[Community-service] {Disarmed} Re: What is Service-Learning? | National Service-Learning Clearinghouse

[Susan Parsons]

Hi all,
 
I love the idea of service-learning, combining traditional classroom learning with practical application that can help the community.
 
A few years ago I got to help a college class with one of their service-learning projects. They were primarily architecture and ecology students, and they were taking what they learned in the classroom to a local inner city school and building a sustainable outdoor area with a garden. The multiple levels of service-learning were what I found particularly cool about this situation. The college students were taking their classroom learning and applying it practically in an effort that would benefit the kids, the school, and the community, but they were also teaching the kids about sustainability, ecology, and architecture through both classroom learning and practical activities in the garden. Then the kids would go back to the classroom and research different types of plants and outdoor areas with the ultimate goal to help the college students and their professor draft plans for a sustainable and completely accessible learning environment that would be
 built in the community at a later date and that would engage all the senses so that kids of all abilities could enjoy it.
 
I think service-learning is a great way to get people excited about both service and learning, to give a practical purpose and tangible results to things that are being learned in the classroom, but also to take traditional service projects, which are great in their own right, and combine them with opportunities to further the knowledge of both those who serve and those in the wider community.
 
Chris
 
 

________________________________
 From: Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com>
 To: Mary Ann Mendez <maryann at jmendez.us>; Christine Parsons <christine-parsons at sbcglobal.net>; Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>; Catherine Michele Mitchell <michmitch66 at gmail.com>; Corina Salinas <Corina.d.salinas at gmail.com> 
Cc: Community Service Discussion List <COMMUNITY-SERVICE at NFBNET.ORG> 
Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 12:32 PM
Subject: What is Service-Learning? | National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
  


 What is Service-Learning? | National Service-Learning Clearinghouse 
Hi all,
 something to think about… what does this mean  to you? what can this mean for our group/division to be?
   Darian 
 
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What is Service-Learning?  
 
Service-Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. 
Through service-learning, young people—from  kindergarteners to college students—use what they learn in the classroom to  solve real-life problems. They not only learn the practical applications of  their studies, they become actively contributing citizens and community members  through the service they perform. 
Service-learning can be applied in a wide variety of  settings, including schools, universities, and community-based and faith-based  organizations. It can involve a  group of students, a classroom or an entire school. Students build character  and become active participants as they work with others in their school and  community to create service projects in areas such as education, public safety,  and the environment. 
Community members, students, and  educators everywhere are discovering that service-learning offers all its  participants a chance to take part in the active education of youth while  simultaneously addressing the concerns, needs, and hopes of communities. 
What  Service-Learning Looks Like
If school students collect trash out  of an urban streambed, they are providing a valued service to the community as  volunteers. If school students collect trash from an urban streambed, analyze their  findings to determine the possible sources of pollution, and share the results  with residents of the neighborhood, they are engaging in service-learning. 
In the service-learning example, in addition to  providing an important service to the community, students are learning  about water quality and laboratory analysis, developing an understanding of  pollution issues, and practicing communications skills. They may also reflect  on their personal and career interests in science, the environment, public policy  or other related areas. Both the students and the community have been involved  in a transformative experience. 
Examples of Service-Learning 
	* Elementary school  students in Florida studied the consequences of natural  disasters. The class designed a kit for families to use to collect their  important papers in case of evacuation, which students distributed to community  members. 
	* Middle school  students in Pennsylvania learned about  the health consequences of poor nutrition and lack of exercise, and then  brought their learning to life by conducting health fairs, creating a healthy  cookbook, and opening a fruit and vegetable stand for the school and community. 
	* Girl Scouts in  West Virginia investigated the biological  complexity and diversity of wetlands. Learning of the need to eliminate  invasive species, the scouts decided to monitor streams and then presented  their findings to their Town Council. 
	* University  students in Michigan looked for ways to support  struggling local non-profit organizations during difficult economic times.  Graduate communication students honed their skills while providing a wide  variety of public relations services with community partners, including developing  press kits and managing event coordination.  
Each of the examples above shows how  service-learning is integrating meaningful community service with instruction  and reflection in order to enrich the learning experience, teach civic  responsibility, and strengthen our communities. 
See more service-learning success  stories. 
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