An Introduction To Service- Learning

Office of Community Service 2129 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20052 Phone: (202) 994-5493 E-mail: ocs@gwu.edu
Andrew Leon Bryn McMahon

Service-learning is one of the hallmarks of a GW education.

-President Steven Knapp

What Is Service-Learning?
Service-Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.
Source: Campus Compact

What Is Service-Learning?

Furco, Andrew. Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach To Experimental Education. Corporation For National Service, 1996, pgs. 2-6.

Differentiating ServiceLearning from Other Forms of Education

Experiential Learning: The knowledge and skills acquired through life, work experience and study which have not been formally attested through any educational or professional certification.
(http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/administration/rules/senateregs/foreward)

Internship: A work-related learning experience for individuals who wish to develop hands on work experience in a certain occupational field
(http://www.intstudy.com/articles/nusinter.htm)

Practicum: A college course that is designed to give students supervised practical application of a previously studied theory
(http://www.answers.com/topic/practicum-1)

Examples of Service-Learning
In a course on creating business plans, students could design actual business plans for a non-profit start-up. In a course on data management, students could help a community partner with data management needs. In a course on community health, students could come up with ideas to advocate healthy eating habits for adolescents and find ways to implement them.

What are Some Components of Service-Learning?

Most students work for not-for-profit partner (must be faculty approved) The service-learning project should clearly integrate the topics being covered in the class curriculum The project students complete should benefit the community and the student The project needs clearly identified learning objectives The students should be required to reflect on and evaluate their Service-Learning project and objectives The student could be involved in designing the project

Who Benefits from Service-Learning?

Students Faculty Community Partners Site Staff The University Community at Large

Where does Service-Learning Take Place?

Service-learning takes place both in the classroom and in the community.

Why Should GW Incorporate Service-Learning?

1. To enhance teaching and learning 2. To increase retention and graduation rates 3. To create a sense of social responsibility 4. To enhance community relations 5. To enrich the professional identity for GW faculty

Academic Voices on Service-Learning

Students overall get a feeling of accomplishment, confidence, and value as a result of taking part in a service learning experience.
Academic Service Learning in Human Resource Management Education by Susan Madsen

The learning outcomes of service learning include development of leadership and problem-solving skills, connecting the theoretical with the practical, and educating students for citizenship.
Rationale, Benefits, and Methods of Service Learning in Marketing Education by Debbie Easterling, Fredrica Rudell

Market-Basket Schools with Service-Learning Classes

Northeastern University
http://www.northeastern.edu/communityservice/servicelearning/index.html

University of Michigan
http://ginsberg.umich.edu/courses/service_learning.html

Tulane University
http://tulane.edu/cps/students/service-learning.cfm

Georgetown University
http://socialjustice.georgetown.edu/faculty/courses/

American University
http://www.american.edu/ocl/volunteer/sl/sl.html

How can Service-Learning be Incorporated into your Academic Class?

As a fourth credit option for a three credit course As a capstone project for a student or students to complete As a teaching methodology

What are the Guiding Principles for Organizing and Constructing a Service-Learning Course?
Reflection: Is there a mechanism that encourages students to link their service experience to course content and to reflect upon why the service is important? Reciprocity: Is reciprocity evident in the service component?

What are the Steps to Creating a Service-Learning Course?

Step 1: Contact Office of Community Service Step 2: Identify the course that you would like to infuse with Service-Learning Step 3: With the help of the Office of Community Service design a syllabus explaining: why this kind of service should be part of the course make explicit connections between the course, departmental objectives and the students goals and expectations Step 4: Identify Service-Learning sites Step 5: Look at Campus Compacts guidelines for syllabi

Are Other Professors At GW Incorporating Service-Learning?

Currently, more than 30 faculty members across 17 departments have included Service-Learning in their classes including: Biostatistics Communications Computer Science English Exercise Science Geography Human Services Management Medicine and Health Sciences (graduate programs) Music Political Science Psychology Public Health and Health Services (undergraduate and graduate programs) Public Policy & Public Administration Religion Sociology Spanish Womens Studies and the Womens Leadership Program Writing Program

What Does the Office of Community Service Provide to Help GW Faculty Incorporate Service-Learning into their Curricula?
Ideas Preparation Implementation Assessment Modification of Course Syllabi Connections with Community Partners The Tracking of Service-Learning Hours

How Can I Contact the Office of Community Service?

Office of Community Service 2129 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20052 Phone: (202) 994-5493 E-mail: ocs@gwu.edu