Service Learning Course Design

Shealeen Meaney, Bobbi Gabrenya, Janel Leone, Stacey Maslowsky, Carol Dimambro & Eileen Brownell

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

- Benjamin Franklin

Service Learning Definitions:

“Service-learning incorporates community work into the curriculum, giving students real-world learning experiences that enhance their academic learning while providing a tangible benefit for the community.” http://www.compact.org/initiatives/service-learning/ “Service-learning is a form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities for reflection designed to achieve desired learning outcomes” B. Jacoby, Service Learning in Higher Education, 1996

Some Key Principles of Service Learning Include

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Reflection Reciprocity Integration

Service Learning Can:

be project based or problem based involve community partnerships with individual students, groups of students, or a full class be intensely disciplinary and require advanced preparation in a field or appropriate to general education courses to which students bring a range of knowledge-bases be for introductory courses or capstones in a major last a week or a semester or more involve an internal or external community partner Take many different forms…

SL= A New Name for Internships SL = Student Community Service Common Service Learning Myths SL=Adding Community Service to a Traditional Course Experience = Learning

Continuum of Engagement:

Volunteerism Service Learning Moving along this continuum involves: • Reflection • Integration of service and the academic curriculum • Application of theoretical concepts and course readings to meet the community’s self-identified needs • Use of community-based experiences to deepen understanding of theoretical concepts and course readings

Continuum of Service Learning:

Individual Service and Reflection Assignment Problem or Project Based Service Learning Course Moving along this continuum involves : • Duration of service learning project • Amount of time students devote to service learning project • Amount of in-class time, assignments, and discussion dedicated to service learning project • Extent of integration into academic coursework • Degree of student involvement in designing the service learning project

Some Questions to Consider:

• • • • • • • How does service learning help you meet the objectives you have in mind for the course?

What skills, knowledge, and experience do your students bring that will help meet the community partner’s self-identified needs?

What knowledge and experience do community partners bring to the table?

How much interaction will be required between students, partnering organizations, and the communities those organizations serve?

What course readings, assignments, and objectives will you need to modify to integrate service learning (if you are working with an existing course)? What are the potential negative impacts and resource drains on the community partner? How can you mitigate these if possible?

How will you support students in engaging responsibly and thoughtfully with the community partners? How will you develop an ethic of reciprocal engagement?

Implementing a College-Based Sexual & Physical Violence Awareness Campaign

Janel Leone, Dept. of Law & Society Stacey Maslowsky, Sage Colleges Wellness Center

Statement of Problem

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Need for increased awareness and student engagement regarding the issue of sexual and physical violence on campus.

Project Goals

1. To assist The Wellness Center in raising awareness of the prevalence and impact of sexual and physical violence in our college and local communities 2. To build community engagement, involvement, and participation in the Take Back the Night march and rally at The Sage College of Albany on April 18, 2013.

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Wellness Center Link

A Program to Increase Bystander Intervention in Cases of Sexual Assault BACKGROUND

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The bystander effect is a social phenomenon in which individuals do not offer help to a victim in an emergency situation when other people are present.

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In the 1960’s, Kitty Genovese was brutally stabbed to death in Queens, NY while 38 people watched from their windows . No one came to her help and only one person called the police.

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Kitty Genovese’s case led many psychologists to examine factors that predict whether or not a person will intervene in such instances.

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Five factors have been shown to predict such bystander behavior:

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Diffusion of responsibility- individuals in a group are less likely to intervene because they assume someone else will

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step in. Evaluation apprehension-individuals are reluctant to

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intervene in high-risk situations because they may look foolish. Pluralistic ignorance- individuals will differ the cues given by

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those around them when decided to respond. Confidence in skills- individuals intervene if they feel confident in their ability to do something effective. Modeling- individuals are more likely to intervene if they see someone else do it.

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Coker (2011) found that educational programs targeting college students that involved both a motivating speech to build awareness of sexual violence and skills for being a proactive bystander increased active bystander behaviors among college students.

PROJECT GOALS

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The current project sought to increase college students’ awareness of sexual assault and confidence in being an active bystander. Three main goals guided this project: 1. Educating students to recognize situations that could lead to sexual violence and to intervene in a safe and effective manner.

2. Promoting effective means of intervening to all men and women of different age groups.

3. Shifting cultural and social norms regarding responses to sexual violence.

Melinda Civic, Angela Burger, Megan Rooney CRM310/PSYC348 SETTING

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This project was implemented at the Sage College of Albany in the KCC building.

