1. Designing an Effective Service- Learning Course and Meaningful Syllabus Maureen Rubin California State University, Northridge Innovative Educators Webinar October 24, 2009

2. Program Outline Is service-learning right for you? What do you want to accomplish? Plan weekly learning and service activities. Put them together in syllabus. Unique service-learning assignments 2

3. Is Service-Learning Right for You? It's not for every instructor and it's not for every course Consider: Advantages and disadvantages, challenges and opportunities of the pedagogy, where it fits in student’s academic plan. 3

4. What Do You Want to Accomplish? Be very specific in identifying 1-3 student- learning outcomes you want your students to accomplish by participating in the service- learning portion of the class. Make sure the service enhances the learning and is not extraneous to your student learning objectives. 4

5. Some things to consider Developmental appropriateness Group or individual work? Who selects community partner? What skills do students need/have? Everyone at same site at same time? Students choose from several options? 5

6. 10 Sample Student Learning Outcomes 6

7. 1. Help students understand course content Assist students in learning course content through the practical application of concepts learned in class – Tax preparation 7

8. 2. Promote social responsibility and civic learning Help students understand concepts such as power differentials or privilege – Electrical engineering (Lumens) Encourage students to probe problems for their symptoms or causes – Environmental Health (Healthy Homes) 8

9. 3. Increase understanding of the importance of your discipline to society Transmit understanding that your discipline connects with life in the real world – Interior Design (Design jury room) Help students to see practitioners in your discipline as activists and contributors to the public good –Finance (Campus auxiliary investment) 9

10. 4. Increase awareness of community Increase student’s knowledge of community issues, needs, strengths, problems and resources – Sociology (gang prevention) Identify community-based public and private programs that provide assistance and advocacy – Sociology (Yellow pages project) 10

11. 5. Enhance commitment to service Improve students’ attitude to service – Genetics (Special Olympics) 11

12. 6. Promote Career Development Expose students to career opportunities to help them make career decisions --Freshman seminar 12

13. 7. Develop self-awareness Expose them to options and points of view other than their own – Journalism (Public relations practicum) 13

14. 8. Increase sensitivity to diversity Help students understand the wealth of diversity in their community – Art or computer programs 14

15. 9. Develop communication skills Learn to collaborate and negotiate to resolve conflict – JusticeCorps 15

16. 10. Increase critical thinking Improve ability to think, apply information to problem solving and analyze information data and concepts – Kinesiology 16

17. Plan Weekly Learning and Service Activities 17

19. Plan Community Collaboration All at the same site at the same time Students choose from limited, pre-screened list. Community partners invited to come to first class to recruit and answer questions. Students select own site and write proposal. 19

20. Successful Courses Blend service and academic content Do not treat service-learning as an add-on, but as an integral part of each class Cross-fertilize assignments 20

21. 21 Student Learning Objectives Service ObjectiveWhat is Due Today? Week #1 Increase awareness of community Assist population with genetic diseases Content Lecture Topic ChromosomesSpecial Needs PopulationsPaperwork Service Learning Lecture Link Why service-learning? ReadingChapter 1 textbookProfiles of community sitesComplete reading Assignment Select partnerPaperwork explaining partner selection Additional Assignment Reflection Write Journal Entry 1 and post on web Why did you pick this partner? Web journal posted and comments made Exam Assignment and Outcomes Planner – 300-level Genetics course Outcomes A s I g nm e n t s

22. Do the same outline for every week Content Lecture Service-Learning Link Lecture Readings – Content – Service-Learning Assignment(s) – At site – For class Reflection 22

23. Syllabus Elements Course Information (Units, location, class number, meeting days and times) Instructor information (Office, phone, office hours, email, website, emergency information) Course Description – include definition of service- learning 23

24. More Syllabus Elements Student learning objectives – At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to … – Course content – basic academic elements – Student Performance Evaluation – explain elements that will constitute grade 24

25. And Some More Grading Scale Daily plan – Today’s agenda – What’s due today? -What’s going to be due next week? -Attendance policy -Legal/ethical statements (Students with disabilities, plagiarism warning, tentative nature of syllabus). 25

26. Under Course Description… The purpose of this course is to… Match with University mission Meeting accreditation standards Build resumes Departmental curriculum goals Spell out learning objectives and how they are critical elements of college education 26

27. Definition of service-Learning …A course-based, credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service-learning activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. Bringle and Hatcher 27

28. Example - Grading Sample Elements: – Lecture/discussion exams and quizzes – Attendance in class and at community site – Community partners evaluation – Peer evaluations – Content papers – Service-Learning journals – Deliverable – Oral presentation 28

29. Unique service-learning elements - Reflection

30. What Is Reflection? Planned activities designed to help students process their service experience in a thoughtful manner Integrate service into the heart of the course to promote desired learning outcomes The “glue” that ties the learning to the service Dynamic process that involves critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, problem solving, mediation and reasoning

31. What Does Current Research Say about It? The instructor’s ability to connect the community-based service experience to classroom activities and other graded assignments is the most important variable for successful service-learning. Intentional structured activities that offer students opportunities to examine and analyze their cognitive and affective learning (individually and/or in groups) are key.

32. What are the Essential Elements? The 5 C’s Connection – feeling and thinking; learning is not compartmentalized into college and community. Continuity- must occur before, during and after the service experience. Context – should be used to solve problems with the tools, concepts and facts of the particular situation. Challenge - current perspectives must be examined and conflicts resolved. Coaching – Students need emotional support, need to feel safe; develop alternative explanations for experience and observations and question their original interpretations. Eyler & Giles (1999)

33. How Is It Done? Through specific activities designed to assist the student in processing the service-learning experience Many, many paths – Journals – Think pieces and creative expression – Role playing – Writing assignments

34. Structured Reflection Journals Journals that pose different questions throughout the semester (Eyler 2001) Journals that pose the same questions after each session Journals mixed with mini-analysis papers (Azusa-Pacific University, 1999) Three-part journals ( observe, feel, connect) Journals tied to lecture and reading Interactive web- based journals with classmates or community partners

35. Write a play Write a letter to yourself, seal it, leave it with instructor. At semester’s end reread it and write about change Make a video Write a poem or song Compose a travelogue Write a letter to the editor, government agency, etc. Take photos Draw or paint a scene Think Pieces and Creative Expression

36. Role Play Bring a community partner to class and have them create or reenact a typical or challenging service experience Divide students into groups and have each one act out a different roles played by various populations involved in service experience (i.e. service-recipients, agency staff, professor, government agency, student, etc.)

37. Writing Assignments Interpret quotes – “A cynical young person is almost the saddest sight to see because it means that he or she has gone from knowing nothing to believing in nothing.” --Maya Angelou Community commentary – Describe a scene in the community What story does it tell? What does it say about the community? What does this scene mean to you and why? If the scene were a painting, what title would you give it?

38. Bibliography Seifer, Serene and Connors, Kara, Community- Campus Partnerships for Health for Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Faculty Toolkit for Service-Learning in Higher Education. National Service Learning Clearinghouse 38