior design
Programs or series of courses
EPICS
Service Learning works in engineering

25. Co-Curricular Service-Learning
Programs incorporate co-curricular activities with engineering-based projects in the community
ProCEED – U. of Michigan
ME Honorary Society + Senior design course
Ohio State
ECOS – Student organization doing international work
Universite’ de Sherbrooke
Contest to design toys for autistic children
Follow-on to freshman ECE design course

26. Integrated in Specific Courses
ME Kinematics – analyze playground safety and write report to responsible entity
Measurements Laboratory – data acquired in community (e.g. environmental data)
What to do with the data?
CE – Hydrology – hydrological analysis of local wet lands or lakes
Biology in Engineering – play ground design for local schools
First-Year Projects
Projects for the community
Present projects to schools or hospital

27. Service-Learning Courses
Institutions have created separate courses for Service Learning
Capstone courses
UML – Assistive Technology Capstone for electrical engineers
First-Year –Design or Introduction to Major Courses (Improves retention)
Case Western Reserve Univ.
University of Colorado
Columbia
General Elective
University of Pretoria – course partnering with area townships

28. EPICS develops long-term partnerships in the local community
Engineering Projects in Community Service
Purdue undergraduates are learning real-world skills by defining, designing, building, testing, deploying, and supporting engineering solutions in a unique academic program that assists local community service and education organizations.
EPICS successes:
: Purdue students to date
Over 250 projects deployed
: 500+ students from 30 Purdue departments on 30 teams
A growing Purdue-community-industry partnership: 11 industry advisors
$13+M total from grants, industry, Purdue, and alumni
Support for national expansion from NSF, Corporation for National & Community Service, Microsoft, HP;
19 EPICS universities, ~35 High Schools
EPICS develops long-term partnerships in the local community

29. EPICS Curriculum Provides
EPICS Programs
EPICS Curriculum Provides
Service-Learning
Design Education
Project Management
Community Partnerships
Disciplinary Knowledge from Departments
EPICS Programs
Projects and Problems from Local Community
Institutional Curriculum and Culture

30. EPICS Characteristics
Long term projects:
Long-term partnerships with community organizations
Vertically-integrated teams: firstyear+sophomores+juniors+seniors
Extended design experience: academic credit throughout the student’s undergraduate career, 1-2 credits/semester
Large-team experience: teams of 8-18 students
Broadly multidisciplinary teams: EE, CmpE, CS, ME, CE, IE, Sociology, Education, Biology, Audiology, Child Development, Visual Design, Technical Writing, Natural Resources, …
Open-ended design: define-design-build-test-deploy-support
EPICS teams can tackle projects of significant size, scope, and impact

31. EPICS Decouples Timescales
Student Learning
Student Learning
Semester/Quarter
Semester/Quarter
Semester/Quarter
Project
Project
Community Receives Long-Term Support They Need

32. Entrepreneurship and EPICS
The Community
Needs, Ideas
Ideas, Products
Goals of the Initiative
Spread benefits of Products
Learn about entrepreneurship
Protect IP developed by teams and partners
I2P Competition
2007, Princeton University
2008, Georgia Tech

33. Examples of Scope International Projects Local Projects
All four models are used
Advantage is that students can see need and results
Integrates them into the local community
Regional or national projects
Example: EPICS and Habitat for Humanity

34. International Students from “here” go “there”
John Duffy - U. Mass.-Lowell
Students work on projects for remote villages in Peru and deliver/install on trips.
Water purification, solar and hydro-electrical power systems
Engineers without Borders students chapters and professionals
Projects in India
Water and electrification

35. Local EPICS Projects Access & Abilities Education & Outreach
Human Services
Environment

36. EPICS Projects: Human Services
Design chemical sensing equipment to help and protect local law enforcement in their work to inhibit drug making laboratories.
Develop database system to assist the Tippecanoe and Jasper County Probation Departments to track and supervise offenders.
Develop scheduling software to assist local crisis center to schedule volunteers 24/7.
Complete analysis of sustainability and energy efficiency techniques for HFH homes.       

37. EPICS Projects: Environment
Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Processing waste glass into construction materials
bio-diesel fuel processing
Purdue
Constructed Wetlands and Water quality
Sustainability on campus
Project Area: Environment
EPICS Site: The University of Auckland, New Zealand
Community Partner: Waiheke Island Waste Resource Trust
The dissemination of the EPICS program to other universities made a great leap forward with the addition this past year of the first international EPICS site at the University of Auckland.
Two teams from the Auckland EPICS program are working with the Waiheke Island Waste Resource Trust to improve the environment on and the economy of the island. One team is developing a portable glass crushing plant to process waste glass collected on the island into clean sand for use in construction materials. This project is thus turning a waste product that would otherwise have to be shipped off the island into an economic resource.
A second team is developing a pilot facility to process waste cooking oils, primarily from restaurants on the island, into bio-diesel. A potential pollutant is thus being turned into an alternative fuel for municipal vehicles.

