Service Learning Commons^™

Critical Social Justice Theory In Action: A Practitioner Inquiry Into The Service-Learning Capstone Experience, Julie A. Jaynes

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Service-learning pedagogy can be found in K-12 schools and higher education classrooms across the country. Those programs and courses exist on a complex spectrum from charity to social justice; research presented here documents my efforts as a service-learning teacher to better align the program’s senior capstone class to the teachings from critical social justice theory. I used a practitioner inquiry approach to address the problem of an epistemology in the research process that recreated systems of oppression by excluding the knowledge and voices of the minoritized groups who are impacted by the issues being researched. My inquiry centers my students’ …

Cultivating Leaders Of Indiana: Global Collaborations And Local Impacts, Jennifer Sdunzik, Annagul Yaryyeva

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

“Cultivating Leaders of Indiana” was developed to establish connections between the Purdue student body and the Frankfort, Indiana, community. By engaging high school students in workshops that focused on local, national, and global identities, the goal of the project was to encourage students to appreciate their individuality and to motivate them to translate their skills into a global perspective. Moreover, workshops centering on themes such as culture, citizenship, media, and education were designed to empower project participants to embrace their sense of social value and responsibility, not only in their immediate communities, but also globally.

Food Justice Youth Development: Using Photovoice To Study Urban School Food Systems, Krista Harper, Catherine Sands, Diego Angarita, Molly Totman, Monica Maitin, Jonell Sostre Rosado, Jazmin Colon, Nick Alger

Catherine Sands

Servant Leadership, Melissa D. Lemar Mrs

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

ABSTRACT

I have had the privilege of being a Celebrate Recovery Leader for five years now. I lead a group of women through a class that is about nine to twelve months long and in that time frame, I get to witness a beautiful transition right before my eyes. Women, typically, attend this class because they are struggling with a hurt, habit, or hang up and the light in their eyes has been snuffed out by life’s challenges and they forgot their passion in life. But after attending this class for about six months, they begin to recognize their value …

Bolivia, Shayla King

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

Bolivia is a children’s story book based on the life of a child in Bolivia. I chose to write in this topic to bring to light the difference in cultures in different areas of the world and how despite these differences, we can all be treated equally—with love and kindness. I wrote on this topic to help children know how they can treat those around them that are culturally different.

Introducing Critical Pedagogies, Deepening Service-Learning Practices, Kathryn J. Kozak

Pedagogy and the Human Sciences

Book review of Critical Perspectives on Service-Learning in Higher Education by Susan J. Deeley. (2015). London, England: Palgrave Macmillan.

Towards Soulful And Sustainable Service: The Role Of Ethics In Global Service-Learning Programs Within Faith-Based Tertiary Institutions, Corrie Johnson

Capstone Collection

This research evaluates the practices of specified faith-based institutions within the field of undergraduate global service learning through the lens of each of the major themes in the Fair Trade Learning framework. These themes include equal partnership, mutual learning, cooperative and positive social change, economic equity, transparency, and sustainability. Initial survey outcomes present an overall picture of where these particular universities are at in regards to balancing student and community outcomes. Interview outcomes provide a more in-depth perspective of how mutual benefit for student participants and host communities is being considered within the global service-learning programs these programs facilitate. Some …

Inclusive Collaboration In Community-Academic Engagement, Jennifer Early

Community Engagement Institute

This workshop introduces foundation concepts related to diversity and inclusion in community-academic engagement and applies these concepts to the early stages of initiating and stewarding partnerships for community-engaged teaching and research.

Intro To Community-Engaged Research & Service Learning, Katie Elliott, Valerie Holton

Community Engagement Institute

Definitions of community engagement, research, and service-learning. Benefits of utilizing service-learning at VCU, such as increased graduation rate, building professional skills, addressing social problems, engaging faculty with community experts, and creating opportunities for faculty led community-engaged research.

21st Century Community Engagement, Lynn E. Pelco

Community Engagement Institute

The higher education landscape is changing, and universities of the future may bear little resemblance to the institutions that have existed for the past 100 years. This workshop will help participants understand the intersections between a changing higher education landscape and community engagement. Participants will explore new models for organizing academic work (i.e., teaching, research, and service) in ways that promote student success and address community-identified needs

Community Engagement Institute 2017, Vedette Gavin, Lynn E. Pelco, Katie Elliott, Valerie Holton, Jennifer Early, Erin B. Brown

Community Engagement Institute

Agenda documenting time and dates of speaker presentations. Presentations varied from topics surrounding higher education, community-engaged research, service learning, collaboration between education and communities, and community-academic partner spotlights.

In Conversation With Seth Pollack, Seth Pollack, Marshall Welch

Engaging Pedagogies in Catholic Higher Education (EPiCHE)

In November 2016, EPiCHE Editor Marshall J. Welch sat down with service-learning scholar and practitioner Seth Pollack. They explored how the spiritual and religious dimensions of Seth’s life have influenced his personal passions and academic career.

Seth Pollack is Professor of Service Learning, and the founding faculty director of the Service Learning Institute at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). For the past 17 years, Seth has provided overall leadership for the Service Learning Institute at CSUMB. In 2005, he received the Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service Learning, recognized as the nation’s outstanding faculty in the field of community …

In Our Time: Advancing Interfaith Studies Curricula At Catholic Colleges And Universities, Eboo Patel, Noah Silverman, Kristi Del Vecchio

Engaging Pedagogies in Catholic Higher Education (EPiCHE)

People who orient around religion differently are interacting with greater frequency than ever before. These interactions, especially in the context of college and university campuses, require young people to grapple with their own identities in ways that previous generations could more easily avoid. Conversations about religious diversity have become elevated at colleges and universities, which has led Drs. Douglas Jacobsen and Rhonda Hustedt Jacobsen to claim that religion is “no longer invisible” in the context of American higher education.

