Transcript Service-Learning - University of Akron

Ecology of Education
and Service-Learning
Annie Mae Young, Quilts of Gee’s Bend, ca. 1975
Setting the Context
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Service-learning in the larger context
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So what is “it” anyway?
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How might it work?
Civic Engagement has grown as part
of a larger story about higher
education’s response to calls for
relevance and questions about
civic purposes.
Four milestones in last 20 years
~ Hollander, E & Meeropol, J. (2006)
• Mid to late 1980’s: “Era of Student Volunteerism”
• Early 1990’s: “Rise of Service-Learning
• Late 1990’s: “Birth of ‘the Engaged Campus’”
• Early 2000’s: “Rapid Expansion of the Idea of ‘Engaged Campus'
1988: 225 Compact
Members & 3 State
Offices
1997: 80% Compact
1992: 52% Compact campuses offering
campuses offer credit for service-learning
service related to course
2006: 91%
Compact
2002: 28 State
Compact Offices campuses offering
service-learning
2008: 34
State
Compact
Offices
Are we there yet?
Not quite!
• Exclusive focus in “schooling and the
classroom” to engage young people in
democracy and public life.
• Conflates two distinct things: “education” and
“schooling”
“ Yet schools cannot educate in isolation. Equating
education with schooling relieves the rest of society
from the responsibility of taking part in the education
of young people. It also misses the central issue
because what happens in schools reflects what happens
outside the classroom…Limiting education to
schooling overlooks important assets for improving
our educational systems and preparing young people to
contribute to our democracy---our community and
community institutions.”
~ N. Longo, 2007
An Ecology of Education
Ecology- “Each living organism has an ongoing
and continual relationship with every other
element that makes up its environment. Thus,
in our ecosystem, there is interdependence and
interconnection between the many parts of the
whole environment.”
An Ecology of Education
Power in an ecological perspective on
education:
Harry Boyte argues:
“Shifts the focus from a scarcity model of
limited resources to the creation of a civic
culture with an abundance of civic
resources…an ecological model of learning
connects education with civic life.
An Ecology of Education
“A strategy needs to be developed that connects school
and school system change to a process of democratic
community change and development. The strategy
should be directed toward tapping, integrating,
mobilizing, and galvanizing the enormous untapped
resources of communities, including colleges and
universities, for the purpose of improving schooling
and community life.”
~ Ira Harkavy
A Learning Web
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Who else educates?
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A Learning Web
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What if U of Akron is
NOT at the center?
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Subject
or issue
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Your Learning Web
Where is your course or
project?
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Subject
or issue
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How to connect education
with civic life
 Commit to making change over longer periods of time
 Place a deliberate emphasis on comprehensive,
relational, and public education
 Make learning relevant to people’s everyday lives
 Recognize the creative powers of diversity through
public work
 Utilize the talents and instincts of nonprofessionals
 Foster reciprocal relationships
 Embrace flexibility and trust in the messiness of
democracy.
The good news…
An ecological view of education that
focuses on civic engagement and
interdependence is the foundation of
America’s public colleges.
The good news…
Plenty of evidence that the University
of Akron both understands this model
and is committed to action.
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)
Where is service-learning?
Beneficiary
Recipient
Provider
Focus
Service
Learning
Service-Learning
Community Service
Volunteerism
Field Education
Internship
Furco, A. 1996. Service-Learning: A balanced approach to
experimental education. In B. Taylor, (Ed.) Expanding Boundaries:
Service and Learning. Corporation for National and Community
Service.
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
•Ameliorate societal problems
(O’Grady, 2000)
Strengths of Service-Learning
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Models good practice through the emphasis on
collaboration and reciprocity and the high value
placed on caring and commitment
Promotes reflective thinking
Increases self-knowledge, cognitive complexity,
knowledge of diverse others and communities
Deepens commitments to the “common good”
which seek a more just, equitable world
Outcomes of Service-Learning
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“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)
Information about outcomes research
Eyler and Giles (1999) process spanned six
years.
Two major studies:
- Survey of 1500 college students from 20
institutions with interviews of 66 students from 7
institutions
- Interviews with 67 students active in servicelearning from 6 institutions.
All results statistically significant of .05 level or higher
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
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
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
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
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
Feeling like this?
Developing Service-Learning Courses*
 Develop statement of goals, expectations, and responsibilities.
 Collaborate with community partner to determine the service
activities students will perform.
