Student Information What is the best way to learn and retain new information? How do I fit Service-Learning into my already busy schedule?  How do I get started? How is Service-Learning different than community service or an internship? Scholarship Links

Right now you are probably in one of two camps – you either are passionate about service-learning and are actively seeking more information, or you haven’t yet experienced service-learning and aren’t quite sure what to expect.  Just like everything in life – most times you gain from an experience what you put into that experience.  So open your eyes, mind, and heart to what awaits – it could just change your life!

Research shows that we tend to remember:

• 10% of what we read
• 20% of what we hear
• 30% of what we see

However, we remember 90% of what we both say and do.  The process of active experience combined with talking and thinking about what we did and learned from the activity results in learning that sticks! 

When you take a course, your teacher wants you to learn the course materials – new concepts, new ideas, new information and ways of thinking.  Many faculty realize that simply sitting in a classroom listening to lectures and taking notes doesn’t result in optimum learning and are therefore utilizing experiential or active learning techniques to help students gain more from their class time. 

In addition, there is a growing understanding that the fundamental purpose of education is to prepare students to be effective citizens who will be successful not only in their professional lives, but also in their public lives.  Educators are increasingly aware that our democratic society depends on individual citizens who are well informed, actively involved, and are genuinely concerned with the common good.  A good citizen cares about her community, and is actively involved in working to make her community a better place.  

Service-learning combines the best of active learning and citizenship by connecting classroom learning with service projects that help the community.  Teachers all over the country are involving their students in course-related service projects and asking their students to write, speak, research, and think critically about their service projects and what they are learning in the classroom. 

In service-learning, students participate in service, but are graded based on the learning they demonstrate in the assignments their faculty member gives them.  Faculty members provide reflection assignments - such as keeping a journal, doing research, making presentations, or completing writing projects—that ask students to make connections between lectures and textbooks, and their service project. 

At first, the idea of completing service-learning may seem overwhelming.  But keep in mind that the community sites are extremely flexible, and most are willing to make accommodations to fit your schedule.  Starting early is key – give yourself every opportunity to work in your service hours, even if it is only one hour a week over the course of the semester.  Weekend and evening opportunities are available and including your family in the service is an option with many agencies.

It is easy!  Follow the steps outlined below:

• Review the Service-Learning Student Handbook.

• Select a service site from the Service-Learning Placement List.
  Call your chosen service site’s contact person (found in the Service-Learning Placement List) to schedule an interview and set your service schedule.
  Complete the Student Application (found in page 7 of the Service-Learning Student Handbook) prior to your meeting at your chosen service site.

• Bring the Service-Learning Student Handbook with you to your meeting at your chosen service site.
  Complete the Placement Confirmation Form with the service site contact person (page 8 in the Service-Learning Student Handbook).

• Return the Student Application and Placement Confirmation Form (Pages 7 and 8) to your class instructor or the Center for Community Involvement at your campus (See Center for Community Involvement Contact Information.

•  Complete the student timesheet each time you are at your service site (Page 9 of the Service-Learning Student Handbook).

• At the end of your service, ask your service site contact person to provide feedback on your service by completing the form called “Agency Evaluation” – This is a great reference for you in the future, therefore, you may want to make a copy before submitting it to your professor. (page 10 of the Service-Learning Student Handbook).

• Complete the Student Satisfaction Questionnaire to let us know about your Service-Learning experience (pages 11 and 12 of the Service-Learning Student Handbook).

• Return the Student Timesheet, Agency Evaluation, and Student Satisfaction Questionnaire to your instructor (found on page 9-12 of the Service-Learning Student Handbook).

Community service is defined as the engagement of students in activities that primarily focus on the service being provided as well as the benefits the service activities have on the recipients.  The students receive some benefits by learning more about how their service makes a difference in the lives of the service recipients.

Internships are defined as programs that engage students in service activities primarily for the purpose of providing students with hands-on experiences that enhance their learning or understanding of issues relevant to a particular area of study.

Service-learning programs are distinguished from other approaches to experiential education as the outcome is to benefit the provider and the recipient of the service equally as well as to ensure equal focus on both the service being provided and the learning that is occurring.
(Andrew Furco’s ”Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experimental Education” Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning.  Washington DC: Corporation for National Service, 1996. 2-6)