1. Marcus Bronsord,MBA
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Implementing Service-learning into the Classroom
Service-learningpedagogyintegratescommunityservice withinstructionandreflection. The case
methodof teachingbusinessschool studentsisnotsomethingnew tothe universitysetting, service-
learningtakesteachingcasesfurtherbyremovingthe theoretical wall andimplementingstudentsinto
live case scenarios. As textbook casesbecome outdatedtheirabilitytohelpstudentssolve organization
problemsbecome lesseffective.Whenstudentsengage withthe communitytheyare presentedwith
“real world”problemsthatorganizations are currentlystrugglingwith.
For service-learningtobe properlyintegratedintothe classroomInstructor’sshouldemphasize the
three necessarycomponents of aservice-learningproject;academiclearning, civil learninganda
positive impactonthe community.
Academic Learning
Academiclearningastraditionwillcome frominside the classroomfromthe instructorthroughoutthe
durationof the course. The instructorshould structure classroomcontentaroundthe service-learning
project.Textbookselectionandlecture contentshouldbe complimentaryof the service-learning
project.Forstudentstotruly benefitfromthe projectthe Instructorshouldprepare classroomtime for
studentprojectgroupstodiscussand planthe nextstepof theirproject. Instructorsshouldbe
supportingthe studentprojects,checking-inweeklytoconfirmthe statusof the service-learningproject.
Studentswill needsupportthroughoutthe project, andthe instructorshouldbe involvedenoughwith
each projecttounderstandwhatthe mainoutcome is,and how the studentswill be achievingthat
desiredoutcome. Instructorsshould provide alecture tostudentsonnon-profitsandnon-profit
consulting.Inmostcasesstudentshave littletonoexperience workingwithnotforprofitorganizations.
The operational differencesshouldbe discussedforstudentstoprovide amore realistic
recommendationtoclose outthe project.
Civil Learning
Civil Learningwillbe developedbetweenthe studentsandthe lesion/leadcontactof the non-profit
organization.Studentsshouldbe challengedwiththe appropriatetaskthatorganizationhasselectedfor
the project. Needsof the local communityshouldbe highlighted whenthe non-profitorganizationis
selected.Instructorsshouldidentifythemselvesandcontactthe organization’sleadbefore the project
begins,ensuringthatthe desiredoutcome alignswiththe contentof the course,andto identifythe
potential recommendationsstudentswill be providinguponprojectcompletion.Eachprojectwill be
unique inoutcome,due todifferentorganizationalneeds.BothstudentsandInstructorsshouldwork
togethertofullyunderstandthe problemsthe organizationishaving,studentsone onone time withthe
organization’scontactpersonwill developthe dynamicsof civil learningandteachstudentshow todeal
withauthoritative figuresasconsultants,notsimplystudents.
Positive Impact on the Community
Instructorsmustemphasisthe positiveimpactonthe communitytofurtherthe student’sunderstating
of howbeneficial aservice-learningprojectcanbe onthe community.Non-profitsare ideal
organizationsbecause theyare alreadyconnectedwiththe community,andhave a local clientbase.
Non-profitsare oftenunabletopayforconsultingservices,studentsare encouragedtoprovide detailed

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analysisof the organizationscurrentstanding,andthenrecommendsolutionswhichcomplementthe
organization’smissionandcommitmenttothe local community. A positiveimpactonthe communityis
requiredforthe successof the project,studentsshouldfeel rewardedbyhelpingotherswhocouldnot
affordtheirservices.Manynon-profitsconnectwithstudent’spersonal livesinmany different,and
unexpectedways.Ideallystudentsdevelopof sense of accomplishment,aswell asempathyforthe
organization’scause orthe populationthe organizationserves.