 Develop plan for how students will connect course content and
service.
 Consider how you will prepare students for service (course
goals, objectives, activities, pre-service training, assessment,
etc.).
 Develop evaluation strategies to assess student learning and
community impact.
 Collaborate with community partner to make plan for sustaining
partnership.
The Service-Learning Initiative at The Ohio State University
Types of courses and activities in
service-learning
Course Type
Description
DisciplineBased
Students have presence in community
throughout term and participate in ongoing
reflection to connect course objectives to
service
Project-Based Students use knowledge gained from course to
work on a community problem or need. Project
not likely to be repeated in future.
Service Type
Description
Direct
Work with others, person-to-person and face-toface
Indirect
Work on project impacting community as a
whole, rather than individually.
The Service-Learning Initiative at The Ohio State University
Service-Learning Syllabi Construction*
 Course Heading: Includes all course and faculty info
 Course Description: Include non-traditional nature of
course as well as connection between service and course
content.
 Introduction: Overview, purpose, rationale. Goes more
in-depth with service description
 Course goals and objectives: Goals are broad
statements of learning outcomes. Objectives are
measurable actions to realize goal.
*Kerrissa Heffernan (2001). Fundamentals of Service-Learning
Course Construction. Campus Compact
Service-Learning Syllabi Construction*
 Course Content: Readings and texts AS WELL AS service
placement goals. Consider service as text.
 Overview of course assignments: Consider range of
assignments that also integrate reflective learning
 Overview of grading policy: Has student demonstrated
outcomes that “flow from service.” Not to be graded for
doing service in and of itself. Be clear about who is
evaluating students’ community work.
 Supplemental reading list: Promotes further
exploration of issues explored through service
A word about reflection in syllabi….
Syllabus should list requirement for reflection
component.
• Expectations about reflection should be woven
throughout.
• Questions to prompt reflection and included in
syllabus can enhance clarity about reflection
expectations and prompt more critical reading
practice.
• Structure for reflection and evaluation strategies for
reflection are helpful to include.
For more information:
Jen Gilbride-Brown
Senior Program Director: Faculty & Campus
Development
Ohio Campus Compact
740-587-8572
[email protected]
Reflection as Key to Learning
Reflection is the
hyphen in
service - learning
Developmental Perspective
on Learning
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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
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Styles
Concrete Experience
Doing/Planning
Process
Continuum
Perception
Active
Experimentation
Continuum
Feeling/Sensing
Abstract Conceptualization
Thinking/Concluding
Reflective
Observation
Watching/Reviewing
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Styles
Concrete Experience
Doing/Planning
Process
Continuum
Perception
Active
Experimentation
Continuum
Feeling/Sensing
Abstract Conceptualization
Thinking/Concluding
Reflective
Observation
Watching/Reviewing
Reflector
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Ponders experiences and observes
Seeks data and considers thoroughly
Postpones decision making until all
information is in
Watches and listens before offering
opinion
*CCPH, “Reflection”
Theorist
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Approaches problem using linear
approach
Pulls together data into theories
Seeks perfection
Dislikes uninformed decision-making
*CCPH, “Reflection”
Pragmatist
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Displays practical problem-solving and
decision-making skills
Sees problems as opportunities
Acts quickly and with confidence to
implement
Dislikes open-ended discussions
*CCPH, “Reflection”
Activist
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Acts first, considers consequences later
Focuses on the NOW
“I’ll try anything once”
Takes problems by brainstorming
Thrives on challenges, bored by
implementation
*CCPH, “Reflection”
Effective reflection…
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Facilitates learners goals and objectives
Activates prior knowledge
Reinforces new knowledge
Identifies problems
Reinforces critical questions
Provides support
Enhances trust and dialogue
Keys to Reflection
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Continuous
Contextual
Challenging
Connected
Modes of Reflection
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Reading-Case studies, books on social
issues, first person accounts
– Appeals to Theorists
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Writing- Written exercises, blogs,
papers, portfolios, letters, grant writing
– Appeals to Theorists and Reflectors
Modes of Reflection
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Doing- Simulations, role playing,
presentations, program
planning/development, watching
movies/videos
– Appeals to pragmatists and activists
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Telling- Teaching, presenting, story
telling, one-on-one meetings with
faculty or community partner
– Appeals to activists
Let’s do some planning…
Janet Eyler, “Creating Your Reflection Map”