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Discover the impact of service learning through cultural exchange, gain valuable skills in leadership and cross-cultural understanding, and learn the 4-step approach to successful community service projects. Maximize benefits, develop values, and collaborate effectively.
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Advancing learning through service Tamara Thorpe Trainer | Coach | Consultant Region 2 NAFSA Albuquerque, NM
www.tntdevelopment.org Session Goals • Discover service learning • 4- step approach to service learning • Best practices in intergenerational partnerships • Impact and benefits of service learning
www.tntdevelopment.org Why Cultural Exchange? Learners experience transformative learning through cross-cultural education programs.
www.tntdevelopment.org “Positive contact with other world views can also result in a shift of perspective and an appreciation for both the diversity and commonalities among human beings” Alvino Fantini, SIT
www.tntdevelopment.org So What? • How can learners maximize the benefits from the experience abroad to lead change in their community? • What skills and values does it take to do it?
www.tntdevelopment.org Values Gained • Inclusion • Learning • Sharing • Diversity/ • awareness • Equality • “I am now motivated to do something about things I care about and I want to make things better.”
www.tntdevelopment.org Skills Gained
www.tntdevelopment.org Leadership Development
www.tntdevelopment.org Personal Growth and Development
www.tntdevelopment.org Cross-cultural Learning
www.tntdevelopment.org What is Service Learning? An educational approach that integrates learning and service… Engages learners in community service, civic engagement and social activism for the purpose of learning.
www.tntdevelopment.org Why Service Learning? Learners actively lead change and develop the skills necessary to do so. Experiential learning reinforces learning concepts.
www.tntdevelopment.org Why the 4-StepApproach? To successfully engage learners in community service and leadership development. To develop sustainable and effective community based projects.
www.tntdevelopment.org Step 1: Relationship Building • Identify the partnering organization • Meet with the appropriate stakeholders for needs assessment • Build and develop a reciprocal relationship All Stakeholders should be involved in the needs assessment (asset mapping, focus group, survey) A project that excludes the stakeholders in the early phases of development is not sustainable.
www.tntdevelopment.org Step 2: Goal Setting Establish • Project outcomes • Roles and responsibilities • Skills the learners expect to gain through the project Learners develop a vision and plan that includes the voices of all key stakeholders to ensure a project that everyone can buy into
www.tntdevelopment.org Step 3: Assessment Ongoing assessment of the plans and project • Ensures the quality and effectiveness of a project • Allows the learners to address any necessary changes
www.tntdevelopment.org Step 4: Evaluation Upon completion of project • Reflection by participants • Evaluation of project outcome and learning • Individual recognition • Public recognition for the stakeholders Recognition is validates everyone's contributions and increase awareness to the community
www.tntdevelopment.org Collaborating with Learners • Learners and adults must enter into a collaborative effort as equal participants • Adults may struggle to work with learners from a place of equity • Both must learn to work together, this is key to the success of any project
www.tntdevelopment.org Benefits of Effective Collaboration
www.tntdevelopment.org Adult vs Learner Roles • Adults play a supporting role by monitoring the progress of the project, while learners take the lead • Adults will have to resist “taking over” while the learners adjust to taking the lead • Creates more supportive intergenerational partnerships
www.tntdevelopment.org Learner Gains
www.tntdevelopment.org International People’s Project • Develop intercultural perspectives • Learn how to use knowledge and skills within the project and beyond • Develop knowledge of the theme, local community and the partner organisation • Carry out a project which benefits a local community
www.tntdevelopment.org Learning Interventions • Present on the issue of aging and intergenerational understanding in home culture • Offer a cultural presentation to the partner organization • Daily debrief and reflection • Community activities and cooperation • Discussions on cultural differences • 60 volunteer hours in long-term care centre
www.tntdevelopment.org LearningOutcomes • Increased empathy for/awareness of issues facing elder people and others in long-term care • Fears and insecurities alleviated from experience volunteering in the long-term care centre • Expressed more hope for their elder years and a better understanding of the potential for a quality life
www.tntdevelopment.org Intercultural Outcomes • A positive experience living and working in an intercultural community • Participants relied on cultural similarities to live and work with one another • No shift in intercultural perspectives for the group as a whole • The necessary amount of intercultural challenges did not occur to advance intercultural development
www.tntdevelopment.org Service learning: Impact and Benefits • Increased awareness of social and global issues locally • Increased accessibility to international education • Create more opportunities for leadership development • Strengthen the program/organizaiton, university and community
www.tntdevelopment.org Questions/Discussion