UsingAcademic Resources(Centerfor CommunityEngagement)
Priorto establishingservice-learningprojectsaspartof the course curriculum Instructorsshouldcontact
the CenterforCommunityEngagementorthe communityoutreachcenterforthe university. Hopefully
the CCE or communityoutreachwill alreadyhave alistof local non-profitsthatare willingtoworkwith
studentsfortheirservice-learningprojects.Establishingaconnectionwiththe communityoutreach
centerwill allowInstructor’stocontactorganizationspriortothe start of the course andwill give the
instructor’s projectsstudentscanselectfrom.Studentsshouldalsobe encouragedtoattendanynon-
profitfairor event;the universityishosting.Studentsengagingwithlocal non-profitswhoneedhelpisa
great wayfor studentstopractice theirnetworkingandwill allow studentstoselectaprojectfora cause
that isrelatable.Studentsshouldalsobe encouragedtoselectanon-profitthattheyhave eitherworked
withinthe past or currentlya memberof.If student’scanfindprojectsthathighlighttheirinterests,the
effortsandoverall outcome willbe more meaningfulforthe students.Doingapositive service forthe
communityisrewarding,butselectinganorganizationthatrelatestothe studentcancreate additional
positive impactsinthe student’slifeorthe livesof the populationthatuse the resourcesof the
organization.
What to look for and avoid in partner organizations?
Whenselectingapartnerorganizationforthe service-learningprojectconsiderafew necessary
agreementsthe partnerorganizationmustfulfill.Firstthe partnerorganizationandthe leadcontactof
that organizationmustbe able tomeetwithstudentsaminimumof twice permonth,if notmore.It’s
essential forthe studentstobe inside the organization,see the functionanddailyschedule of the
organizationforaneffective recommendationtobe implemented. Second,studentsmustbe able to
communicate withthe organization’scontactandhave a response viaemail,messagingormeeting
within48 hoursof the initial contact.Withoutacontact student’scanbecome overwhelmedwiththe
complexityof the projectorbecome discouragedwithouta response of how toproceedwiththe next
stepof the project.Third,avoidpartnerorganizationsthatare lookingfor“volunteers”insteadof
consultants.Some organizationsare simplylookingforstudentstoperformvolunteerdutiesandthese
are verysimple tasks,thatdonot require problemsolvingskillsstudentsshouldhave beendeveloping
duringtheiracademiccareer. Organizationsshould be informedbythe professororstudentcontactthat
service-learningprojectsare intensive,andrequire analysisof the organizationnotjustvolunteering
dutiesthatneedtobe performed.Studentscanbecome discouragedif the service-learningprojectis
not challenging,andthe organizationlesionshouldunderstandthatstudentsare lookingtobe
challengedinapositive way.Projectsthatare too easyforstudentstocomplete withminimizeor
eliminatethe consultingskillsstudentsdevelopduringthe durationof the project. Partnerorganizations
that challenge andprovide studentswithadditional skillsdevelopedfromthe projectshouldbe
highlightedandconsideredtopcandidatesforthe followingacademicyear/semester.

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StudentWork and Team Dynamics
Service-learningprojectsare mosteffective inupperdivisionundergraduate level coursesorinan MBA
course.Studentsneed todevelopcomplex problemsolvingskillsandframeworkspriortothe startof
the service-learningproject.Thiswill enable the studentconsultinggrouptoeffectivelyanalyze and
recommendasolutiontothe organization. Dynamicsof the service-learningprojectare identical toany
otheracademicgroupproject.Studentsshouldidentifya“teamleader”someone whocanbe the
connectionbetweenthe organizationandthe group.Withmore thanone group member
communicatingwiththe organization,the lesioncanbecome overwhelmed andinformationand
responsibilitiescanbecome lostbetweengroupmembers.Below are projectnecessitiesthatwill allow
the studentstodelegate groupwork,keeptrackof theirprojectandprovide the instructorwithastatus
reporthalfwaythroughthe service-learningproject.