The program targeted students as well as the general public.

METHODOLOGY

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A 1½ hour program addressing bystander awareness was implemented on campus in April 2013 during the 2013 Red Flag Campaign week.

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Posters promoting the event were placed throughout the Sage campus the week prior to the program.

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The program consisted of a video presentation with video clips from the series “What Would You Do?”. The video clips consisted of staged scenarios where actors were placed in apparent harmful situations and the reaction of bystanders was examined.

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After viewing the clips, a male Siena College Psychology Professor facilitated a discussion with attendees and presenters.

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Handouts about why people do not intervene and possible methods of intervention were provided to attendees.

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After the program, attendees answered an evaluation form with the

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following questions:

Did you find this program informative?

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Did the program help you think differently about what to do in these situations?

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Do you feel more knowledgeable about sexual and physical

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assault?

What kinds of behaviors did you learn tonight that you might try to use in these situations?

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What are some other important issues that were not discussed tonight?

RESULTS DISCUSSION/ RECOMMENDATIONS

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This program effectively informed students about sexual violence and bystander behaviour.

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To generate more attendees consideration should be given to the following:

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The timing of the program and other events occurring

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that evening. Advertising more about the event such as hanging up more posters in areas that aren't overwhelmed by other

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posts. Involving more professors across campus to encourage students of different fields of studies.

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Approximately 50 students attended the program.

Evaluations showed that 100% of attendees found the program informative and that the program helped them think differently about their involvement as a bystander.

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Attendees also made suggestions about what topics they would have liked to have learned about. These included:

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Domestic violence

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How different genders can work together

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Male victims Most attendees, both male and female, participated in discussions Attendees shared their personal experiences as bystanders and why they felt they should intervene.

Relevant news cases were also brought up in discussions.

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REFERENCES Coker, A.L., Cook-Craig, P.G., Williams, C.M., Fisher, B.S., Clear, E.R., Garca, L.S., & Hegge, L.M. (2011). Evaluation of Green Dot: An Active Bystander Intervention to Reduce Sexual Violence on College Campuses. Violence Against Women, 781-801.

Assisting Friends & Family Members of Abuse Victims Jasmine Williams, Denzel Paschal, Amber Fazoli Background

• Empirical research indicates a need for this project on a college campus because the majority of sexual assaults occur on college campuses. • Approximately 1 out of 4 college students are sexually assaulted, which means that most students know someone who has been or will be a victim of sexual assault.

• Studies suggest that many family members and friends do not know how to react when someone they know has been sexually assaulted. Many people react with anger, shock, sadness, anxiety, and/or fear.

Project Goals

• To develop resources for friends and family of sexual assault victims.

• Educate family members and friends of sexual assault victims on how to help and support.

• To create an evidence-based pamphlet that can be used to assist friends and family members of the victim.

Setting

• The pamphlet will be available to The Sage College of Albany students and staff through the College Wellness Center.

• The target group includes both victims themselves, as well as anyone who wants to assist a friend or family member who • has been traumatized by sexual violence.

The main target group was the students and staff at The Sage College of Albany.

Methodology

• A pamphlet was created to ensure that victims of sexual assault and their family/friends have resources to obtain assistance.

• The pamphlet was distributed at a sexual assault rally on the campus of The Sage College of Albany on the evening of April 18th, 2013. The event was called “Take Back The Night Rally”. • The pamphlets are also available through the Wellness Center, and can be obtained discretely so as to help victims maintain a certain degree of privacy.

Results

• We are confident that this project helped expand the target audience’s knowledge on sexual assault.

• The project accomplished the goals of developing resources for friends and family of sexual assault victims and educate family members and friends of sexual assault victims on how to help and support

Discussion

• Participating in this project was eye-opening in many ways. This project helped expand peoples knowledge on sexual assault and those effected by sexual assault. • Future projects might utilize a strategy that allows for more interaction with the targeted audience, such as a booth or an a oral presentation.

Pamphlet for Friends & Family Members of Abuse Victims

Was The Project Successful?

