Service Learning Commons^™

Service-Learning In Watershed-Based Initiatives: Keys To Education For Sustainability In Geography?, James Eflin, Amy L. Sheaffer

Service Learning, General

A call for combining the strengths of geographic education with environmental education to produce an 'education for sustainability' addresses local problems for sustainable development. A place-based approach encourages civic responsibility among students. Using service-learning to extend education beyond the classroom in this case study connected students with local clients in a watershed-based initiative. Theoretical underpinnings of service-learning for geographic education are discussed, and the case study is viewed from instructor, student, and client perspectives to identify successful outcomes and provide suggestions for those who might adopt service-learning for the first time.

Preparing Community-Oriented Teachers: Reflections From A Multicultural Service-Learning Standpoint, Marilynne Boyle-Baise

Diversity

The Banneker History Project (BHP) reconstructed the history of a local, segregated school. The Benjamin Banneker School served African American youth from 1913 to 1951. Oral histories from surviving alumni as well as primary documents from the times were sought. This article focuses on ways that one group of participants, 24 preservice teachers of color. experienced and interpreted the BHP. Data are reported in response to three questions: (a) Whose community does service learning serve? (b) What meanings do preservice teachers make of culturally responsive teaching? and (c) Does a community orientation count in teacher education? The author reflects on …

Assessing The Impact Of The Kids Consortium Kids Living Democracy And First Year Kidscan Programs: First Year Findings, Center For Youth And Communities

Project Summaries

KIDS Consortium is a New England based non-profit organization that works with teachers, administrators and students to involve students in addressing real challenges faced by their communities. It provides tools and training around its KIDS As Planners service-learning model for educators and community organizations, and conducts student Apprentice Citizenship leadership programs. Together teachers and students identify, research, and work to address local community needs. KIDS provides funding, guidance and training to teachers who match community projects to school curricula, with the ultimate goal of promoting positive outcomes for students, teachers, schools and communities.

Youth Helping America - Building Active Citizens: The Role Of Social Institutions In Teen Volunteering, Corporation For National And Community Service

School K-12

At a time when many are worried that the United States is experiencing a general decline in civic and political engagement, volunteering appears particularly strong among today’s young people. While volunteering is just one form of community involvement, research has shown that it is often connected to other forms of engagement, and, among youth, volunteering plays a valuable role in shaping how youth learn to interact with their community and develop the skills, values, and sense of empowerment necessary to become active citizens.

Learning To Give: Final Evaluation Report Overview & Recommendations (2004-2005), Michigan State University

Higher Education

The Learning to Give project has evolved considerably from its inception nearly a decade ago. From an almost exclusive concern with helping children understand philanthropy and their potential role in it, the project has broadened its focus to include helping children learn how to contribute positively across all aspects of civil society. The earlier years were necessarily focused on creating and testing curricular lessons; more recently the emphasis has fallen on disseminating those tested materials and encouraging their adoption in more schools. In the last two years the project has begun to expand beyond Michigan and currently is establishing itself …

Service Learning: Strategies For Developing Character, Catherine Berger Kaye

Special Topics, General

Simply put, service learning connects school-based curriculum with the inherent caring and concern young people have for their world-whether on their school campus, at a local food bank, or in a distant rainforest. With the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, young students are especially attuned to how we as a nation, truly rely on the spirit and actions of volunteers to bring both essentials for daily living and to restore hope.

Character, Civic Renewal And Service Learning For Democratic Citizenship In Higher Education, John Annette

Civic Engagement

This article explores the civic republican conception of citizenship underlying the Labour government's programme of civil renewal and the introduction of education for democratic citizenship. It considers the importance of the cultivation of civic virtue through political participation for such developments and it reviews the research into how service teaming linked to character education can lead to the civic virtue of duty or social responsibility.

Paying The Bills Is Not Just Theory: Service Learning About A Living Wage, Nina Banks, Geoffrey Schneider, Paul Susman

Higher Education

This article discusses how to combine service learning, and spccifica!Iy a living wage research project, with radical political economy-based undergraduate economics courses to promote critical thinking, civic engagement, and active learning in students. The authors explore how instructors can integrate service learning into the teaching of political economy. In addition, the article describes the authors' experiences with living wage projects that they have implemented. The article makes the argument that the combination of experiential learning and political economics enriches the course experience for students significantly, leaving a much more lasting impression on students than a standard economics class.

Becoming Culturally Responsive Teachers Through Service-Learning: A Case Study Of Five Novice Classroom Teachers, Elinor L. Brown, Bobby R. Howard

Service Learning, General

In the effort to augment teacher candidate education beyond text-based direct instruction, universities and teacher preparation programs are incorporating more field-based interactions through which teacher candidates can master skills and reinforce pedagogy through experience. The term "service-learning" was first used by the Southern Regional Education Board in 1969 to describe "the accomplishment of tasks that meet genuine human needs in combination with conscious educational growth" (Staton, Giles & Cruz, 1999).