Jumpstart Project Report
The jumpstartprojectreportis a teamcharter that needstobe filledoutwithinthe firstweekthe
service-learningprojectgroupisformed.Thisformisimportantforteamdynamicsbecause the report
requiresstudentstoidentifythe team’smission,values,andhow toupholdthose valuesthroughoutthe
project.The jumpstart reportasks studentsspecificallyhow theyplantoupholdthesevalues,even
duringtimesof conflict.The reportidentifiesthe meansof communicationteammemberswill have
withone another,aswell ashow oftenteamswill meetupinperson.The reportalsohighlightspotential
conflicts,andhowstudentsdecide tohandle those conflicts.Thisisacritical aspectof the jumpstart
assignmentbecause conflictwill arise ingroups,andit’simportanttohave conflictresolutionsidentified
before theyoccur. Contingencyplanningforconflictneedstobe identifiedsoduringconflictsthe group
can lookback at the jumpstartandknowhow to implementthe contingencies. The divisionof labor
amongteam membersisalsoincluded,makingsure thateachteammemberknowsexactlywhathe/she
isresponsible for. The final aspectof the jumpstartisa timelinethatwill allow studentstostayontrack
withtheirdeadlines.
Project Status Report
The projectstatus reportisexactlythat,a check-inmidwaythruthe semester,makingsure the service-
learningprojectsare beingcompletedontime,withinthe scope andadheringtothe jumpstartreport.
The status reportasks fora summaryto date of what has beendone forthe organization,whatthe next
stepfor the groupis and howtheyplanto finishthe project.The statusreportalsoasksfor anyconflicts
that have ariseninthe group,and howthose conflictswere dealtwith.The reportasksaboutthe
divisionof labor,makingsure thateachgroupmemberstickstotheirjumpstartreporttasks,and if there
are anycorrectionsto be made that theyare identifiedandthe necessarycorrectionsexplained.The
projectstatusreportcloseswithanothertimeline thatwill ensure the studentsfinishthe projectbefore
the semesterends.
Reflection
Reflectionisthe mostcritical componentof the service-learningproject.Duringthe reflective
assignmentsstudents,will become aware of the positiveimpacttheyare havingonthe local community.
Reflectionallowsstudentstotake the issuessurroundingthe service-learningprojectandturnthem

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aroundintopersonal experiencestheycangrow from.Duringreflectionassignmentsstudents,will make
the connectiononhowthe service-learningprojectprovides“real world”experience thatmoststudents
have yetto achieve intheirpersonal careers. Reflectionassignments canhave manydifferentforms,
frompersonal journal,toportfoliosandthe integrative paperculminatingthe overalleffortsof the
project.
Personal journals
Journalsmaybe largelyopen-endedwithlimitedguidelinessothatstudentscanchoose on which
aspectsof the service-learningprojecttoreflecton.Studentsmayfindthiseasierthanhavingasetlist
of reflectiontopics. Withopen-endedresponsesstudents,canidentifyspecificexamplesortasksthat
highlighttheirservice-learning.Orjournalscanbe an integral partof the curriculum withstructured
responsesthatapplytheories/frameworksdiscussedduringclassroomlectures.Structuredquestions
and responsesprovide alinkingtool betweentheorywithpractice.Journal assignmentsshouldbe
turnedinweeklyorbiweeklydependingonthe structure of the journal. Studentsmustprovide engaging
journal entriestoestablishthe connectionsbetweencourse contentandprojectimplementation.
Instructorsshould provide personal feedbackonstudent journalentries.BydoingsoInstructorswill fully
understandthe projectandall itentails,whilestudentswillappreciatethe feedbackandprovide more
efforttojournal entriesknowingthe instructorisprovidingpersonal responses.
Portfolio
Portfolioscanbe structuredlike apersonal journal butwithadditional content,resourcesandresearch.