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Impact on Wellness Center:

– Increased student interest in programming – – Large Sage turnout for Take Back the Night Quality educational aids for future use •

Impact on Students:

– Significant decrease in victim blaming – Enthusiasm for peer education on campus – – Comfort in sharing own stories of survival Transformation regarding support and understanding of sexual violence and associated trauma

Crime & Justice Policy – Unplanned Changes

Problem: Formerly incarcerated persons are more likely to return to prison if unemployed

Job Fair for Formerly Incarcerated Persons 40 resumes produced 20 service providers Over 100 parolees attended

LESSONS LEARNED Community Accountability Board

HEALING THE HARM CAUSED BY CRIME: RESTORATIVE JUSTICE & CAB 1. Always have a Plan B 2. Get plenty of training/mentoring 3. Reflection is key to student understand

The Course:

Literature, Feminist Theory, and the Public Humanities: A Senior Seminar in English Studies.

The Faculty Member:

Shealeen Meaney The Partner: The mission of the New York Council for the Humanities is to help all New Yorkers become thoughtful participants in our communities by promoting critical inquiry, cultural understanding, and civic engagement. Founded in 1975, the New York Council for the Humanities is the sole statewide proponent of public access to the humanities. The Council is a private 501(c)3 that receives Federal, State, and private funding. (Provided by NYCH)

The Project:

Community Conversation Toolkits for Talking about Women, Gender, Sexuality, and Feminism

Community Conversations Project Overview

A Community Conversation (CC) brings together members of a group, organization or neighborhood to join in a facilitated discussion of a short text. The facilitator introduces thought-provoking questions and encourages participants to reflect on the issues raised by the reading and discuss how they impact our lives and communities. The New York Council for the Humanities invites students enrolled in Shealeen Meaney’s senior seminar in English at Russell Sage College for Women to develop new Community Conversations toolkits around the themes of women, feminism, gender, and sexuality. This special partnership between the Council and Professor Meaney’s students will allow students to explore the theory and practice of public humanities by reading key texts that offer various definitions of the public humanities; by observing current public humanities programs sponsored by the Council; by researching and profiling audiences for public humanities programs; by selecting a humanities text and formulating discussion questions for a public setting; and, per the instructor and students’ agreement, by facilitating a Community Conversation in a public setting using the text and questions developed in the course. (From Course Materials developed by NYCH and S. Meaney)

Community Conversations Project Related Course Assignments Critical Readings:

In addition course reading in Feminist Literary Theory, students did readings about Public Humanities, Civic Engagement, and Feminist Participatory Action Research. Sample Readings: – "Isn't Just Being Here Political Enough?“ (Coates, Dodds, and Jensen) – – “The Engaged Humanities” (Jay) “Skills for Community-based Projects in the Arts, Humanities, and Design” (Imagining America Institute) – “Community Conversations,” “Classroom Conversations,” and “Families” Toolkits (NYCH) • • • • •

Written Assignments:

NYCH Site-Visit Report (1-2 pages) Audience Analysis Report (2-3 pages) Preliminary Text Proposals for Community Conversations Project (2-3 pages) Formal Community Conversations Proposal (Collaborative Writing Project 3-5 pages Co evaluated by faculty and NYCH) Reflective Essay (1-2 pages)

Effective Participation in Community Conversation Planning (Co-evaluated by peers and faculty) Combined Value: 35% of Final Course Grade

Service-Learning Projects

MGT340: Leadership & Diversity

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Project I

: Working with the YWCA—Computer Skills Training Project •

Project II:

Working with the YMCA--Resource Handbook Project

Project III:

Working with the YMCA—Racism Project

WLD420 Women Changing the World

The Issue

Poverty Women’s Health Food Insecurity

The Problem

The impact of current economy is reaching beyond humans not paying bills. Animal shelters are being flooded with pets whose owners love them but can’t afford to feed them…… Women living with limited resources have few chances to relieve the stress created by the struggle to meet one’s own needs. Fitness equipment is available at the YWCA but there is no formal program to facilitate training and usage. Hunger is often described as an invisible problem. Yet as many as 4 million new Yorkers may suffer from hunger each year. Every month hundreds of individuals….

The Project

Research and Program Development with The Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society Students will develop a fitness program that is sustainable for women to access following the semester project. Weekend Meals at Joseph’s House Community Gardens, Gardening Education

MBA696 Competitive Advantage

Shared effort capstone course to reach out to organizations—profit and nonprofit--to assist with their challenges

National Women’s History Project FW Webb Theater Institute of Sage

Plans

What do you think are the next steps for you and Sage?

You Your Role Your Institution • How does/might service learning fit with your institutional mission?......in your teaching?

• What kinds of institutional challenges/ personal hesitations might you know or suspect you will encounter?