Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

History Of The Service-Learning It Requirement In Maryland, Kathy Megyeri

Service Learning, General

Schools in Maryland have long provided some opportunities for students to volunteer. There have been the usual walk-a-thons, canned-food drives, visits to the elderly, and tree-planting projects. Building on this tradition, in 1985 the Maryland State Board of Education enacted a requirement that all school systems offer courses and programs in community service, open to all students, for elective credit, to provide opportunities for students to reach beyond themselves to help others. Two hundred of Maryland teachers were trained by the state, and during the 198889 school year, over 1,000 students were engaged in community service projects for credit (Maryland …

Enhancing The Middle School Curriculum Through Service Learning, Ron Schukar

Curriculum

On a warm April morning, 80 eighth-grade students from North Middle School in Aurora, Colorado, gathered in nearby Sand Creek Park to erect bat houses. "Why bat houses?" a local news reporter asked. "To control the insect population," one of the students answered. "We have reclaimed this park for all the plant and animal species that live here and for the people of our community who want to enjoy the surroundings," another student offered. "Because of the water and foliage, insects, especially mosquitoes, are a problem. We don't want the city to apply insecticides in the park, so we are …

Toward An Integrated, Whole Community Model Of Dropout Prevention, Michael Baizerman, Donald Compton

Partnerships/Community

As part of a statewide evaluation of dropout prevention programs in Virginia, survey data were collected statewide from school district dropout prevention coordinators. Ninety-four of the 103 school divisions (91 %) receiving state funds for dropout prevention responded to the survey. In addition, school staff were interviewed as part of a case study of seven schools to identify approaches to improving parent and community involvement, and focus groups were conducted with community agency representatives and parents. The interview data were analyzed using Joyce Epstein's model (see Table I) which organizes practical actions and likely outcomes for five types of parent …

Empowerment In Student Teaching Through Community Service Learning, Rahima C. Wade

Higher Education

The student teaching experience is probably the most influential phase of preservice teachers' development within a teacher education program (Burstein, 1992; Griffin, 1989). In particular, the relationship between the cooperating teacher and student teacher plays a critical role in student teachers' success. Preservice teachers are generally instructed to "do as I do" by their cooperating teachers. Thus, student teachers often find little opportunity to try out strategies they have learned in their university methods courses unless the practices are already in place in cooperating teachers' classrooms. In addition, few researchers have attempted to discern how to enhance preservice teachers' abilities …

Educational Policy Through Service Learning: Preparation For Citizenship And Civic Participation, Susan G. Forman, Louise C. Wilkinson

Civic Engagement

This article describes a course designed to prepare undergraduate students to participate effectively in civic life and in public decisions about education and schooling. The course includes an examination of the theoretical and conceptual basics of civic responsibility and service learning, and a review of the process of educational policy making, and an in·depth exploration of a number of current educational policy issues. The course is taught with service learning pedagogy. Experiences in a service placement yield personal knowledge that has the potential to inform students' critical analysis of theoretical, research, and policy literature and to make students more effective …

Everyday Democracy: A Study Of Two Teachers' Perspectives On Social Education, Elaine Metherall Brenneman

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

As a nation, we are concerned about the values our children learn in school. Opinions regarding the appropriate educational content and strategies to sustain and improve our democratic country span the political spectrum. The social studies, a field dedicated to the development of good citizens, is especially concerned with values issues in education. Research on citizenship education has primarily focused its interest in the development and assessment of appropriate content and teaching strategies. An important, though often neglected, aspect of social education research is the investigation of teacher perspectives. This study suggests that who a teacher is, what she knows, …

Beyond 4-H Community Service... To Community Service Learning, Allan T. Smith

Service Learning, General

For more than 70 years Community Service has been an important part of 4-H. So has hands-on, learning-by-doing, that we now call experiential learning. When you put those two ideas together appropriately, the result goes beyond a "feel good" experience: service activities tied closely to what youth are learning positively impact learning, and genuinely help the community.

