This chapter discusses service learning, which combines community service with academic instruction and reflection. Service learning allows students to apply what they are learning while addressing community needs. Key aspects include forming partnerships with community organizations, ensuring student preparation, involving community partners in course design, and requiring student reflection on their service experiences and how it relates to course objectives. When implemented effectively through community collaboration and student reflection, service learning can help students develop skills and increase their sense of social responsibility.

1. Chapter 28
Service Learning

2. Service Learning
• Definition and Purpose
• Theoretical Foundations
• Types of Learners
• Conditions for Learning
• Resources
• Using the Method
• International Service Learning
• Potential Problems
• Conclusion

3. Service Learning
• Experiential learning and reflection are two of
the components of service learning.
• Service learning also involves the employment
of the agency as a true partner in the meeting
of agency needs and student learning is the
third component.
• The focus must be on the students and the
recipients of care.

4. Definition and Purpose
• Service learning is a structured learning
experience that combines community service
with preparation and reflection.
• Students engaged in service learning provide
community service in response to community-
identified concerns and learn about the context
in which the service is provided, the
connection between the service and their
academic coursework, and their roles as
citizens.

5. Definition and Purpose
• Service learning operationalizes liberal
education.
• Students begin to understand that the people
of a community are the true experts in their
community because the problems and the
assets both belong to them.

6. Theoretical Foundations
• Service as a concept has been around since
ancient times.
• Dewey was one of the first champions of
service learning in the early 1900s.
• Over the years, various presidents have
organized Peace Corps, VISTA, Foster
Grandparents, etc.

7. Theoretical Foundations
• Community partnerships and interdisciplinary
education are coming to the forefront of health
professional education.
• The Institute for Medicine (IOM) has made
recommendations for the education of health
professionals that increasingly require
community understanding, involvement, and
collaboration.

8. Theoretical Foundations
• The Community–Campus Partnerships for
Health (CCPH) is a nonprofit organization
founded in 1996.
• It is a network of more than 1000 communities
and campuses throughout the U.S. and the
world that are collaborating to promote health
through service-learning partnerships.

9. Theoretical Foundations
• In service learning there is a balance between
service and learning objectives, and an
emphasis on reciprocal learning, developing
citizenship skills, and achieving social change.
• It is different from volunteerism in that there is
reciprocity.

10. Theoretical Foundations
• Using service learning in nursing enables the
development of perceptions and insight as
described in Chapter 1.
• Students in health professions are usually
practice-oriented and want to “do something”
which relates to the adult learning principles of
recognizing the meaning or usefulness of the
information learned.

11. Types of Learners
• Service learning is suitable for any level of
student in any program.
• Diversity and cultural understanding can be
key elements.
• Students provide a necessary service that is
tied to the coursework that the student is
undertaking.
• Students often have their worldviews
challenged and changed in the process.

12. Conditions for Learning
• Service learning sources can be placed
anywhere in the curriculum.
• The first step is to build partnerships with
community agencies that match course goals
and objectives.
• Prerequisites include teaching students what
service learning is and how it is different from
volunteerism.

13. Conditions for Learning
• Outlining reflection requirements and how to
rate this component is essential because
reflection helps students connect the service to
course objectives.
• Reflection can be done through in-class writing
assignments, final papers, or journals.

14. Resources
• Many placements may be able to provide the
necessary supplies for projects while others
may rely on students for providing the
materials they need.
• One of the major requirements is time–for
both the agencies and for the students.

15. Using the Method
• Service learning works to address the needs
identified by a partner.
• Good partnerships include common goals,
mutual trust and respect, building on
strengths, clear communication, and
continuous feedback.
• The course syllabus needs to incorporate
service as part of the course and not as a
sidebar.
• The reflection on service in conjunction with
course objectives needs to be clear.

16. Using the Method
• Three Themes to Successful Partnerships
– Community members are experts in their
community.
– Promise less and deliver more.
– Be committed for the long haul.

17. Using the Method
• Reflection Prompts/Questions
– What did I learn? How did I learn it? Why
does this learning matter? In what ways will
I use this learning?
– “The problems I encountered … ; I think I
solved them by … ; When I had difficulty I …”
– Using prompts guides students to critically
reflect on the experience and how it affects
both the partner and themselves.

18. International Service Learning
• Immersion experiences of living and learning
in another culture
• Advantages–increased student awareness of
own beliefs, values, practices, and how they
affect care; ability to learn from clients and
provide culturally appropriate care, and
cultural competency

19. International Service Learning
• Service learning during study abroad
experiences requires a long-term commitment
(at least five years) for both learning and
service with a partner outside of the country.
• Three principles for international partnerships
– trust, mutuality of benefit, and open
communication

20. Potential Problems
• Time is required to form partnerships, prepare
students, and involve partners in the design
and implementation of the course.
• Lack of student preparation
• Lack of involvement of community partners
• Problems with presenting service learning
work for promotion and tenure

21. Conclusion
• Service learning provides students with the
opportunity to develop transferable skills and
an increased sense of social responsibility.
• Service learning fits well with health
professional education.
• Students need to get out of the classroom in
order to make knowledge come alive.