Service Learning Commons^™

Building Citizenship: How Student Voice In Service-Learning Develops Civic Values, William Morgan, Matthew Streb

Service Learning, General

Objectives. Though many decry the decline in political participation and interest, few academic studies present a clear approach to help reverse these trends. This paper examines the impact of service-learning programs on students’ self-concept, political engagement, and attitudes toward out-groups. Methods. The data come from a pre and post survey given to more than 200 high school students in 10 different schools. We use Huber regression to assess the impact of student voice in the service-learning project on six dependent variables. Results. We show that if students are involved in service-learning projects in which they have a high degree …

Institutionalized Service-Learniing In The 50 States, Kathy Anthes

Service Learning, General

Service-learning is a teaching method that combines service to the community with classroom curriculum. Service-learning is more than merely community service. It is a hands-on approach to mastering subject material while fostering civic responsibility. On a programmatic level, service-learning in America is thriving. Through funds from the Corporation for National Service, almost every state has resources and some level of a service-learning program. Although practitioners and other service-learning advocates have long regarded service-learning as a way to increase student achievement and student civic engagement and decrease a host of problems, such as drop-out rates and school crime and violence, there …

Choosing A Life Of Service, Ariel Zwang

Special Topics, General

In an age of material excess, it has become a challenge to reorient the Jewish community towards service work. Throughout the community, many parents encourage their children to pursue lucrative careers at the expense of less profitable positions in service fields. There is even a tacit stigma associated with careers in helping others, as compared to the social prestige of high-wage jobs or the intellectual prestige of academia and science. Despite this, as the following article indicates, tile satisfaction of choosing a life of service can more than make up for these difficulties.

United We Serve: A Call To Universal Jewish Service, Maggi G. Gaines, Sara Paasche-Orlow

Special Topics, General

We have reached a turning point in American Jewish history. Now that large segments of our community are living successful, integrated lives, we have an opportunity to align ourselves behind service to enrich Jewish life and to effect prophetic change in the world. In Pirke Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), Rabbi Tarfon admonishes us, "You are not obliged to finish the task, neither are you free to desist from it." The usual interpretation is that our task is bigger than any of us in terms of the quantity of work that must be done. Rabbi Tarfon's dictum, however, also refers …

Promoting Service Learning Via Online Instruction, Greg Bennett, Frederik P. Green

Higher Education

Service learning and online instruction are both important and much debated topics in higher education. Many professors and colleges are attempting to use service learning and online instruction as effective learning tools for their student clientele. Both topics are being written about exclusively in professional journals, as educators grapple with how lo implement these two effective means of learning into class content. The purpose of this manuscript is to discuss service learning and online instruction in a symbiotic educational relationship. The authors discuss the efficacy and benefits of service learning and online instruction, and request ways to incorporate these techniques …

The Bridging Role Of The Community Service Director On The Engaged Campus, Joann Campbell

Higher Education

Declines in civic participation, low voting rates among 18-25 year olds, dwindling federal support for social services, and deficit state budgets have created a climate in which higher education must make a case for the value it adds to society through applications of research and teaching. National and state organizations (such as Campus Compact and state Compacts) dedicated to supporting a culture of service in higher education articulate the university's role as a collective citizen, whose priorities include linking scholarship to community-based needs, using the resources of the college faculty for professional local service, and utilizing federal work study, America …

School-Community Partnerships In Rural Schools: Leadership, Renewal, And A Sense Of Place, Patricia A. Bauch

Special Topics, General

Rural schools are vulnerable to imitating the reform standards of national and urban school. Urban schools, to which much of the research on current reform efforts has been directed, are not rural schools writ large. Neither are rural communities like urban neighborhood communities. Hodgkinson and Obarakpor (1994) declared "rural poverty is not the same as urban poverty in a different setting" (p. 2). Rather, the context of rural has its own set of community identifiers that make rural schools dramatically different from their metropolitan counterparts. The goals and purposes of schooling and educational renewal processes appropriate for urban and suburban …

Increasing Basic Writers' Thinking About And Understanding Of Literacy Through Literacy-Based Service-Learning, Suzanne Dena Gates

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This project aligned a community college basic writing class with student-performed community service that was specifically literacy-based. The sample consisted of two writing classes, with data collected through an eighteen-week semester. The study was conducted according to qualitative methods and thus allowed for a close look at students' thinking about and understanding of literacy, and how changes in students' thinking about literacy reflected in their class experiences. One basic writing class was designated the service-Iearning class; the other basic writing class was designated the comparison class. Both classes shared the same instructor, texts, in-class activities and writing prompts. The service-learning …

Doing Theology In The City, Paul Fitzgerald

Special Topics, General

The task of theology is often a lonely endeavor. The hush of the library or the archives, the still of the chapel, and the quiet discipline of one's desk are places where theological research and writing unfold, most often in solitary concentration. The classroom on the protected college campus or seminary, the academic conference in large hotels, and even the cherished conversation in the homes of colleagues do open the theologian to other minds and hearts so that theories and insights may be tested in dialogue. However, these exchanges are often located in affluent social contexts which cannot reveal the …

Sparking A Renewed Jewish Commitment To Service, Sara Paasche-Orlow, Maggi G. Gaines

Special Topics, General

Where do Jews stand in relation to service and what might a Jewish commitment to service look like? By reflecting on historical Jewish understandings of service, we hope to gain perspective on the present and the need to rejoin our concepts of God, service, and worship. Such explorations can spark a radical transformation of our social and communal norms.