The Impact Of Participation In Service-Learning On High School Students' Civic Engagement, Shelley Billig, Susan Root, Dan Jesse

School K-12

Recent evidence suggests that there is a growing problem of civic disengagement among youth in the United States. Young people in high school report having little interest in civic and political affairs and little knowledge of or trust in the political system (Levine & Lopez, 2002; National Commission on Service-Learning, 2001; Rahm & Transue, 1998; Torney-Purta, 2002). Results from a recent poll indicate that many young people do not feel they can make a difference, solve problems in their communities, or have a meaningful impact on politics or government (Lake Snell Perry & Associates and The Tarrance Group, Inc, 2002). …

Student Nurses Participate In Public Health Research And Practice Through A School-Based Screening Program, Christine A. Bronsan, Sandra L. Upchurch, Janet C. Meininger, Lynne E. Hester, Gwen Jonson, Mona A. Eissa

Service Learning, General

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions among children in minority populations, placing them at risk for diabetes and hypertension. The importance of educating a generation of nurses who have the knowledge, skills, and passion to address this public health need is crucial to the profession and to America's health. This article describes the use of a Community Partnership Model to frame baccalaureate nursing students' (B.S.N.) service learning within the context of a research study to screen middle- and high-school students for health risks. The missions of education, research, and practice are linked together in the model by three processes: evidence-based practice, …

Whose World Is This?, Jayne R. Beilke

Higher Education

As. defined by critical theorists, critical multicultural education requires the development of a critical consciousness (conscientization). The elements of critical consciousness include dialogue, problem-posing, and the exploration of generative themes such as race, class, and gender. The formation of a partnership between university students and a community nonprofit, youth-serving agency, can be a powerful catalyst in the development of critical multicultural consciousness.

This article describes an on-going partnership between university secondary education majors in a multicultural education class and the local Boys and Girls Club. It draws upon student reflective journals to illustrate the process of developing critical multicultural consciousness …

Inform And Influence: Advocating For Service-Learning - A Step-By-Step Guide, National Service-Learning Partnership, National Center For Learning And Citizenship

Guides

This guide is for people who believe that service-learning should be a part of every young person's education and who want to contribute effectively to expanding the use of service-learning.

The Banneker History Project: Historic Investigation Of A Once Segregated School, Marilynne Boyle-Baise, Paul Binford

Special Topics, General

The Banneker History Project was a service learning project in which students investigated the history of the Benjamin Banneker School, a segregated school that operated from 1915-1951 in a Midwestern college community. This article discusses the research these students conducted and the perceptions they adopted as a result of their work.

Developing Civically Rich Culminating Projects, Project Service Leadership

School K-12

The Culminating Project is a new graduation requirement that has been passed by the State Board of Education. The graduating class of 2008 will need to complete these projects in order to receive a regular diploma from Washington state. By adopting a state-wide graduation requirement of a Culminating Project for all high school graduates, the State Board of Education has provided a new and challenging opportunity for students across the state to realize the vision articulated by Washington state’s education reform law.

Fostering Educational Resilience And Achievement In Urban Schools Through School-Family Community Partnerships, Julia Bryan

Partnerships/Community

In this era of education reform, school counselors are among educators being held accountable for the academic achievement of minority and poor children, School counselors in urban schools serve a disproportionate number of minority and poor children at risk for school failure. Urban school counselors can play critical roles in engaging their school's stakeholders in implementing partnership programs that foster student achievement and resilience. This article discusses team facilitator, collaborator, and advocacy roles and strategies for urban school counselors and specific types of partnership programs they need to promote to foster academic achievement and resilience in minority and poor students.

Democratic Service Learning, Lew Allen, Kathy Thompson

Civic Engagement

The ultimate purpose of American public education is to help students learn how to be compassionate, problem-solving citizens in a democratic society. It is the job of schools to help each generation envision a better future and acquire the dispositions, skills, and experiences to make this vision a reality. Our youngest citizens need a democratic education, for which service-learning is an indispensable element.

Transportation Mural, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Project Summaries

10th-12th grade identified graffiti as one of the main problems in their community; in order to combat this in a creative way the students decided to paint a mural to discourage tagging. As a part of the Transportation Academy at Franklin High School their mural depicted a timeline of transportation in the American West—from walking, to horses, to trains, and finally the local Gold Line Metro rail. The students partnered with a local mural artist to create a vibrant and colorful mural. 100 students participated in the design and painting and so far the wall has remained graffiti-free.

