This document provides an overview of service-learning as a teaching methodology that integrates community service with academic instruction. It discusses key theorists and concepts, including experiential learning cycles and definitions of service-learning. The document outlines types of service experiences, benefits to students, faculty, and community, as well as outcomes including personal development, interpersonal skills, tolerance of diversity, and connection to community and college. Service-learning is presented as having positive impacts on student retention when integrated into the curriculum.

1. Service-Learning
Dick Kinsley
Ohio Campus Compact
www.ohiocampuscompact.org

2. Participant Outcome:
I have few answers and many more
questions. I am confused as ever,
but I believe that I am confused at
a higher level about more
important questions.

3. Setting the Context
Service-Learning as a Teaching
Methodology
Service-Learning Key Concepts
Course Integration
Resources on service-learning

4. John Dewey/ Kurt Lewin/
Jean Piaget
“Conceptualized learning is a
process where intelligence is
shaped by experience over
time.”
Jean Piaget

5. Learning from Experience
“A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he
can learn in no other way.”
Mark Twain
“We should be careful to get out of an experience only the
wisdom that is in it -- and stop there; lest we be like the cat
that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down
on a hot stove-lid again -- and that is well; but also she
will never sit down on a cold one anymore.”
- Following the Equator, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar

6. Kolb’s Learning Cycle

7. Experiential Learning Cycle

8. The Service-Learning Cycle

9. Service-Learning Definitions
“Service-learning is an educational methodology which combines community
service with explicit academic learning objectives, preparation for community
work, and deliberate reflection. Students participating in service-learning
provide direct and indirect community service as part of their academic
coursework, learn about and reflect upon the community context in which
service is provided, and develop an understanding of the connection between
service and their academic work. These learning experiences are designed
through a collaboration of the community and the institution or academic
unit/program, relying upon partnerships meant to be of mutual benefit.
Improvement and sustainability of the experiences and the partnerships are
enhanced through formal assessment activities that involve community,
faculty, student and institutional perspectives.”
Source: Gelmon, Sherrill B., Holland, Barbara A., Driscoll, Amy, Spring,
Amy, & Kerrigan, Seanna (2001). Assessing Service-Learning and Civic
Engagement: Principles and Techniques. Campus Connect: Brown
University, Providence, RI., p. v.

10. What is Service Learning?
The service learning instructional methodology
integrates community service with academic
instruction as it focuses on critical, reflective
thinking and civic responsibility. Service learning
programs involve students in organized
community service that addresses local needs,
while developing their academic skills, sense of
civic responsibility, and commitment to the
community. Service learning is related to but does
not include cooperative education, practicum, or
internship programs.

11. What is service-learning?
Service-learning is a form of experiential education
characterized by all of the following:
 student participation in an organized service
activity
 participation in service activities connected to
specific learning outcomes
 participation in service activities that meet
identified community needs
 structured time for student reflection and
connection of the service experience to learning
(Abes,Jackson & Jones, 2002)

12. Experiential Education

13. What is learning?
Service-learning is embedded in a view of
learning as:
• Beginning with personal connections
• Useful as its core purpose
• Developmental and incremental
• Transformative
• Foundational to citizenship in a complex society

14. Key Themes in Service-Learning
•Collaboration with the community (reciprocity)
•Importance of reflection
•Active learning (meaningful work)
•Development of a sense of caring
•Promotion of a sense of civic responsibility
•Impact societal problems
(O’Grady, 2000)

15. Service-Learning Outcomes
Moral Political Intellectual
Charity Giving Civic Duty Additive
Experience
Change Caring Social Transformative
Reconstruction Experience

16. Types of Service Experiences
Community Service-Learning Internships/Pract
Service icums
(Service learning) (Service (service
Learning) Learning)
Primary Recipient Recipient AND Provider
Intended Provider
Beneficiary
Primary Focus Service Service AND Learning
Learning
Intended Civic and Ethical Academic and Civic Career and
Educational Development Development Academic
Purposes Development
Integration with Peripheral Integrated Co-
Curriculum curricular/Supplem
ental
Nature of Service Based on a Social Based on Academic Based on on
Activity Cause/Need Discipline Industry or Career

17. Types of Service Experiences
Community Service-Learning Internships/P
Service racticums
(Service (Service (service
learning) Learning) Learning)
Faculty Role None Classroom Classroom
Instructor/Supervis Instructor
or
Agency Role Supervisor Instructor/Supervis Instructor/Sup
or ervisor

