What is Service Learning?

1. What is Service Learning? Service Learning Basics Gavilan College, July 2013

2. What is 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 intentionally designed to promote student learning and development. Reflection and reciprocity are key concepts of service learning.” (Jacoby, 1996, p.5)

3. Reciprocity and Reflection • Service is meaningful and intentionally associated with learning objectives of the course AND meeting a need of the partner. • Service enables students and faculty to reflect on how knowledge from the discipline informs and shapes the service experience and vice versa.

4. Service Learning at Gavilan College • At Gavilan College service learning is when students go into the community to do work related to what they learn in class. • It allows students, faculty, and community organizations to work together to everyone's benefit. • Classes are enriched and made real when students apply what they are learning at non-profits in their own communities. Faculty are challenged to update and enrich their teaching. • And social service agencies benefit when students come in to do projects, bringing fresh perspectives to their work

5. Mission Statement The Gavilan College Service Learning Program provides avenues for students, faculty, and partner organizations to promote justice, diversity, and social responsibility by integrating academic experiences with service.

6. Service Learning is NOT… • Volunteering – doing good deeds, altruism • Internship – experiential education designed to assimilate and demonstrate mastery of skills for professional development and/or licensure • Placement – “dropping” students off at a site hoping you’ll harvest some learning • An “add on” – all courses have an expectation and requirement of “out of class” work. SL is part of that expectation.

7. Service Learning CAN BE: --whole class does a project for/with one agency --three or four agencies offer similar projects for groups of students --whole class does project of community benefit, such as park clean-up or trail clearing

8. Service Learning CAN also BE: --student work with clients at an agency --work with class-relevant projects such as nitrogen-cycle measurements at an agency --work with class-relevant projects such as cosmetology services out in the community --research that an agency needs done, publication --research that the community needs done, publication

9. Triangulation of Service-Learning Study Head Action Hands Reflection Heart

10. Benefits of Service Learning • A reduction in negative stereotypes • Greater self-knowledge • Enhanced interpersonal & leadership skills • Increased awareness of the community • Deeper understanding of subject matter • Better integration of class concepts to authentic issues • Useful service to the community • Enhanced relations between to college and community

11. Putting Service-Learning into Practice Objectives Assessment Partnerships Reflection Engagement

12. Agency Panel •Building long-term relationships •Emphasizing good •Ensuring reciprocity

13. Establishing & Maintaining Community Partnerships for Service Learning We help you: Find the right partners Make first contact Develop your relationship Solve problems that come up

14. Establishing & Maintaining Community Partnerships for Service-learning • Service Learning is a partnership between the college and community organizations • Effective partnerships need • Trust and mutual obligation • Good communication • Mutual benefit and obligation where objectives, goals, & needs of both parties are met • Parity in decision-making of roles and responsibilities

15. Checking out our partners They change! Some leave, close, or modify mission You can request additions but they go through a process first We can help you find the right one or group http://hhh.gavilan.edu/lhalper/servicelearninghome.htm

16. What to Expect from Your Community Liaison • Initial discussion about the types of placements you are seeking • The CL will contact the agencies, discuss collaboration with faculty • Input agency information on the website • Provide agencies with up to date paperwork • Check in with agencies and faculty during the semester

17. What to consider when looking for placements • What kind of experience do you want students to have? • How do you define “meaningful” service work for students in your class? • What skills do you want your students to learn, practice, and/or develop? • How closely do you want the agency’s objectives to be connected to your class content? • How many agencies would you like your students to have the opportunity to work with?

18. Cont. • Which locations are important for your students to work in – Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Benito County, San Jose, etc? • What are your expectations regarding student supervision at the agencies? • How many hours would you like the students to complete over the semester? • How closely do you want your students to work with the clients served by the agencies you work with? • Do you have special class projects that will require the participation of your community partner (such as interviews)?

19. What should faculty discuss with their partner agencies? • Share Your Syllabus and Instructional Objectives – How will course content connect with goals and objectives of the agency? • Describe Student Skill Level – Reading, writing, critical thinking and other relevant skills. • Explain Timeline – Semester calendar and deadlines. • Consider Capacity - How many students can the partner ably supervise and support?

20. Cont. • Discuss Possible Projects – will students complete a special class project related to their service work? Will this require collaboration with the community partner (interviews, data, etc) • Clarify Roles - What are the roles and responsibilities of the instructor, the partner, and the students? • Orientation Process - Establish when, where and how students will be oriented to the community partner site, population served, etc. • Determine Partner Contact Person and Create Communication Plan - Clarify who will supervise students

21. What We Can Expect From Agencies • Provide students with meaningful service • Conduct a real interview to make sure the student is appropriate for the work • Appropriate supervision • Let students and faculty know what the agencies expectations are • Provide written assessment/evaluations of students and completed time sheets • Engage with faculty and students

22. Engage with your partner agencies! Have them as a guest speaker in the first few weeks of class Have them engage in reflection activities Work on papers, grants, presentations together Other ways?

23. Give It Time • The “hard work” in service learning is the “up front” work before the class starts • With the investment of time and energy, you create long-lasting RELATIONSHIPS to build upon • Later you have “short-hand” conversations

24. Connecting Students to the Agencies • If you can, create your own webpage for your service learning class • List of agencies and links to their webpage • Paperwork, applications, best practices • Class requirements assignment • Provide students with a list of agencies that your class is working with • Decide before the class starts how you will deal with students that want/need to work with agencies not on your approved list • Have them give a brief presentation in your class • Helps to put a face to a name and ease student’s nervousness

25. Making the Most Out of Working Your Partner Agencies • Recognize and utilize expertise of agency partner to enhance & enrich classroom • Remember that SL is focused on mutual benefit & addressing mutual need • Clarify roles and mutual support • On-going communication • Collaboration vs. “exploitation” • Objectives include needs/goals of partner

26. Thank you! Contact me anytime: Leah Halper 408 886 1631 lhalper@gavilan.edu