Civic Engagement & Service-Learning: Preparing Students to Become Citizen Scholars

1. Civic Engagement & Service-Learning: Preparing Students to become Citizen Scholars Presented by Katherine Nordyke, Director Citizenship & Service-Learning Missouri State University May 15, 2014

2. Civic Engagement • Service-Learning • Types of Service-Learning • High-Quality Service-Learning • Defining your Service-Learning Project • Academic Integration • Collaboration and Classroom Logistics • Resources Available • Q & A Period Civic Engagement & Service-Learning

3. When education takes a hands-on approach to learning, the result is a more informed, more involved community of future leaders. Service-learning brings substance to our democracy and strengthens the thread that binds our diverse nation. First Lady Michelle Engler, Michigan Civic Engagement & Service-Learning

4. Civic behavior is the important issues for the country. Democracy requires its citizens to take responsibility and be involved in solving problems, not just during times of crisis, but all the time. Service-Learning involves students in solving community problems, and at the same time, helps them learn and apply reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Frank Newman, Visiting Professor – Brown University Civic Engagement & Service-Learning

5. The highest standard of an American education is how students use their academic learning to contribute to the advancement of a democratic society of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for all. Service-Learning is exactly the vehicle for deepening academic learning of students as they make contributions to larger communities. Carl Glickman, chair, Program for School Improvement, University of Georgia Civic Engagement & Service-Learning

6. Civic engagementmeans: • Working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities • Developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference • Promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes “Never doubt the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. That’s about the only way it has ever happened in the past.” Margaret Mead Civic Engagement

7. Civic Engagement Framework

8. Occurs through the development of the capacity for engagement within students/citizens • Can be taught and measured as civic learning • If we think of civic learning as having the components of knowledge, skills, and values we can get a better understanding of what it looks like: Civic Engagement

9. Civic Engagement

10. General abilities students develop through community engagement • Skills and abilities promote and foster: • Critical thinking • Communication • Public problem solving • Civic judgment • Civic imagination and creativity • Collaboration (a key component of leadership) Civic Skills

11. Consists of political, historical, and civic knowledge gained from both academic and community engagement • A key ingredient for civic knowledge is historical knowledge that contextualizes community-based experiences • Students gain civic knowledge through their interaction with communities Civic Knowledge

12. Justice and Equality for all • Appreciation for Diversity • Inclusive Excellence • Respect and Dignity for all • Commitment to participation in making the world a better place Civic Values

13. The underlying aim of civic engagement is to produce meaningful service and experiences for all involved participants • Reciprocal relationship between all involved parties • Community partners explain their needs • Students and faculty work with the community partners to find a sustainable ways to address their need • Experience serves as a common ground for students to enhance their scholarship, raise questions and explore alternative solutions with new social consciousness, not only in the classroom but as they move into the world as professionals How is Civic Engagement Taught ?

14. Civic Skills • Civic Knowledge • Civic Values In order to take Civic Action Civic Learning = Cultivating…

15. The objective of the “Citizen Scholar” model is to combine Academic Instruction with Implementation of Concepts Learned in the classroom into the localCommunity. http://www.slideshare.net/ETRC/civic-engagement-ppt-lecture-6091105 “Citizen Scholar “ Model

16. Service-Learning

17. 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 (NYLC, 2001). Defining Service-Learning

18. Service-Learning

19. Service-learning is: • High Impact Program • Fosters and Promotes: • Social Capital in Communities Post-Graduation • Student Success • Retention • Skills, Sensitivities and Commitments necessary for effective citizenship in a global world – engaging students in community-based problem-solving and addressing social justice issues – locally, nationally, and globally Why Service-Learning ?

20. Positive, meaningful, and related to participants • Involves cooperative rather than competitive experiences • Promotes skills associated with teamwork, community involvement and citizenship • Addresses complex problems in complex settings rather than simplified problems in isolation Characteristics of Service-Learning

21. Service-Learning experiences are appropriate to the participants’ ages and developmental abilities • Service-Learning addresses issues that are personally relevant to participants • Service-learning leads to attainable and visible outcomes that are valued by those being served Characteristics of Service-Learning - Continued

22. Occurs when students learn by actively engaging in experiences that have benefits and consequences, along with focused reflection (Missouri State Learning Standards, 2010) • Students experience practical applications of the material being taught, and develop new skills, attitudes, and ways of thinking - Service-learning falls under the broader umbrella of experiential education (National Youth Leadership Council) Service-Learning is Experiential Learning

23. What is Happening Now? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTAfHBwW2mk&feature=player_embedded Service-Learning is Experiential Learning

24. Direct Service-Learning: person-to-person, face-to-face service projects in which the students’ service directly impacts individuals who receive the service from the students. Examples include: • Tutoring other students and adults • Conducting art/music/dance programs for younger students • Helping other students resolve conflict • Giving performances on violence and drug prevention • Creating lessons and presenting them to younger students Types of Service-Learning

