How to Efficiently Document Service Learning on Your Campus

2. How to Efficiently Document Service Learning on Your Campus

3. Participation • All four Blinn campuses have Service Learning • Over 10,000 students have participated in S-L since the 2004 Fall pilot, with over 1400 this semester. • S-L has documented over 218,000 hours in Service within our communities. • Using the formula from The Points of Light Foundation these 214,000 hours translate into $ 4,350,000 dollars worth of service that our students have given back to our communities. • 80 Community Partners – Representing 19 different communities

4. Agriculture Agriculture Industry Wildlife Management Dental Hygiene Humanities Foreign Language Intro to Creative Writing Technical Writing English 1301 Nursing – ADN, LVN, EMT, & PHTA Math Fundamental of Mathematics Social Sciences Government (Fed & State) History (US & Tx) Sociology Physical Education Business Intro to Business Macro Economics Natural Science Geology Ecology Zoology Biology Astronomy Microbiology Oceanography Service Learning Projects by Discipline • Parallel Studies • Education • Fine Arts • Speech • Theater • Music • Design I

5. Institutionalizing Service Learning • Recognition at Graduation • S-L classes are now indicated in both on-line and paper copy of the course schedule • Faculty can enter their S-L students through BORIS • Allowing the S-L office access to demographic and academic data for analysis

10. Demographic Data Reports

11. Banner Gradebook

12. Banner Gradebook

13. Banner Gradebook

14. Banner Grade Comment

15. Measuring Success Tracking the number of students or classes engaged in S-L is important as a snap shot to the health of the program, and gives us an idea of progress on the different campuses and in the community, but ultimately we are interested in the Academic Success of the students.

16. Measuring Success • Grade distribution data from Blinn’s Institutional Research office shows an increased student success rate (A-C) after implementing a S-L project • Analysis of the first five years of S-L showed 90.9% of the participants received a passing grade (A-C) in the class, compared to 64.3% of those not participating in S-L • End of the semester Student Surveys indicate that students are overwhelmingly in favor of the S-L projects, 91% reporting that in their opinion the S-L project was instrumental in their understanding of the subject

18. Documentation Benefits • Institution can track Service hours and Academic performance • Student receive a Certificate for each S-L class • Service Learning is designated on their Official Transcript • Recognition at graduation if 3 or more S-L courses are complete • Provided an opportunity to wear Red Cords of Distinction at graduation • Provide students with documented experience & enhances student’s resumes • Provide documentation for Grants and Awards

19. Awards & Recognition Blinn College was classified nationally for community engagement. Blinn was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll four consecutive years.

20. Conclusions: • Service Learning is growing • It is critical to be able to efficiently identify students engaged in Service • Accurate gathering of data allows for: highlighting impact, identifying faculty, applying for grants, running demographic studies, and assessment of the program

21. Contact: • Dr. Greg Phillips • gphillips@blinn.edu • www.blinn.edu/servicelearning