Individuals With Disabilities Performing Service Topic Bibliography, Robin Vue Benson, Robert D. Shumer, Madeleine S. Hengel, Craig Hollander

Bibliographies

Disabled and special needs populations have frequently been the beneficiaries of service-learning programs. In this revised version of an earlier introduction to service-learning and special needs individuals we add new studies that illustrate the use of service for disabled individuals as both recipients and deliverers of program activity. Our goal is to provide information on the value of service for special needs populations and programs.

The items in this bibliography were obtained through searches of the ERIC database, our own collection of material, and selected websites dealing with special needs programs. These searches have significantly expanded the number of items …

Civic Works, Inc. The Environmental And Pal After School Mentoring Teams - Final Evaluation Report, Allison H. Fine, Jim Baird

Project Summaries

Civic Works is a youth service corps program based in Baltimore, Maryland. The program operates a number of activities in which teams of corps members perform community service work in urban neighborhoods. Several of its teams are funded by AmeriCorps. Civic Works commissioned Innovation Network, Inc. (InnoNet) to design and conduct participatory assessment activities with two of its AmeriCorps service teams: the Environmental Team and PAL After School Mentoring Team.

Peer Tutoring And Mentoring Services For Disadvantaged Secondary School Students, M. Anne Powell

Project Summaries

In 1988, the Congress enacted a one year demonstration program, the Secondary Schools Basic Skills Demonstration Assistance Program, aimed at improving the academic achievement of disadvantaged children with mentoring and peer tutoring services (Pringle, et. al., 1990). The evaluation report prepared upon the completion of this demonstration offers one of the most significant studies of school-based peer tutoring and mentoring in the nation.

Service As A Bridge To Higher Education: Developing Service Learning In Developmental Studies, Elizabeth Bryer, Carol Gish

Higher Education

Though the new and exciting field of service learning has rapidly expanded to kindergarten through college, very little has been said about the appropriateness of service learning for developmental studies (pre-college) level students. Since developmental studies courses have in the past been labeled "remedial," perhaps it has been assumed that these students are not yet ready for the rigors and challenges of service learning. This is the story of one developmental studies department that has found that, on the contrary, service learning is precisely what our students need to help them smooth the sometimes intimidating transition into higher education.

Citizen Participation: A Brief Review Of Resources And Readings, Madeleine S. Hengel, Robert D. Shumer

Bibliographies

The following document is organized for a quick review of Citizen Participation, and is not intended as an endorsement of the programs or organizations listed here. Resources and readings are intended to be a starting point for researchers, practitioners and others who are interested in beginning to look for information on Citizen Participation.

To get more information, look in the resources sections and to read about civic and citizen participation, look in the readings section.

In general, the easiest and least expensive way to have access to the readings and documents is through your local library. Even if you are …

Service-Learning And Evaluation: A Brief Review Of Issues And The Literature, Madeleine S. Hengel, Robert D. Shumer

Bibliographies

One of the most frequently requested topics for information at the National Service-Learning Cooperative Clearinghouse is evaluation. Practitioners want to know what to do and how to do it. Graduate students want to know what has been done and how they can do evaluation. Program administrators want to know how evaluation can assist them in making the case for and expanding service programs.

The good news is there is more than enough information available to answer all these requests. There are literally volumes of work on almost every conceivable aspect of evaluation. The bad news: There is too much information …

Individuals With Disabilities Performing Service Topic Bibliography, Madeleine S. Hengel, Robert D. Shumer

Bibliographies

The following document is organized for a quick review of Citizen Participation, and not intended as an endorsement of the programs or organizations listed here. Resources and readings are intended as a starting point for researchers, practitioners and others who are interested in beginning to look for information on Citizen Participation.

To get more information, look in the resources sections and to read about civic and citizen participation, look in the readings section.

