tutorial 1 introduction to service-learning (community-based learning/cbl) and its connection to...

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TUTORIAL 1

Introduction to Service-Learning

(Community-Based Learning/CBL)and its Connection

to Jesuit Ideals Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment Creighton University

© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D. Associate Professor

Department of Communication Studies

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Tutorial Goals

At the end of this tutorial, you will have an understanding of: The definition and principles of service-

learning/CBL The benefits of service-learning for students and

faculty

Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment Creighton University



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Tutorial Objectives At the end of this tutorial you will be able to:

Reflect on your own perceptions of service-learning based on your pre-assessment

• If you have not completed the pre-assessment, please stop now and complete it prior to continuing with the tutorial

Identify the type of potential course you have in mind for service-learning

Explain how you see service-learning benefiting your personal and professional life

Articulate how you think service-learning can benefit your students




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What is Service-Learning? Or CBL?

A pedagogical strategy where students apply what they are learning in the classroom (course/learning objectives) to a particular community

Communities are typically nonprofit (or underserved) and the application, in part, is done through service that fills a public good in the community; service that is meaningful & relevant for all parties (community and students)

Parties involved create a relationship and are considered the recipient and the provider of the service; both are changed by the experience




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What is Service-Learning? Or CBL?

Students make meaningful connections between what they are studying and its applications to the community through guided reflective writing and classroom discussion

“The community becomes an additional text for the course.”

Community also becomes empowered as they co-develop the partnership and the work from their strengths

Hopefully students will become more civically engaged, leading to future community participation (some materials adapted from Howard, 2001)


© 2007Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D. Associate Professor


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Who is Involved in Service-Learning?




Students

Community

Faculty

University

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4 Principles of Service-Learning




Engagement

Reflection

Public Dissemination

Reciprocity

(Heffernan/Campus Compact, 2001)

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Engagement: Direct experience working with underserved communities and/or organizations that promote the public good

Does the service component meet a public good, and how do you know this? Has the community been consulted? How have campus-community boundaries been negotiated and how will they be crossed?




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Reflection: Reflection on the community experience in connection to classroom materials

Is there a mechanism that encourages students to link their experience to course content and to reflect upon why the service is important? What assessment measures will be used to analyze these reflections?




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4 Principles of Service-Learning Reciprocity: Planned reciprocity of learning and

benefits

Is reciprocity evident in the service component? What is the community doing with and for the students? What are the students doing with and for the community? How?

Service-Learning assumes that colleges are living parts of communities, that the location of learning and service is often beyond the classroom, and that the communities have much to teach students and faculty (Sigmon and Colleagues, 1996)Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment

Creighton University © 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.

Associate Professor Department of Communication Studies

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4 Principles of Service-Learning Public Dissemination: Sharing the outcomes with

appropriate communities Is service work presented to the public or made an

opportunity for the community to enter into a public dialogue?

For example: Do oral histories that students collect return to the community in some public form? Is the data students collect on saturation of toxins in the local river made public? Does the University hear about what the students have done? How?

(Heffernan/Campus Compact, 2001)Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment Creighton University



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Teaching/Service Spectrum Community Service Practicum (“Pure” Service) (“Pure” Learning)

Service-Learning (the meeting in the middle)

Charity Pre-professional Philanthropy Training(Zlotkowski, 2000; personal communication)




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What makes Service Different from Service-Learning?

Both are just as important and valuable for students and make an important contribution to society

The nature in which the service component or activity is used as a pedagogy (in a course or within a co-curricular program) to accomplish learning outcomes, to enhance the learning of skills/concepts, and the inclusion of guided reflections related to course content/outcomes is what characterizes service-learning/CBL from service

Service-learning/CBL is also typically with the same site throughout a semester; not a one-shot brief experience




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Service Example




Students who volunteer and help to clean the park as

a service activity for Ratio Studiorum to help

out after a flood

Helping with society Important to

community

Learning about being contributing members

of a community

No written reflections One-shot experience

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Co-Curricular Service-Learning Example




Students who go to New Orleans for a fall break

service trip sponsored by Creighton’s Center for

Service and Justice to help families who have

been affected by Katrina

Helping with society; students may alsobecome advocates for local issues

Raises student consciousness of justice,

political, health, human suffering…

Learning about being contributing members

of a community

They have open reflections and journal about the

experience; discussions and events are focused around

objectives; students are prepared for trip in advance

Immersed experience where students are helping a

community; more than likelystudents have contact with and

create relationships withcommunity members

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Service-Learning/CBL Course Example




Students partner withthe local Spanish

community during aSocial Work

Policies course

Students create proposal for new

guidelines for the immigration

process paperwork; given to office

for consideration

Fulfilling a need of the community and

learning about cultural and

community issues

Students grapple with language,

class, and justice issues in reflections

Students feel transformed

by the experience; families are grateful and experienced compassion and

created relationship

They help families with theimmigration process and

study the effects of immigration for families new to the country

The create repeated written reflections and have class discussions about

their experiences and how it links to what they are studying in the class

They visit the immigration office and study the

Immigration laws in class

They visit the families various times throughout

the semester and create a trusting relationship with them

Families, students and

Immigration officeare mutually

benefiting fromthe relationship

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How does it Fit in the Course? Optional or Mandatory?

