Service Learning Overview This section will provide a general overview of how Miami-Dade College defines service-learning. What is Service-Learning? Why use Service-Learning? Why Meet Community Needs? Why Civic Responsibility?

What is Service-learning?

Service-learning is an instructional method that combines formal coursework with thoughtfully organized community service experiences. Service-learning addresses community-identified needs while helping students meet academic, social and civic learning goals.

Through service and guided reflection, students learn about themselves and their relationship to the community around them. Service-learning allows students to engage with real-world issues and social problems, and to work with community organizations to become "part of the solution."

Characteristics of service-learning are as follows:

• Course relevant service which benefits the community
• Single day events to several hours a week per semester
• Reflection = writing, reading, speaking, listening, group discussions
• Academic credit for demonstrating learning achieved through the service, not just for putting in hours

We believe that:

• Miami-Dade College students, as future leaders of our community, deserve a real world education that inspires social responsibility and encourages compassion for all
• Miami-Dade College should be a responsible, engaged member of the local community
• Academic learning is strengthened by engaging in meaningful service and reflection
• Education at Miami-Dade College should be transformative; creating ethical and responsible community participants
• All partners in the service-learning process should be engaged in teaching and learning, serving and being served

Relevant and Meaningful Service With the Community – there must be service provided in the community that is both relevant and meaningful to all stakeholders.

Enhanced Academic Learning – the addition of relevant and meaningful service with the community must not only serve the community but also enhance student academic learning in the course.

Purposeful Civic Learning – the addition of relevant and meaningful service with the community must not only serve the community and enhance academic learning in the course, but also directly and intentionally prepare students for active civic participation in a diverse democratic society.

Purposeful Civic Learning
Civic learning is any learning that contributes to student preparation for community or public involvement in a diverse democratic society – knowledge, skills, and values that make an explicitly direct and purposeful contribution to the preparation of students for active civic participation.

Examples – Activities that prepare students with knowledge, skills, values, and propensities for active involvement in their future communities

•  Strengthen students' sense of giving back
•  Encourage social responsibility
•  Prepare students for active citizenship
•  Introduce students to social justice issues

Categories of Learning that Directly Support Civic Learning

Academic Learning – learning that is academic in nature helps students understand and be prepared for involvement in the community;
E.g., Understanding root causes of social problems, developing active learning skills, understanding that important knowledge is found in the community;

Democratic Citizenship Learning – learning related to being an active citizen that prepares students for involvement in the community;
E.g., Becoming familiar with different conceptualizations of citizenship, developing competency in identifying community assets, embracing idea that communities depend on an active citizenry;

Diversity Learning – learning related to multi-culturalism that prepares students for involvement in diverse communities;
E.g., Understanding individual vs. institutionalisms, developing cross-cultural communication skills, embracing the value that voices of minorities are needed to make sound community decisions;

Political Learning – learning related to the political arena that prepares students for involvement in the community;
E.g., Learning about how citizen groups have effected change in their communities, developing advocacy skills, understanding that citizenship is about more than voting and paying taxes;

Leadership Learning – learning about leadership issues that prepare students for community accomplishment;
E.g., Understanding the social change model of leadership, developing the skills that facilitate the sharing of leadership roles, understanding that leadership is a process, and not a characteristic associated with an individual or role;

Inter- and Intra-Personal Learning – learning about oneself and others that prepare students to work better with other citizens;
E.g., Understanding one’s multiple social identities, developing problem-solving skills, learning an ethic of care;

Social Responsibility Learning – learning that teach people about their personal and professional responsibility to others;
E.g., Understanding how individuals in a particular profession act in socially responsible ways, determining how to apply one’s professional skills to the betterment of society, understanding that responsibility to others applies to those pursuing all kinds of careers.

Each one of us must do our part to help make the community better. By actively engaging and participating, we can help meet community needs.

Why Civic Responsibility? | Top

Our country was founded on an ethic of service. The health of our democracy depends on service and community involvement. Working toward the common good is something we must all commit ourselves to
achieve.