38. EPICS Projects: Access & Abilities
Reducing barriers on campus
Students with disabilities
Classroom learning
Campus barriers
Interactive play environments for young children with disabilities
Walking swing
Remote controlled bowling ramp
Develop devices to increase safety and efficiency of employees with disabilities

39. EPICS Projects: Education
Outreach projects for research centers
Nano-technology
Partnerships with local K-12 schools
Hands-on science projects
Technology-assisted job training
Projects with local museums and zoos

40. (Inter)National-Scale Project
Habitat for Humanity - EPICS
Teams from multiple universities
Projects
Multimedia volunteer tutorials
Data collection of homeowner assessment
Global disaster relief home designs
Community Partner is the HFHI staff in Americus, GA
Students coordinate work between campuses and with partners at HFHI

41. Impact: Meeting Students’ Needs
84%
OVERALL EVALUATION
68%
awareness of ethical issues
71%
technical skills
73%
awareness of the community
77%
organizational skills
79%
resourcefulness
80%
understanding of design process
81%
awareness of the customer
83%
communication skills
88%
ability to work on a team
%A+B
Topic
15 semesters of data, 2385 responses
Impact of EPICS on your Topic
% of students giving “A” or “B” rating

42. Impact: Meeting Students’ Needs
“What are the 3 most valuable things you have learned from being a part of the EPICS program”:
Responses from 9 semesters, 2044 respondents
Objectives
# responses
Teamwork
1751
Communication Skills
1008
Organizational Skills
793
Technical Skills
754
Leadership Skills
534

43. Student Quotes “(S-L) completely changed my opinion of engineering.”
“Working on this project has helped me guide the rest of my course work and ideas for a future profession.”
“Other engineering courses only directly benefit me. (S-L) benefits everyone involved.”
“I have learned that engineering includes more than theory, it includes teamwork, communication, organization and leadership.”
“It made me understand how every aspect of engineering (design, implementation, team work, documentation) come together.”
“No longer is engineering just a bunch of equations, now I see it as a means to help mankind.”
“Opened my heart.”

44. Service-Learning Definition
We define service learning as a type of experiential education in which students participate in service in the community and reflect on their involvement in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content and of the discipline and its relationship to social needs and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.
- Hatcher and Bringle, 1997

45. Reflection in Service-Learning
Reflection (and Analysis)
Participants are intentionally guided through activities to analyze and reflect upon the work that is being performed and the larger social issues..
Metacognitive activities including reflection improve learning
Metacognition can help students understand academic material covered by the course
Activities for analysis and reflection can take several forms

46. Why do we need reflection?
Connect service to academic learning
Metacognitive activity
Students compartimentalize experiences and learning
Draw out learning
Students may miss learning opportunities if not pointed out
Address student reaction and/or experience from service
Were stereotypes challenged or reinforced?
Was there unintended learning?

47. Methods for Reflection
Written questions
Notebooks (journals)
Essays – collect in Blackboard
Small group discussions
Class discussions
Readings
Combinations

48. Reflection Model Technical Level or Discipline Specific
Personal Values
Social Systems and Issues
Developed by Edward Zlotkowski

49. How much is enough? Janet Eyler (Vanderbilt) studied reflection
Amount of reflection was not a significant factor in effectiveness
Key elements were intentional (targeted at learning objectives) and frequent

50. Reflection (Analysis)
What strategies will you use to have students process (reflect on) the many aspects of the service experience and connect these aspects to the rest of the course?
Academic context and learning objectives
Personal experience
Connection to and implications for the profession/discipline
Social/community issues

51. Partnerships Communities Universities High Schools
Corporations/Societies

52. Benefits and Learning Participants How will they benefit?
What will they learn?
Students
Community Participants
Faculty/ Staff

53. EPICS Programs

54. Adapted to Local Institutional Culture and Constraints
Core Values
The core values of EPICS Programs are those elements required of all EPICS programs. Following a model of service-learning:
EPICS students earn academic credit for participation in team-based design projects that solve engineering, computing, and technology-based needs in the local community; 
EPICS teams provide service to the local community by partnering with not-for-profit community organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agencies; and  
EPICS programs support these reciprocal local partnerships over multiple years without obligation for remuneration to EPICS.
Adapted to Local Institutional Culture and Constraints