25. Indirect Service-Learning: working on broad issues, environmental projects, community development-projects that have clear benefits to the community or environment, but not necessarily to individual identified people with whom the students are working. Examples include: • Compiling a town history • Working to restore historic structures or building low-income housing • Removing exotic plants and restoring ecosystems Types of Service-Learning

26. Research-Based Service-Learning: gathering and presenting information on areas of interest and need; projects that find, gather, and report on information that is needed within a community. Examples include: • Writing a guide on available community services and translating it into Spanish or other languages of new residents • Conducting longitudinal studies of local bodies of water; water testing for local residents; food insecurity projects Types of Service-Learning

27. Advocacy Service-Learning: educating others about topics of public interest - projects that aim to create awareness and action on some issue that is in the public interest. Examples include: • Planning and putting on public forums on topics of interest in the community • Conducting public information campaigns on topics of interest or local needs • Training the community in fire safety or disaster preparation Types of Service-Learning

28. The service responds to an actual community need that is recognized by the community. The service is age-appropriate and well organized. The service is designed to achieve significant benefits for students and the community. High Quality Service-Learning

29. Collaboration • The service-learning project is a collaboration among as many of these partners as is feasible: • Students, community-based organization staff, support staff, administrators, faculty, and recipients of service • All partners benefit from the project and contribute to its planning High Quality Service-Learning

30. Student Voice • Students participate actively in: • Choosing and planning the service project • Planning and implementing the reflection sessions, evaluation and celebration • Taking on roles and tasks that are appropriate to their age High Quality Service-Learning

31. Civic Responsibility • The service-learning project promotes students’ responsibility to care for others and contribute to the community • By participating in the service-learning project, students understand how they can impact their community High Quality Service-Learning

32. Reflection • Reflection establishes connections between students’ service experiences and the academic curriculum • Reflection activities occur before, during, and after the service-learning project High Quality Service-Learning

33. Evaluation • All the partners, especially students, are involved in evaluating the service-learning project • The evaluation seeks to measure progress toward the learning and service goals of the project High Quality Service-Learning

34. High Quality Service-Learning is not Volunteerism; there is a distinct difference. • Service-Learning is NOT: • An episodic volunteer program • Only for high school or college students • One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community High Quality Service-Learning

35. Myth #1: Service-Learning is the same as student community service • Myth #2: Service-Learning is just another name for internships • Myth #3: Service-Learning is the addition of community service to an already existing course (Adapted from Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning’s Service-Learning Course Design Workbook (2011) Myths About Service-Learning

36. It is the combination of both Civic Engagement & Service-Learning that instills leadership within students; inspiring and empowering students to go out into the world, as educated citizen leaders, and make a difference. Leadership

37. What content do you hope to teach through this project (Academic Integration)? • How much time would you like to devote to the project (Scope)? • What community need does this project address? How will the community partner benefit from the project and be involved in project design/delivery(Reciprocity/Mutual Benefit)? • How will you evaluate your students’ learning and community impact during and after the project (Assessment)? • How will you share/pay forward the knowledge and/or artifacts created in your project (Public Presentation)? Questions for Consideration

38. Course Design

39. Engagement: Working toward a public good • Reflection: Connecting the experience with the curriculum • Reciprocity: Community members are equal partners • Public Dissemination: Sharing finds/projects with the larger community and/or engaging in public dialogue (Adapted from Heffernan & Cone 2001, Campus Compact) Service-Learning Course Components

40. Course content and/or learning outcome(s) (relevance and integration)? • Community need (how do you know)? • Potential community partner (your contacts/networks)? • Length/depth of involvement (how much class time/site time)? • Preliminary ideas for deliverables or on-site projects (appropriate to the developmental stage of your students)? What’s Your Project?

41. How will you integrate the students’ experience with your course content/lesson plan(s)? What assignments or other work will be required of your students? • How will you incorporate pre-reflection/reflection into site visits and class time? • How will you archive materials for future educators/community partners who might be interested in replicating your project? Academic Integration

42. How will you start a conversation with the organization(s)? Who will be your key contact person? How and how often will you touch base? • What is the role of the community organization in your classroom? What is your role at the community organization? • How will evaluation happen? What are reasonable expectations for your community partner/your students? Collaboration Logistics

43. How will the scope of your project fit in with the rest of your syllabus/other course content? • Does your project require supplies and/or other resources? Do you have a budget? • What school policies might you have to consider (permission slips, transportation guidelines, chaperones, etc.)? Classroom Logistics

44. Handouts • National Youth Leadership Council: http://www.nylc.org • Campus Compact: http://www.compact.org/ • Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning: http://ginsberg.umich.edu/mjcsl/ • Partnerships: A Journal of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement: https://libjournal.uncg.edu/index.php/prt/index • Corporation for National and Community Service: Data on Civic Life in America: http://civic.serve.gov/national • Learning in Deed: The Power of Service-Learning for American schools. (2000). National Commission on Service-Learning. http://ed253jcu.pbworks.com/f/LearningDeedServiceLearning_American+Schools.PDF Resources Available

45. What questions do you have that we can help answer? Q & A