In general, the easiest and least expensive way to have access to the readings and documents is through your local library. Even if you are not near …

Student Participation In Community Service Activity, National Center For Education

School K-12

Increasing community service participation has long been a goal in the United States. Some examples of how this goal has played out in national policy are President Kennedy’s creation of the Peace Corps, President Bush’s creation of the Points of Light Foundation, President Clinton’s creation of AmeriCorps, and Congress’ adoption of the National Education Goals, which include the objective that all students will be involved in activities that promote and demonstrate good citizenship and community service. In part, the push for volunteer service reflects the idea that the act of volunteering would be beneficial to those who participate and might …

International Service Learning, Harry C. Silcox, Torun E. Leek

International Service Learning & Community Engagement

It is clear that a network of international service learning is in its formative stage, the authors point out. We must not allow the politics of service programs in the U.S. to blind us to the opportunities in other parts of the world that will enable us to advance the theory and ideology of service learning.

The Use Of Grand Assessments In K-12 Service-Learning Research, Andrew Furco

Evaluation/Reflection

Findings from most studies on the impacts of service-learning on K-12 students tend to be based on one assessment too/focusing on one construct (e.g., self-esteem, civic participation, etc.). While conventional research wisdom tells us that this approach is more statistically stable, it does not seem to be adequate for studying service-learning programs. Both service-learning and experiential education researchers face several dilemmas in determining the effects of service-learning activities on students' educational development. The idiosyncratic nature of the program activities, the lack of well-tested assessment instruments, the confounding influences on students learning, etc., make service-learning research a challenging and difficult endeavor. …

Experiential Education - Ex 196, Eileen M. Lewandowski

Syllabi

A planned and evaluated work experience for which the student receives academic credit (and may receive financial remuneration). The work experience may be related to the student's major or be exploratory in nature. One credit may be awarded for each 40 hours of work experience. The course may be repeated for a maximum of six (6) credits and is available on a Pass/Fail basis only.

School-Sponsored Service Programs And The Educational Development Of High School Students, Andrew Furco

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Currently, a growing number of our nation's school districts are encouraging students to perform community service. Vermont, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, for example, all include community service activities as part of their K-12 education plans. Maryland requires all high school students to complete 60 hours of community service prior to graduation. And as part of California's Challenge Initiative, it is expected that by the Year 2004, every student in California will engage in at least one community service or service-learning experience prior to graduation (1996, California Department of Education).

Service Learning And Teacher Education: Mapping The Territory, Carole Cook Freeman

Service Learning, General

Since the mid-1980's there has been a renewed interest in progressive approaches to the education of intending teachers¹. In the context of this progressive teacher education activity, several distinct, but related, ideas converge and become the theoretical base for teacher education practices involving (community) service learning.² Among these ideas are renewed interest in authentic field experiences, multicultural education, child advocacy, democratic education, social justice, school reform efforts, autobiography and teacher thinking, and an emphasis on community service in K-12 education. In addition, teacher educators increasingly recognize the gap between the backgrounds of those who intend to teach …

Research Paper Youth Service, Douglas H. Stubbe

Special Topics, General

An assumption that most people would probably agree on is that service to community, on a voluntary basis, builds character, self esteem, pride toward one's self and his/her community, develops personal growth and respect or compassion for others. I don't think many people look beyond that. Does the service need to be voluntary? Is service a responsibility that goes with being a part of a community? Why is service a positive aspect of community life? What are the characteristics of service that make it a fulfilling experience? Should youth be required to serve their community? If so, are there other …

Learning Science Beyond The Classroom, Linda Ramey-Gassert

Special Topics, General

Science education reform documents call for science to be taught in the manner that students learn best, by conducting hands-on, engaging investigations using simple everyday materials. Often overlooked in the redesign of science education, informal science learning environments such as science centers, museums, and zoos provide students with captivating science experiences that can be related closely to curricular objectives. In this article I examine a cross-section of craft knowledge and research-based literature on science learning beyond the classroom, describe informal science education programs, and discuss implications for enhanced science teaching. The article focuses on the importance of informal science learning …

National Service: Expectation Versus Reality, Robert D. Shumer, Jane Maland Cady

Service Learning, General

National service has a long history in America. From the early colonies with their citizen soldiers, to religious organizations and social service, to modern day members of conservation corps and AmeriCorps, individuals have contributed important work for the benefit of their community and country. A more recent focus in the 20th century, initiated by William James' "Moral Equivalent of War" and carried out in the 1993 National Service Trust Act, has accelerated an interest in the concepts and practice of national service.