55. Goals for EPICS Programs
In addition to the core values, there are attributes of EPICS Programs that provide a richer learning experience and add value to community partnerships.
Long-term Participation by Students
Large Team Structure and Continuity
Multidisciplinary Teams
Advisors for teams
Reflection on the Broader Social Context and Impact
Learning Design
Meeting the Needs of the Underserved
Vertically Integrated
Integration into Core Curricula
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Collaboration with Other EPICS Programs

56. Phases of an EPICS Team Establishing project partnerships
Creating a curriculum structure & basic infrastructure
Assembling a project team
Implementing the projects
Supporting the partnerships
Ending the partnership

57. Academic Credit / Plans of Study
EE: 3 credits senior design + 6 ECE elective credits; 2 lab credits if not used as senior design
CmpE: 3 credits senior design + 6 CmpE elective credits
ME: 6 credits tech elective + 3 credits free elective
CE: 6 credits tech elective
IDE: 6 credits engineering/design + 3 senior design
CS: CS elective + 3 senior design
AAE: 3 credits as tech elective; additional AAE elective with permission
LA: 3 credits count as core in Social Ethics
CFS: fulfills specialization requirement in selected areas; elective for all areas
Others: free elective credit
Entrepreneurship Certificate: Option + Capstone

58. Purdue Course Structure
1 or 2 credits / semester - emphasis on long-term participation
~5 hours/week outside of lab for 2 credits
~2.5 hours/week outside of lab for 1 credit
2-hour team lab each week
Each team meets separately to do administration, planning, and project work
Common lecture time for all teams
Supplemental learning experiences to lectures
TA-run “Skills Sessions” and workshops
Final Presentation (Exam)

59. Lectures Common Lecture hour Topics
Required common and Introductory lectures
1 credit students attend 5 lectures units
2 credit students attend 10 lecture units
Lectures are on video server
Topics
Administrative: orientation, resources, and assessment
Design process
Communication topics
Project planning
Team building / leadership
Community context
Entrepreneurship
Best practices

60. Skills Sessions and Workshops
Alternative/supplementary ways of earning lecture credit
Facilitators (TA’s, students, faculty, EPICS Admin, Corporate partners…) run sessions on specific skills
Target students after their first semester
Also give credit for relevant seminars etc.
Topics:
ME shop
Specific programming skills & tools
Webmaster training
Disability awareness
Ethical issues
Social context …

61. Textbook Readings and Reflections
Lima and Oakes “Service-Learning: Engineering in Your Community”
Readings to supplement lectures
Reflections on reading and lab work
Targeted readings for team roles
Leaders
Partner liaisons

62. Labs Student run: team leader Administration and milestones
Project status and planning
Team building
Breakout for project work

63. Team Roles: Students Team Leader/Co-Leaders
Project leaders - lead individual projects
Liaison - primary contact for the community partner
Financial officer - manages team’s budget
Manager of Intellectual Property - leads entrepreneurship activities, patent searches
ESAC – Student Advisory Council –recruiting and placement
Webmaster

64. Team Roles: Advisors Advising teams in areas of expertise
Faculty play key role
Advising teams in areas of expertise
Academic credibility
Industry advisors
Non-faculty advisors with expertise
Co-advisors from other disciplines
Add multidisciplinary components
Meet with team weekly
Responsible for progress of team and individuals
Grading

65. Team Roles: TAs
Technical guidance to supplement background of advisors
Administrative assistance for operation of program: 1 “administrative TA” assigned to each team
Talent pool for all teams to tap
Office hours
Skills sessions
Lab oversight
Grading
design notebooks, reflections, etc.

66. Roles: Administration
Program planning, development, management, and oversight
Course management
Community partner identification and selection; community relations
Resource management (funds, labs, staff)
Assessment and data collection
Reporting

67. Milestone Highlights Slow Fast Delivery Deadline
Week 1
Transition and Integrating New Students
Planning and setting expectations 2 3 4 5
Execute Semester Plans
Deliver if Appropriate
Document As You Go 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Complete semester commitments
Transition to next semester
Coordinate with Project Partner
Focus on Project Partner and Transition 14 15
Finals
Slow
Fast
Delivery Deadline

68. Milestones Schedule(s)

69. Administering EPICS: Outline
Ten elements
Students
Community partners & projects
Academic staff: Advisors & TAs
Administrative staff
Funds for project expenses
Labs & infrastructure
Space
Curricular structures
Risk management
Institutional support
Budgets
Challenges