The Missing Link: Democratic Citizenship In Service Learning A Case Study Of Undergraduate Course Offerings At A Large Urban University, Michael S. Bittner

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to explore a discrete set of service-learning courses to determine. (1) were they of the type conducive to fostering democratic citizens. and (2) did the coordinating center that supported service-learning advocate it for democratic Citizenship. Sixteen university instructors and two administrative staff members from a coordinating center were interviewed, and documents describing the courses and coordinating center were reviewed. Drawing from the literature. a list of ten criteria for democratic citizenship was assembled, and two sets of questions-one for the instructors and another for the administrative staff-were devised to prompt the response of the …

Your Next Steps: Regional Summit Binder, Anne C. Meek

Guides

Welcome to the 2001 Next Steps Regional Summit: Schools and Communities Working Together!

Inside this Resource Binder, you will find a treasury of information on community education, service-learning, school reform, and related issues. We've included examples of projects, policies, initiatives, and tips from practitioners and policymakers. You'll find articles, brochures, journals, and website information too. Although the materials are divided into sections, many pieces could be cross-listed under other sections as well; we have provided annotations in the bibliography to help you browse for materials that will suit you best.

Service Learning In Preschool: An Intergenerational Project Involving Five-Y Ear-Olds, Fifth Graders, And Senior Citizens, Nancy K. Freeman, Sherry King

Intergenerational

Service Learning is a powerful form of experiential pedagogy that is gaining popularity in classrooms from preprimary settings through graduate school. It involves students in activities that explicitly and intentionally integrate community involvement with appropriate academic objectives. This article describes an intergenerational service learning project that brought together preschoolers, golden-agers, and at-risk elementary-aged students. Lunch Time Book Buddies-Pass It On included both direct service and indirect service and made valuable contributions to young children's developing literacy, social-emotional, physical, and cognitive abilities.

Nurturing Future Leaders Via Service-Learning, John T. Boal

School K-12

Coming into the ninth grade, Jon Porges was admittedly "a shy guy" who had a learning disability and who had never volunteered in his life, but when he sat down in freshman English class at Waterford High School in Waterford, Connecticut, in 1996, a slow transformation - life a cocoon becoming a butterfly - took place.

Lessons Learned About Service-Learning: Voices Of Experience About Urban Service-Learning In Saint Paul Public Schools, Saint Paul Public Schools

School K-12

Quality service-learning transforms students, schools and communities. Service-learning creates powerful learning experiences for students and strengthens ties between schools and community. While integrating curricular goals with a real community need, service-learning gives students the power and the voice to work for social change in their world. It engages them in their own learning process. Students become active learners and creators of history who have opportunities to realize their collective and personal power to make a difference. In order to engage in this kind of learning, teachers together with students must work to establish quality partnerships and collaboration with community organizations …

Service Learning: Making The Camp Connection, Joel S. Garavaglia-Maiorano, Joel Pile

School K-12

Service learning, today's buzzword for education through service, is as diverse as are camp programs in our nation. From providing environmental education to tutoring to feeding the homeless, it is both a method and a philosophy. Programming for service opportunities in today's camps offers a variety of options, from short-term experiences to a fully integrated curriculum that links action and reflection. Service learning, therefore, may be best understood as a method to encourage campers to act, reflect, develop, and learn through community-organized service that connects the needs of a community with the knowledge and experience of campers.

From 19th Century Social Reform To 21st Century School Improvement: A Community Service-Learning Quilting Project For Middle School Students, Irene S. Laroche, Leslie Kelly, Cindy Tuttle

Project Summaries

"From 19th Century Social Reform to 21st Century School Improvement" is an interdisciplinary teaching unit built around a community service learning quilting project. It is designed for use by middle schoolteachers who want to integrate lessons from United States history (19th Century social reform), English/ Language Arts (writing of school improvement plans), and mathematics (scale drawing and measurement in quilt design). The unit includes approximately two weeks of academic work; an additional period of time is needed in school or after school if students are going to sew their quilts.

Topic Bibliography On Resiliency And "At Risk" Youth Topic Bibliography, Robin Vue Benson, Robert D. Shumer, Ann Treacy, Michelle Kamenov, Andrea Roufs

Bibliographies

This publication is the result of a comprehensive review of the literature on resiliency and at-risk youth. Some of the most frequently asked questions at the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse are geared toward service-learning as it relates to working with at-risk youth. Often the questions are about research on impacts of service-learning on at-risk youth, or about materials that have been developed to help start service-learning programs for at-risk youth. Information on program examples and national organizations is also in demand. The purpose of this bibliography is to direct you to some of the most reliable, innovative, and popular resources currently …

Eric Resources On Service-Learning And Related Topics: An Annotated Bibliography, Education Resources Information Center

Bibliographies

No abstract provided.