As an organization that works with hundreds of American colleges and universities every year, Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) believes that Catholic …

Connecting Beyond The Circle: A Restorative Approach In Co-Creating A Safe Space For Social Justice Education At Utec, Nikki F. Pelonia

Capstone Collection

“Social justice is both a process and a goal. The goal of social justice education is full and equal participation of all groups in a community that is [co-created] to meet the members’ needs. Social justice includes a vision of a community that is equitable and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure” (Adams, Bell, & Griffin, 2007, p. 1). In the process, one is used to going straight to issues of social justice before connecting by building trusts and relationships. This Course-Linked Capstone in Training focuses on SIT Graduate Institute coursework from Training Design in Experiential Learning …

Critical Service Learning, Anna C. Smedly-Lopez

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Service Learning Initiative for Community Engagement in Sociology (SLICES) is a critical, research-focused, community-based, leadership and knowledge project. By engaging in Community Based Participatory Action Research Projects (CBPAR) students have an opportunity to work multiple semesters, if they choose, to develop research skills, serve in leadership roles, serve and collaborate with local organization, and engage in professional development.

Cultures, Madeline Martinson

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

This document is a poster I created after making and reading my book to the children on the Bells for Books book mobile. First I created a book about culture and diversity. Once I finished the book I went to the book mobile and read it to the children that were on the bus that day. After reading the book I reflected on culture and diversity and put my conclusions on this poster. The poster rejects on my process through my book Culture and reading it to the children and our class conception of diversity and ethics. I talk about …

Diversity Through Musical Reading, John Waits

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

This poster is an overview of the children's book I wrote and the research, writing, and reading that went into it. The book uses animals from the main countries that Boise's refugee population comes from as characters and gives them all different musical instruments that they play together to make beautiful music to show that, even though people may be different, it's better when everyone is included.

Non-Profit Community Project, Christine Lee, Nicole Gomez, Riziki Mberwa, Michelle Mccollough, Alex Tulen

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

Meridian Valley Humane Society is a small non-profit canine rescue for all of Meridian. They are trying to solve the issue of finding abandoned, abused, or relocated dogs a forever, loving home. Meridian Valley Humane Society houses a maximum of 30 dogs at a time which enables a unique and loving experience for the dogs as the volunteers can spend more time training, loving, and caring for them. It receives no county, city, state, or federal funding of any kind and relies heavily on volunteers and donations. Because of this, the adoption rates are higher than other nonprofit organizations like …

Wally The Whale Finds Friends, Kelsie Nagle

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

This poster explains Bells for Books and looks at the impact that it has on the community. It summarizes what it was like to write a short children's book and read it to kids in Garden City. It also explores the impact that this student written book will hopefully have on the community.

Bells For Books Community Service, Jamie J. Maas

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

Cultural awareness is something that is very important in building a healthy community. America is a nation of immigrants and as such it is very important that the immigrants that settle into our city feel very safe and welcome. One way that a citizen can learn civic engagement and give back to their community is through community service. In my community, Bells for Books offers wonderful opportunities for children that don’t necessarily have access to a library. For those children, writing books in their language, and volunteering time to read stories to children can make a huge difference in their …

Authentic Leadership In Volunteer Based Teams: A Research Essay And Reflection Of My Leadership Experience In Lead 326, Jonathan Troy Ferguson

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

This is a study of the theory of Authentic Leadership from a number of different sources and ideals. These theories are then explained, in detail, how I personally applied them to several projects involving non-profit organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boise Rescue Mission, and the Kuna Middle School. It shows my personal reflection of working with the organizations on a volunteer basis and how the above theories were effective and relatable to the groups that I led.

Let’S Try Something New: Service Learning In Boise State's Computer Science Department, Daniel Kondratyuk

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

In this article I explain how a group of Computer Science students at Boise State University participated in a new service learning project. I provide a few testimonials on the students’ experiences and describe the rewarding aspects of service learning in the greater Computer Science community.

Adult Health Literacy, Kathleen Elliott, Moriah Gendelman, Qundeel Khattak, Nisha Quasba, Victoria Trapani, Gaby Witte

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Books, Alyssa Buffi

International Journal of Undergraduate Community Engagement

This poster details my service learning project. I wrote and illustrated a book that will teach children how important it is to accept people even if they are different. After I had my book printed and delivered, I volunteered one evening to read to a group of children on the Bells for Books bus in Garden City. By taking the time to go read to the youth of Garden City, I not only showed them that they deserve the right to education and books, but also the importance of volunteering.

Senior Wellness: Gracefully Aging Across Generations, Sarah Abuali, Angela Bourassa, Patricia Erickson, Nikki Kupferman, Jay Lloyd-Montgomery, Srividya Murthy, Aditi Reddy, Samira Tella, Kevin Trac, Taylor Walter

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Deborah Olsen Public Service Scholarship Essay, Maura Hand

Examples of Student Work

In this essay, Maura Hand reflects on the ten weeks she spent interning with the State Department's Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) in San Francisco, California.

Happiness Index Methodology, Laura Musikanski, Scott Cloutier, Erica Bejarano, Davi Briggs, Julia Colbert, Gracie Strasser, Steven Russell

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

The Happiness Index is a comprehensive survey instrument that assesses happiness, well-being, and aspects of sustainability and resilience. The Happiness Alliance developed the Happiness Index to provide a survey instrument to community organizers, researchers, and others seeking to use a subjective well-being index and data. It is the only instrument of its kind freely available worldwide and translated into over ten languages. This instrument can be used to measure satisfaction with life and the conditions of life. It can also be used to define income inequality, trust in government, sense of community and other aspects of well-being within specific demographics …