Service-learning is a pedagogy; a unique mode of teaching and learning

You do not have to justify reading a textbook or explain why students need to write a paper; as long as they meet your course objectives

Thus, you do not have to justify why students work in the community - it is simply a course requirement

Remember, the community is another text for meeting course objectives

It helps course material come to life and enhances learning! If you do not make it an issue; students are less likely to make

it an issue!Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment Creighton University



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Benefits of Service-Learning:For Students

Connects Theory and Practice Helps Students Gain a Sense of Community and

Responsibility For Others Learning/High Level of Student Engagement Strengthens Promotes Active Analytical, Problem-

Solving and Critical Thinking Skills Promotes Value of Diversity/Reduces Stereotyping

and Facilitates Intercultural UnderstandingOffice of Academic Excellence and Assessment Creighton University



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Benefits of Service-Learning:For Students

O Strengthens Interpersonal and Communication Skills

O Student Learning is Deeper; Understand Course Concepts Better

O Affirms Two Cardinal Values:● personal responsibility for civic engagement● institutional responsibility to participate with the

community to improve societyAdapted from: Conville, R. L. & Weintraub, S. C. (2002)




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Service-Learning and Jesuit Ideals

The Mission and Identity of CreightonUniversity parallel service-learning benefits:

Our Jesuit vision commits us to form women and men of competence, conscience and compassion who have learned from reflecting upon their experiences of being for and with others. We do this in service of a faith that does justice.




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Benefits for Faculty: Teaching

Enables Teaching to become More Process-Oriented

Increases Variety of Unique Pedagogical Practices Improves Student Satisfaction with College Provides Authentic Assessment Opportunities Builds Stronger Relationships with Faculty Members

(and with Students) Co-Creation of Courses with Other Faculty




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Benefits For Faculty: Service

Improves Relationships with Community Increases Personal Involvement with Community Provides Opportunity for Community Boards Allows for Campus Organizational/Service

Opportunities Affirms Two Cardinal Values:

personal responsibility for civic engagement institutional responsibility to participate with the

community to improve society




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Benefits for Faculty: Scholarship

Integrates Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Projects Allows Faculty to Reach Scholarship Level Enhances Personal Scholarship of Teaching Provides Opportunities for Regional/National

Scholarship Engagement in Organizations Broadens Outlets for Presentations and Publications of

Research Enhances Tenure/Promotion Dossier




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As Jesuit, Creighton participates in the tradition of the Society of Jesus which provides an integrating vision of the world that arises out of a knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

As comprehensive, Creighton's education embraces several colleges and

professional schools and is directed to the intellectual, social, spiritual, physical and recreational aspects of student's lives and to the promotion of justice.

Creighton exists for students and learning. Members of the Creighton

community are challenged to reflect on transcendent values, including their relationship with God, in an atmosphere of freedom of inquiry, belief and religious worship.

Service to others, the importance of family life, the inalienable worth of each individual, and appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity are core values of Creighton.

www.creighton.edu/mission




Link to Jesuit Mission

http://www.creighton.edu/mission

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Link to Jesuit Mission

Creighton faculty members conduct research to enhance teaching, to contribute to the betterment of society, and to discover new knowledge. Faculty and staff stimulate critical and creative thinking and provide ethical perspectives for dealing with an increasingly complex world. www.creighton.edu/mission

Your teaching should inform and be informed by your scholarship!!





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Final Thoughts Hope you now have a general understanding of

service-learning/community-based learning and how you may find it useful in your classes

Remember just as you carefully pick the texts for your courses, you also carefully choose the service sites for your courses; if your objectives are appropriate, then think about the potentials of engaging your students in the wonderful world of service-learning!

Proceed to completing the post-tutorial exercisesOffice of Academic Excellence and Assessment Creighton University



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Referenceso Conville, R. L., & Weintraub, S. C. (2002). Service-learning and communication: A disciplinary toolkit.

Washington, DC: National Communication Association. o Heffernan, K. (Ed.), (2001). Fundamentals of service-learning course construction. Providence, RI: Campus

Compact.o Howard, J. (Ed.). (2001). Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning: Service-learning course design

workbook. Ann Arbor, MI: Regents of the University of Michigan, OCSL Press.o National Service-Learning and Assessment Study Group (October, 1999). Service-learning and assessment: A

field guide for teachers. The Vermont Department of Education - Learn and Serve America.o Sigmon, R. L., & Colleagues. (1996). Journey to service-learning: Experiences from independent liberal arts

colleges and universities. Washington, DC: Council of Independent Colleges.o www.creighton.edu/mission





tutorial 1 introduction to service-learning (community-based learning/cbl) and its connection to...

Documents

community service

principles of service

service work

service component

perceptions of service

community experience

parties community

location of learning