18. Benefits of Service-Learning
Benefits to Students Benefits to Faculty
Hands-on use of skills and knowledge that Inspiration and invigoration of teaching
increase relevance of academic skills methods
Opportunities that incorporate different Increased student contact through emphasis
learning styles I on student-centered teaching
Interaction with people of diverse cultures and Increased understanding of how learning
lifestyles occurs
Increased sense of self-efficacy Connecting the community with curriculum and
becoming aware of current societal issues as
Analytical skills, and social development they relate to academic areas of interest
Valuable career guidance and experience Identifying areas for research and publication
related to current trends and issue
Opportunities for meaningful involvement with
the local community
Increased civic responsibility

19. Benefits of Service-Learning
Benefits to the University Benefits to the Community
Enhanced teaching, research and Awareness of and access to university
outreach activities resources
Faculty and student engagement in Positive relationship opportunities with the
community issues university
Increased student retention Awareness-building of community
issues, constituents, agencies
Opportunities to extend university
knowledge and resources Opportunities for contributing to the
educational process
Positive community relationships
Affordable access to professional
Increased development and preparation of development
university graduates
Short and long term solutions to pressing
Increases in the overall quality of community needs
education

20. Outcomes of Service-Learning
“Transformative potential”
Ability to connect subject matter with “real-
life” experience: experiential learning
Personal development, critical thinking,
sensitivity to diversity, and development of
citizenship
(Eyler and Giles, 1999; Jones,
2002)

21. Major learning outcomes
Stereotyping and Tolerance outcomes
• More positive view of people with whom they
work
• Growing appreciation for difference: seeing
similarities through differences
• Increased capacity for tolerance
Related Program Characteristics:
Placement quality, reflection activity, application of
service and subject matter, diversity

22. Major learning outcomes
Personal Development outcomes
• Greater self-knowledge, spiritual growth, reward
in helping others
• Increased personal efficacy, increased relationship
between service-learning and career skill
development
Related Program Characteristics:
Placement quality, reflection activity, application of
service and subject matter, diversity

23. Major learning outcomes
Interpersonal Development outcomes
• Increased ability to work well with others
• Increased leadership skills
Related Program Characteristics:
Placement quality where students are challenged and
have appropriate opportunity to take responsibility
over work

24. Major learning outcomes
Community and College Connection
outcomes
• Increased connectedness to community
• Development of connectedness with peers
• Increased closeness of faculty-student
relationships
Related Program Characteristics:
Strong community voice, placement quality,
reflection, and application

25. Retention and Career Skills
First-year SL students were more likely than NSL peers to indicate they
planned to re-enroll and graduate from their current institution
o Muthiah, Bringle, & Hatcher, 2002
SL participation enhances mediating variables for student retention, including
students’ interpersonal, community, and academic engagement, and peer and
faculty relationships
o Gallini & Moely, 2003; Bringle, Hatcher, & Muthiah, 2010
Civic engagement activities enhance students’ sense of technical competence
in a variety of fields
o Langley, 2006; Vogelgesang, 2003; Vogelgesang & Astin, 2000; Astin, Sax,
& Avalos, 1999; Sledge et al., 1993

26. The underside of service-learning
The complexities that emerge when
undergraduate students engage with ill-
structured, complex social issues in the
community service settings typically
associated with service-learning
courses

27. The underside of service-learning
Some students just “don’t get it”
Cannot see the connections between their
service work and the course content
Embark upon their service insincerely: severe
consequences for service site and class
(Jones, 2002)

28. Diary of a Fish
Sunday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.
Monday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.
Tuesday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.
Wednesday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate.
Slept.
Thursday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.
Friday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.
Saturday-Swam Around Bowl. Ate. Slept.

29. Student Reflection
Today I got to the nursing home
at 2:00. Talked to some ladies.
Passed out popcorn at the
movie. Went home at 4:00.