Character Education Resources, York Region District School Board

Bibliographies

When we embarked on our journey to investigate Character Education, we discovered that there was a wealth of resources to support our need to learn more about the topic. We decided to put together this compendium of resources for the benefit of our teachers and Symposium participants. It is by no means exhaustive.

Youth Civic Development: Implications Of Research For Social Policy And Programs, Constance A. Flanagan, Nakesha Faison

Civic Engagement

Democracies must insure that each new generation of citizens identify with the common good and become engaged members of their communities. Such goals are prominent in the missions of public schools and community youth organizations. This report summarizes research which points to directions youth programs and policies should follow to achieve these civic goals.

The Transformative Power Of Civic Education, Libby Ethridge

Civic Engagement

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer often speaks about his concern over people's apathy and lack of knowledge about the government (Tulsa World, 1999). Teachers in the public schools often comment on how students are not aware of current events and view politics as something that doesn't affect their lives. University professors often complain about how little their students understand about the democratic process. While many seem to agree that this is an issue of concern, few have proposed any systematic action that will actually transform the situation.

Cesar Chavez: Educating The Heart, Orange County Cesar Chavez Day Initiative

Curriculum

Cesar Chavez was one of the most significant and influential civil rights leaders of our time. Chavez devoted himself to social justice and improving the lives of the impoverished and oppressed. His name, like the name of Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks of character and commitment. This project is in honor of the life and work of Cesar E. Chavez.

The Cesar Chavez project is a multi-faceted service learning experience that will provide your 4lh graders with a unique, hands-on perspective of California History. Whether used to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day (March 31st) with your class or simply as a …

Student Ownership Of Service-Learning Projects: Including Ourselves In Our Community, Tammy V. Abernathy, Kathryn M. Obenchain

Disabilities

Service-learning projects can be an effective tool to actively engage students with learning disabilities while also providing needed community service. This article details a five-phase construction plan designed to guide students through the process of planning service learning projects with students responsible for all steps and the teacher assuming the role of facilitator and guide. Service-learning projects are encouraged as a means of including students with disabilities in their community while building academic skills and assuming personal responsibility.

Program Evaluation Principles & Practices, Northwest Health Foundation

Evaluation/Reflection

This handbook is provided by the Northwest Health Foundation as a framework for community organizations to use to evaluate and understand the effectiveness of their programs. It provides an overview of basic program evaluation principles and practices, and offers an approach to evaluation that will assist organizations in documenting their work -for themselves, for funders, and for others who are interested in issues of program impact and outcomes. The handbook is designed to complement the content of a Foundation-sponsored workshop on program evaluation, and can be used as a "stand-alone" guide for evaluation design and implementation.

Building Community: A Tool Kit For Youth & Adults In Charting Assets And Creating Change, Innovation Center, National 4-H Council

Partnerships/Community

The purpose of the Building Community tool kit is to equip youth and adult facilitators with a framework and specific tools to unleash the power of many diverse resources for positive community change.

Community Service Learning In Culturally Diverse Stettings As A Springboard For Student Constructed Case Studies, Viviana Alexandrowicz

Service Learning, General

This article describes the process of incorporating case study development by students in a teacher education methods course. The students weekly and final reflections, in addition to the high quality of their case studies, suggested that case study development by teacher candidates is an effective approach to increase their understanding of and competence to work with second language and culturally diverse people.

Service-Learning Delivers What Americans Want From Schools (New Poll Shows A Way To Improve Public Education), Academy For Educational Development

Service Learning, General

It is not news that: Americans are deeply concerned about the quality of public education,² nor that almost half of them believe that improving schools should be our nation's highest priority.³ What is news is that Americans believe that service-learning can deliver what they expect from schools.

A new poll asked more than 1000 Americans⁴ about their views of K-12 education and service-learning, a way of teaching that integrates service projects into core academic curriculum. The poll was conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide for the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Principles Of Good Practice For Service-Learning In Preservice Teacher Education, Jeffrey B. Anderson, Don Hill

Service Learning, General

The purpose of this document is to provide principles to guide the integration of service-learning into the preservice teacher education curriculum. The ten principles included here were developed by a group of over 80 teacher educators and service-learning practitioners from all regions of the U.S. who contributed their ideas and feedback in order to achieve consensus. (Contributors are listed in Appendix B). These principles of good practice can be used by teacher educators to design and assess their service-teaming activities, and by policy makers to guide decisions regarding resource allocation and program development.

Service-Learning For Multicultural Teaching Competency: Insights From The Literature For Teacher Educators, Rahima C. Wade

Special Topics, General

The growing disparity between the largely White teacher population and the increasingly diverse student body in the United States (Hodgkinson, 1991;Jordan, 1995) has led to greater interest in how to en­hance pre-service teachers' multicultural competencies (e.g., knowledge of diverse cultures, ability to teach children of color successfully, positive attitudes toward chil­dren and families of color). Given the low expectations for achievement held by White teachers for children of color and White teachers' lack of interest in working with stu­dents (from cultures other than their own (Zeichner, 1993; Zeichner & Melnick, 1996a), it is imperative that teacher educators seek out successful …