Portfoliosshouldconsistof specificjournal entrieshighlightingframeworks,methodsortheoriesand
howthose are directlyappliedtothe student’s service-learningproject.Includedintothe portfolio
shouldbe all the reportsthat are mandatory(JumpstartandProjectStatus) aswell asany otherteam
documents.All workrelatedtothe outcome of the projectshouldbe includedandanythingsubmitted
to the organizationshouldalsobe included(spreadsheets,additional reports,presentations).Students
shouldalsoinclude anyresearchthatwasnecessarytobetterunderstandthe organization,andthe
cause the organizationstandsfor.If the partnerorganizationprovidesletterof commendationor
recommendationforthe completionof asuccessful projectstudentsshouldhighlightthose
accomplishmentswithinthe portfolio.The portfolioshouldbe createdsothatstudentscanhighlight
specificexperience oraccomplishmentsthatfuture employerswill appreciate. Studentswillsubmittheir
portfolioatthe endof the semester,theyshouldbe encouragedtobegindocumentingtheirservice-
learningexperiencesatthe beginningof the service-learningproject.The learningplanandportfolioare
linked, all revisionsneedtobe updatedasobjectivesandactivitieschange.
Integrative Paper
Integrative papersare standard inthe academicsettingandthe final paperfora service-learningproject
shouldhighlightthe workcompletedbythe projectteam, how the projecthelpedstudentsgrow both
academicallyandprofessionallyandthe recommendationtothe partnerorganization.Finalpapers
shouldhave theoryapplicationfromthe course contentandhow those theories/frameworksare
directlyappliedtothe service-learningproject.Studentsmaydevelopaseriesof productsthroughout
the semesterwhichculminatesinafinal paper,otherstudentsmayuse theirjournal asfieldnotesto
helpshape the final assignment.The final papershouldbe aculminationof aseriesof discussionsor
assignments,notasubstitute forthe regularintegrationof the service andthe subjectmatter.

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Studentexperience example
Beloware real examplesstudentsgave abouttheirthoughts andexperience aboutthe Service-Learning
ProjecttheycompletedlastsemesterduringFall 2016.
“Each week we were presented with a new task and set back that provided an environment to push
ourselves in terms of the various skills we all possess. The ability to experience the reality of
consultation in a low risk environment is heavily beneficial for developing students.”
“The ability to transcend the pages of the book and relate the knowledge I have garnered throughout
the semester to a tangible life experience is largely beneficial as I enter the workforce next year.”
“While Oren was structured in his vision for our project, he left a lot of room for our input and
considerations. He made it so the project felt as much ours as it was his. He allowed us to choose
industries in which we each were interested in and encouraged us to contact businesses that we
believedwouldbe goodemployers. He gave us soft deadlines for the most part and was quite flexible
while still providing good structure and direction.”

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RecommendedReading
Barnette,M.,Silver,P.T.,& Grundy,T. S. (2009). ImplementingService-LearningPedagogy:A Case
Example .Journal of HigherEducation Outreachand Engagement,13(4),117-133. Retrievedfrom
http://openjournals.libs.uga.edu/index.php/jheoe/article/view/12
Eyler,J.,GilesJr.,D. E., & Schmiede,A.(1996).A practitioner'sguide toreflectioninservice-learning:
Studentvoices&reflections.VanderbiltUniversity.
Griffith,T.,& Clark,K.R. (may/June 2016). Service-learning.RADIOLOGICTECHNOLOGY,87(5),586-588.
Retrievedfrom http://www.radiologictechnology.org/content/87/5/586.extract
Godar, S. H. (2000). Live Cases:Service-LearningConsultingProjectsinBusinessCourses.Michigan
Journal of Community Service-learning,7(1),126-132. Retrievedfrom
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mjcsl/3239521.0007.114/--live-cases-service-learning-consulting-projects-
in-business?view=image
Heffernan,K.(2011). SERVICE-LEARNINGIN HIGHER EDUCATION.National CampusCompactBrown
University,1-8.Retrievedfrom
http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1160&context=jcwre