University Community Partnership through Academic Service Learning in a Virtual Environment

1. University Community Partnership through Academic Service Learning in a Virtual Environment Naim Kapucu, Ph.D. Department of Public Administration, University of Central Florida nkapucu@mail.ucf.edu (407)-823-6096 11th Sloan-C International Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN) “The Power of Online Learning: Mobilizing to Expand Community” November 17 - 19, 2005, Orlando, Florida

2. Outline • Online teaching and learning at UCF • Service-learning at UCF • Service-learning and community building • Partnership strategies • Online course materials

3. University of Central Florida

4. About the University of Central Florida • Metropolitan University -- 13 miles east of Orlando, Florida • One of 11 universities in Florida State University System • Diverse student population • 55% female, 94% FL residents, 29% minority • 45,500 enrolled Fall 2005 • Rapid growth

5. UCF Models of Web-based Instruction • Web-based courses: delivered entirely over the Web, with no regular class meetings • Mixed-mode courses: deliveredpartially in classroom and partially over the Web (blended, reduced “seat time”) • Enhanced courses: Web enhancement but no reduction of seat time

6. What Is Service-learning? • Service-learning is an experiential teaching approach that uses community service as a vehicle for teaching specific course-based skills and strategies • Combines community service and academic learning • Combines “real-world” action with critical reflection • Service-learning can take place in a number of settings: • Nonprofit agency • Public school • Government agency • Campus organization • Business with philanthropic commitments

7. Elements of Service-Learning Based on the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993

8. Benefits of Service-Learning • Real-world experience • Opportunity to field test knowledge in a supervised context • Community connections • Encouragement of civic commitments • Positive image for university • Teachers learn, too • Great opportunity for interdisciplinary courses

9. Universities and capacity building in community organizations Analyzing the factors to have a positive impact on capacity building, it was determined that among the perceived technical assistance opportunities were colleges and universitiesthat bring a “new quality to technical assistance” (Hansberry 2002).

10. Organizational Capacity Building and Effectiveness Organizational Capacity Organizational Effectiveness Organizational Capacity Capacity Building Effort Increased Organizational Capacity Increased Organizational Effectiveness Source: Light, P.C. 2004a. Sustaining nonprofit performance: The case for capacity building and the evidence to support it. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

11. Importance of Service Learning • What is actually done through service learning is the promotion and sustenance of the common good. And this is called civic engagement. Civic engagement, in turn, builds social capital • Social capital is also conceived more simply as trust among citizens that allows for the effective pursuit of mutual goals (Bowling Alone)

12. Service-Learning at UCF Service learning is: “A teaching method that uses community involvement to apply theories or skills taught in a course. Service-learning furthers the learning objectives of the academic course, addresses community needs, and requires students to reflect on their activity in order to gain an appreciation for the relationship between civics and academics.” Service Learning Office: http://www.servicelearning.ucf.edu/index.cfm

13. UCF’s Master of Nonprofit Management • Completely online • 33 Credit Hours with 9 core courses • Service learning utilized in 5 core courses • Nonprofit Administration • Grants and Contract Management • Volunteer Management • Strategic Planning and Management • Program Evaluation for Public and Nonprofit Organizations

14. UCF’s Nonprofit Management Program • Nonprofit management is based on service. • Courses provide opportunity to serve the community • Directly relates course content to the community • Connects to community • Students use real organizations to apply theories • Identifies barriers to application of theories • Meets a community need through helping one program • Provides for reflection • Requires students to identify for themselves the connection between theoretical content and community application

15. Service-Learning Course Materials • Syllabus • Course goal worksheet • RFP for SL Projects • Community organizations • ABCD Easy Access to Better Community Data • 211 Community Information Service • Community organizations based on the RFP

16. Example of service learning implementation Nonprofit Administration class (UCF) worked with more than 75 organizations to: • conduct an organizational effectiveness analysis • design marketing strategies • create personnel manuals • design volunteers’ management systems • design evaluation mechanism for the Board • design grant proposal template • design development strategies • design event management strategies, etc. All these activities are an exact match frameworks addressing capacity building in nonprofit organizations Students worked on all elements of capacity building: resources, products and outputs, outreach and leadership

17. Tips for Successful and Manageable Service-Learning Projects • Start small • Let the students do the footwork • Choose the model that works for you and your students • One group activity • Combined reading and observation • Production of documents • Client services

18. Strategies for Effective Collaborations • Review the UCF service-learning definitions and objectives • Remember that service-learning is quite different from internships, co-ops, and practica • Clear course goals, objectives, schedules, etc. • Most up-to-date and reliable contact information for the partnering agencies • Clear description of the organization’s structure so that students are able to find information that they need, etc. • Provide a contact information for the partnering agency • Clear role description for the community partners • Responsibility of the community organization keeping track of student performance, evaluating work products, etc. • Establish clear goals and expectations for the collaboration, focusing on the overlap between the community organization’s needs and the course objectives • Focus on the reciprocal nature of service-learning, remembering that both the community organization and the student are supposed to benefit

19. Strategies for Effective Collaborations • Make notes about ways to improve the process as you go along. If you notice that certain kinds of activities aren’t working, that certain instructions or expectations aren’t clear, or that some groups of students don’t seem adequately prepared to work on some facets of the project… • Clear sense of the class schedule and how it overlaps with the community organization’s plans • Communicate your deadlines explicitly with the community organization • Talk with community organization bout long-term projects that could build on each other to develop a vision for the collaboration over the long term

20. Conclusion Through Service Learning: • Build trust via long lasting relationship with the community: social capital • Serve the community by helping to address its needs: capacity building • Educate students and teach them how to become better citizens: civic engagement

21. Challenges for the future • Service Learning @ Online Environment

22. Acknowledgement • The following individuals provided information and insights to the paper: • Linda S. Hargreaves, Program Coordinator, Undergraduate Studies, University of Central Florida • Melody Bowdon, Assistant professor, Department of English, University of Central Florida • Dr. Diane Wink, Professor, School of Nursing, Senior Faculty Fellow, Office of Academic Affairs I do gratefully acknowledge their assistance.

23. Thank you …