30. Reflection as Key to Learning

31. Reflection is:
Reflection is a skill, more accurately a cluster of
skills, involving observation, asking questions
and putting facts, ideas, and experiences
together to add new meaning to them all.
Learning in this way, and instilling the practice
as a habit, can allow program experiences to live
on in the students’ lives in new experiences and
new learning.
Dan Conrad & Diane Hedin Youth Service: A Guidebook for
Developing and Operating Effective Programs

32. Developmental Perspective on
Learning
Prior knowledge is the key to learning
Prior knowledge must be activated
Learners must be actively involved in
constructing personal meaning
Deep understanding takes time
Context reinforces learning

33. Effective reflection…
Facilitates learners goals and objectives
Activates prior knowledge
Reinforces new knowledge
Identifies problems
Reinforces critical questions
Provides support
Enhances trust and dialogue

34. Keys to Reflection
Continuous
Contextual
Challenging
Connected

35. “How will we know when we
get there?” said Alice. “Oh,”
said the Cat, “You will always
get somewhere if you don’t
care where you are going.”

36. Principles of Good Practice: Mintz
& Hesser (1996)
An effective program:
• engages people in responsible and challenging actions
for the common good,
• provides structured opportunities for people to reflect
critically on experience,
• articulates clear service and learning goals for
everyone involved,
• allows for those with needs to define needs,
• clarifies all partners’ responsibilities,
• matches service providers and needs while
recognizing changing circumstances,

37. Principles of Good Practice (con’t)
An effective program:
• expects genuine, active, and sustained
organizational commitment,
• includes training, supervision, monitoring,
support, recognition, and evaluation to meet
service and learning goals,
• expects that time commitment for service and
learning is flexible, appropriate, and in the best
interests of all involved; and
• is committed to participation by and with diverse
populations.
Mintz & Hesser, 1996, pp.41-44

38. Essential Elements of Effective Service-
Learning Practice includes:
Clear educational goals that require the application of concepts, content and skills from the
academic disciplines and involves students in the construction of their own knowledge.
Having students engaged in tasks that challenge and stretch them cognitively and
developmentally.
Using assessment as a way to enhance student learning as well as to document and
evaluate how well students have met content and skills.
Service tasks that have clear goals and meet genuine needs in the community and have
significant consequences for themselves and others.
Formative and summative evaluation in a systematic evaluation of the service effort and its
outcomes.
Valuing diversity through its participants, its practice and its outcomes.
The preparation of students for all aspects of their service work including a clear
understanding of task and role, the skills and information required by the task, awareness
of safety precautions, as well as knowledge about and sensitivity to the people with whom
they will be working.
Student reflection before, during and after service, that uses multiple methods to encourage
critical thinking, and is a central force in the design and fulfillment of curricular objectives.
Multiple methods are designed to acknowledge, celebrate and further validate students’
service work.

39. Developing Service-Learning Courses
The effectiveness of Service-Learning as a teaching approach
depends largely on the preparation phase. When designing the
course, faculty need to consider several factors from preparation to
implementation to evaluation. The following steps are recommended
to ensure a successful experience to all constituents:
Explore how service-learning fits into your teaching philosophy
Determine how service-learning experiences may facilitate learning by
drawing connections to course objectives and desired outcomes
Gather resources on community needs and ideas for potential
projects
Identify community partners and build a collaborative relationship
Integrate information on service-learning into the course syllabus,
review logistical details and make necessary arrangements
Plan how students will be oriented to service-learning
Decide on strategies to connect service to learning though reflection
Set-up evaluation procedures

40. Exemplary Service-Learning Syllabi:
Include service as an expressed goal.
Clearly describe how the service experience will be measured and
what will be measured.
Describe the nature of the service placement and/or project
Specify the roles and responsibilities of students in the service site
Define the need(s) the service placement meets.
Specify how students will be expected to demonstrate what they have
learned in the placement/or project (journals, papers, presentations).
Present course assignments that link the placement and the course
content
Include a description of the reflective process
Include a description of the expectations for the public dissemination of
student’s work.

41. Service-learning design matters!
• High quality placements matching students’
interests and developmental readiness with
opportunity for direct service
• Application/Connection between course subject
matter and issues raised by service experience
• Structured reflection in the form of writing and
discussion
• Diverse life experiences, view points, and ways of
knowing are integral to design
• Presence and validation of the wisdom of
community voice

42. Resources
Ohio Campus Compact
http://www.ohiocampuscompact.org
National Campus Compact
http://www.compact.org
Service-Learning Clearinghouse
http://www.servicelearning.org
Community College National Center for Civic Engagement
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/other/engagement/