Gang Prevention Service-Learning Project, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

11th grade U.S. History students have determined that 6-7th grade youth are the age group susceptible to joining gangs. The Jefferson High School youth worked on an assembly program to educate middle school students at Los Angeles Academy about the realities of gang life and the alternatives that exist to avoid future gang affiliation and involvement. Skits, speakers, pamphlets, collages, surveys, and small groups discussions were used to promote gang prevention.

Community Service Work-Study Program (Cswsp) Student Handbook, Center For Service And Learning At Oberlin College

Curriculum

Materials for the Be Proud! · Be Responsible! CONGRESO do Latinos Unidos, Inc. event on June 14 - 15, 2005.

Integration Of Service-Learning Into Civil And Environmental Engineering Curriculum, T. C. Piechota, Shashi S. Nambisan

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Service-learning is defined as integrating the community service experience of students with their academic study so that learning is enhanced. The level of student participation in community service is at an all time high as students feel the need to confront today's technical and societal problems. However, service-learning is more than community service or volunteerism. Service-learning as defined above, integrates the community service experience with the student’s academic study (note the hyphen in "service-learning" means that both are considered equal). This enhances learning which is a fundamental goal of colleges and universities. Boyer highlights the need for service-learning stating that …

Learning To Give: Addendum (2005-2006), Michigan State University

Higher Education

This report is best understood as an addendum to the final report that the Michigan State University evaluation team submitted to the Learning to Give project staff in September 2005. This overview summarizes the three evaluation tasks that were yet to be completed at the end of the 2004-2005 school year and ends with a few reflections on the evaluation process and the overall findings.

Engaged And Engaging Science: A Component Of A Good Liberal Education, Judith A. Ramaley, Rosemary R. Haggett

Higher Education

We live in a period of rapid and complex socioeconomic change. The forces driving this change are reshaping the educational landscape in ways that we are only beginning to understand. Many recent reports and books, including the 2002 report from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College, have explored the implications of these changes and have identified growing gaps between the intentions and assumptions of faculty, the actual experiences of students, and the demands of the workplace. The lack of clarity of purpose in undergraduate education …

Modeling Learning: The Role Of Leaders, Judith A. Ramaley, Barbara A. Holland

Higher Education

What follows is the Portland State University story, a reflection on change as a scholarly act within a learning community using techniques from organizational learning.

Transcending Disciplines, Reinforcing Curricula: Why Faculty Teach With Service Learning, Rudy M. Garcia, Gail Robinson

Higher Education

Service learning as a teaching methodology has a growing following among faculty in higher education. Service learning combines community service with classroom instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking as well as personal and civic responsibility. Service learning programs involve students in activities that address local needs while developing their academic skills and commitment to their communities.

2005 Service Statistics: Highlights And Trends Of Campus Compact’S Annual Membership Survey, Campus Compact

Higher Education

Campus Compact’s 2005 member survey reveals a strong commitment to service and civic engagement among college and university presidents, faculty, students, and service staff. Results confirm a long-term trend toward increasing support for higher education’s role in educating citizens and building strong communities.

The Use Of Service-Learning In Emergency Management, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Special Topics, General

Service-learning is an educational approach that offers distinct advantages for emergency management higher education. Service-learning marries educational objectives with practice environments in such a way that the student, the university, and the community all benefit. "Real world" contexts and emphases on critical thinking, problem solving, ref1ection, application and interpersonal skills enrich learning about emergency management.

Motivating Students Through Project-Based Service Learning, Melanie Bradford

Special Topics, General

In a survey conducted by an independent evaluator for the California High School Exit Examination, the state's teachers reported that student motivation was the greatest limitation on teachers' effectiveness (Human Resources Research Organization 2003). Because a lack of encouragement is also a primary reason for high student dropout rates, this article will offer proven strategies for addressing the issue of student motivation.

Make The School Board Your Ally, Sheldon H. Berman

Special Topics, General

To survive and grow in a school district, service-learning must be supported by the district's school board and embedded in district policy. Because today's school boards are focused on standards, testing, and accountability, advocates have to convince them that service-learning is an important vehicle for achieving both district and wider social goals. In preparing this article, I asked Hudson school committee members (in Massachusetts, a school board is called a school committee) to share their views about how advocates can gain support from their boards to promote service-learning at the district level.

National Service: A Resource For Faith-Based And Community Groups, Corporation For National And Community Service

Special Topics, General

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country, primarily through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs.Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America.Through access to human capital, grant funding, training and technical assistance, and other resources, we can help increase your organization’s capacity to deliver innovative solutions for communities.

All of us have something to share that can make our communities and our nation stronger.

We hope this booklet …