An Empirical Assessment Of Self-Esteem Enhancement In A Challenge Service-Learning Program, Jianjun Wang, Betty Greathouse, Veronica M. Falcinella

Evaluation/Reflection

Empirical data collected from a total of 187 elementary and secondary school students were analyzed in this article to assess enhancement of student self-esteem in a service-learning program. The elementary school students were split into treatment and control groups based on their involvement in a greenhouse construction project. At the high school level, two experimental groups were each characterized by Zoophonics tutoring and student service to the Delano Historical Society. Control groups were identified equivalent to these treatment groups. Coopersmith self-esteem inventory and its school-academic subscales were adopted to assess the effect of each service-learning project. While no significant gender …

What We Know About Engendering Civic Identity, James Youniss, Jeffrey A. Mclellan, Miranda Yates

Civic Engagement

Taking the position that there is a developmental process in the formation of citizenship, the authors reviewed studies that reported a link between youth's participation in organized activities and civic behaviors 15 or more years later in adulthood. Data uniformly showed that students who participated in high school government or community service projects, meant in the broad sense, are more likely to vote and to join community organizations than are adults who were nonparticipants during high school. Results support the authors' view that participation during the youth era can be seminal in the construction of civic identity that includes a …

Rewarding Faculty Professional Service, Kerryann O’Meara

New England Resource Center for Higher Education Publications

Scholars of higher education have long recognized that existing reward systems and structures in academic communities do not weight faculty professional service as they do teaching and research. In the past five years, however, many colleges and universities have found innovative ways to define, document, and evaluate faculty professional service in traditional promotion and tenure systems. Other institutions have created or expanded alternate faculty reward systems, including faculty profiles in service, merit pay, and post-tenure reviews emphasizing service. Based on data from a nation-wide sample, this paper discusses innovations in rewarding faculty professional service and offers conclusions and recommendations.

Teaching General Biology For Nonmajors Through Community Service Projects, Mary Wells Phillips

Higher Education

For many students, especially for the biology nonmajors, science is often one of the last courses they take before completing their degree. Often, these students enter my course with a previous "bad" experience from courses in high school or have developed anxieties regarding what science is all about. They are reluctant learners who frequently shy from questions and classroom discussions. Their own insecurities and presumed lack of knowledge frequently !eaves them floundering and confused. The message is, "I am here because I need 'x' number of science units before completing my degree."

Animal Tracks Urban Communities Action Pack, Sara Bradley, Cathy Mcfarlane Nolan, Cheryl Dixon, Elenor Hodges, Charles Wilkinson

Curriculum

This guide includes Discovery, Awareness, Action and Appendices.

Building Character, Trust, And Leadership: Service Learning Offers Positive Pathways To Adulthood, Kathy Checkley

School K-12

Ebony Sandusky admits it was sheer peer pressure that initially led her to participate in her school's service learning programs. Now, she says, "community service is in my blood." Sandusky, a senior at Romulus High School in Romulus, Mich., has worked on a myriad of service projects throughout her high school years. She helped organize educational symposiums on such topics as domestic violence and multiculturalism and, most recently, led the effort to provide education about safe sex to a community concerned about the growing number of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. "When I see something that needs changing, I …

Teaching Character Education Through Service-Learning, Mike Brugh

Special Topics, General

My tenth grade science class was starting a unit on the "Ever Changing Earth." To get things going, I opened with a discussion about earthquakes and asked the class, "What would you do if an earthquake hit right now?" Students provided the expected answers ranging from hide under a desk, to stand in the doorway, to run outside. However, one student replied, "I would head to the mall." "The mall?", I asked. David replied, "Yeah, I would break into the jewelry store and make off with a load of gold." The statement caught me flat on my feet, I would …