ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING AT

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

M A R I S O L M O R A L E S

A S S O C I A T E D I R E C T O R

H O W A R D R O S I N G , P H . D .

E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R

S T E A N S C E N T E R F O R C O M M U N I T Y - B A S E D

S E R V I C E L E A R N I N G

D E P A U L U N I V E R S I T Y

C H I C A G O , I L U S A

DePaul University-Chicago

Vincentian, Urban, Catholic,

Mission (founded 1898)

25,000+ students, largest

Catholic University in USA

33% first generation college

students

“Let us do the good that presents itself”

St. Vincent de Paul

The Steans Center provides educational opportunities grounded in Vincentian community

values to DePaul students. The Center seeks to develop mutually beneficial, reciprocal

relationships with community organizations in order to develop a sense of social agency

in our students through enrollment in CbSL courses, community internships and

placements, and community-based student employment.

PRE-FLECTION

W H AT I S A C A D E M I C S E R V I C E - L E A R N I N G ?

W H Y I S A C A D E M I C S E R V I C E - L E A R N I N G

I M P O R TA N T F O R C AT H O L I C S C H O O L S ?

WHAT IS ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING (ASL)?

ASL AS A PEDAGOGY

Not adding service to a course

Changes teaching/learning practice

Learning skills change

Teaching skills change

“GOOD” ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING

Direct experience working with community that integrates with

curriculum, promotes the school’s mission and values and

supports the public good

Good ASL includes:

Relevant service

Reflection

Planned reciprocity with community

Service defined/valued by community partner

Service integrated into learning goals

Planned ahead of time

Service is relevant to discipline/subject area

Students are well-oriented/trained

“GOOD” ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING

Credit for learning

Academically rigorous

Accomplishes learning objectives

Uses critical thinking thru reflection

Views the community as co-educator

Changes faculty role in the classroom

“GOOD” ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING

ASL CURRICULUM INTEGRATION

ASL

Reflection

Meaningful Service

Academic Content

A pedagogical model that intentionally integrates community

service, academic learning, and civic learning (Howard, J.)

MEANINGFUL SERVICE-LEARNING IN THE CATHOLIC TRADITION

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the

interests of others”. Philippians 2:4

TYPES OF ASL

Direct service

Project-based

Research

Advocacy

ACADEMIC CONTENT IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Provided by Noel San Antonio

"Education is one of the most important ways by which the

Church fulfills its commitment to the dignity of the person and

the building of community." (To Teach as Jesus Did, 1972, #13)

REFLECTION

“There is no act of charity that is not accompanied by justice

or that permits us to do more than we reasonably can”.

St. Vincent de Paul

WHY ASL IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS?

A Few Ideas:

• ASL creates future socially/civically engaged & responsible

leaders

• ASL increases empathy levels among students (Emerson 2007)

• ASL complements traditional curriculum connecting it to life and

challenges in the community, leading to improved comprehension.

• ASL supports spiritual development through encouraging

introspection, connecting everyday life in community with faith and

values.

• Infuses Catholic faith and social teaching into academic content

BUILDING COMMUNITY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS,

STRENGTHENING CATHOLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM

STARTING ASL

ASSET-BASED MODEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SOCIALLY ENGAGED LEARNING IS INHERENTLY POLITICAL SELF-REFLEXIVE, CRITICAL PEDAGOGY RESPECTING COMMUNITIES AS INTELLECTUAL SPACES COMMUNITY-DRIVEN, CAPACITY-BUILDING PROJECTS

Catholic School-Community Engagement Strategies

ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Communities have deficiencies & needs

Communities & citizens have capacities &

assets

ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

A S S E T M A P

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

EVALUATE YOUR TEACHING STYLE

1. Can I share control of teaching with community?

2. Can I handle uncertainty/not always having the answers? 1. Can I adapt to situations/experiences the students will

have as part of service-learning experiences?

2. Can I foster discussion with students sharing their experiences in relation to the curriculum?

3. Can I explain to students why ASL is important for our school?

THINK ABOUT……..

What do I teach?

What are my learning objectives?

ASL and Assignments/Readings

ASL and Lectures/ Discussions

ASL and grading

ASL CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• What are your learning objectives?

When students finish your course/class what should they have learned?

• How will service learning contribute to meeting learning

objectives?

In what ways can the experience enhance students’ learning and

retention of the material?

• How can you build community partnerships that support

the learning objectives and the community?

BEGINNING…….

• Will the service/project component be required?

• How many hours outside the classroom?

• If project based, what is the deliverable?

• How to connect the service to course content?

• How much class time devoted to service and reflection?

• How will you evaluate ASL?

ORIENTING STUDENTS TO ASL

History, mission, structure and location of the service sites.

Background and description of the individuals to be served.

Social, political, and economic issues related to the service site.

Responsibilities: tasks, expectations, role definition.

Discuss why ASL at your school

REFLECTION IN ASL

• Guided integration with academic course content (theories, concepts, methods, belief systems, values, etc.)

• Highlights relationship between service and broader social, economic and political issues

• Highlights relationship between service & faith traditions

• Illuminating links between knowledge and forms of marginalization and oppression

• Unraveling the complexities of privilege (race, class, gender, etc…)

THE 4 C’s OF ASL

EYLER & GILES, 1999

Continuous - before, during, and after

Connected - directly linked to learning objectives

Challenging - moving from surface learning to deeper, critical thinking

Contextualized “corresponding” to course content in a meaningful way

CURRICULUM REVIEW

E L E M E N T A R Y / M I D D L E S E C O N D A R Y

• http://www.learningtogive.org/lessons/unit523/

• http://www.learningtogive.org/lessons/unit222/lesson1.html

• http://www.learningtogive.org/lessons/un

it318/lesson1.html

RESOURCES National Service Learning Clearinghouse

• http://www.servicelearning.org/slice

• http://www.servicelearning.org/instan

t_info/fact_sheets/he_facts/discipline

Learning to Give

• http://www.learningtogive.org/teacher

s/

Massachusetts Department of

Elementary & Secondary Education

• http://www.doe.mass.edu/csl/info.ht

ml?section=IV

VISIONING

EXERCISE

How can academic

service-learning work in

your school?

How can academic

service-learning work for

your grade level?

How can service learning

work in your community?

THANK YOU CEAP!!

A Special Thanks to Fr. Gregorio L. Bañaga, Jr. CM and

Adamson University for their unyielding hospitality.