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Students, Science & Communities

Service learning brings learning to life by connecting students with the community and science, fostering deeper understanding and collaboration. It challenges stereotypes and promotes diverse participation, benefiting both students and the community. Through a hands-on approach, students gain real-world experience, develop essential skills, and contribute to meaningful scientific endeavors. Engaging with the local community, students present their findings, making a tangible impact and enhancing their academic and career skills. By partnering with colleges or universities, communities benefit from increased engagement and positive publicity, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. Service learning is a transformative educational approach that enriches students, promotes scientific understanding, and strengthens community ties.

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Students, Science & Communities

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  1. Students, Science & Communities Suzanne OConnellWesleyan University

  2. Service LearningBring learning to life & life to learning • No one size fits all • Make it fit your students, institution and community • You’re only limited by your imagination • (oh and resources) • (oh and time) • (location) ….. (subject matter) …… etc.

  3. Students http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/media/Student_Profile_Main300FLAT.jpg

  4. Scientist http://pirun.ku.ac.th/~fscinpc/public_html/image/scientist_430.jpg

  5. Community

  6. SL

  7. Why Service Learning? • Service Learning finds or creates the connections http://www.korthalsaltes.com/model.php?name_en=square%20pyramids

  8. Benefits • Students learn the material better & are more likely to share what they are doing with – friends, family, students, etc. • The Community benefits from the work and from seeing the diverse (age, gender, color, religion, attire) workforce of scientists

  9. Benefits • Science benefits because majors and non-majors have a deeper understanding of how science is done and its importance to their lives. • I benefit, exposure to new ideas, interdisciplinary collaboration (even equipment purchases), see the results (get compliments), stronger connection to where I live.

  10. Service Learning • You’re only limited by your imagination • (oh and resources) • (oh and time) • (location) ….. (subject matter) …… etc. But seek help with implimentation

  11. SL brings learning to life, challenges the stereotypes

  12. SL brings learning to life, challenges the stereotypes

  13. SL brings learning to life, challenges the stereotypes

  14. SL brings learning to life, challenges the stereotypes

  15. SL brings learning to life, challenges the stereotypes • No Lab Coats • Often not in lab • Work with people and not alone • Equipment doesn’t have to be high tech • Males and Females participate • No one looks mad/crazy

  16. Disclaimer • Most of my working knowledge of service learning comes from my institution • Wesleyan is a small, private, liberal arts college (it does say university) in CT • We are the second largest employer in the town with four big employers • Students are fulltime and live on campus • Most students have come directly from high school (they have parents) • Tuition, room and board = > $50k/year • 16% are first generation to go to college • 75% have done advanced work in science, math or foreign languages • About 55% of students receive financial aid

  17. What is Service Learning? • Definitions may vary widely • At my institution, Learning is essential and the learning couldn’t be done without the service. (i.e. service is a byproduct) • So tutoring doesn’t count because, “What does a tutor really learn?” • BUT, Science Pedagogy, Psychology of Reading, Cognition in Preschoolers, are all credit courses with a teaching/tutoring component

  18. Statements from studentsabout Service Learning • “If it’s a service learning course you know its going to be interesting” January, 2010, non-science student taking 3 service learning courses in one semester, 1 Sociology and 1 Earth & Environmental Sciences (major course) and 1 Earth & Environmental Science (non-major) • “Participating in the ‘Oral History of the Portland Brownstone Quarry’ will make me a better physician because I learned to listen to other people.” December, 2009, student taking 1 service learning class

  19. Students • “Real World” experience (I made the decisions and I made a difference) • Often work in groups & the groups have to have results • Data and interpretations are presented to community groups (BIG GROUPS, community people are interested in MY scientific results) • Written reports go online and everyone can read my work (accountability, and no one knows (cares?) your grade) • Students benefits from Science & Community

  20. Students • Students take home • Community people are interested in my results  my work must be important (or at least useful) • Other decisions will be made on what I conclude/say • I developed analytical, writing & presentation skills • Career skills, and you (the professor) can comment on them in your references

  21. Science • Science is not confined to a laboratory • It can be studied and practiced in different locations and address problems that directly effect peoples lives • Science can be interesting, even fun • Science does matters • I can do science that matters • Science benefits from students and community, more people have a better understanding of how science is done and more may want to do it.

  22. Community • Partner with college/university • People who have never been to campus, come to campus • Students who have never spoken at a public forum, to a civic group, or off-campus, speak in new locations • Good publicity (hopefully) for participants (radio, newspaper, blog, TV) • Community improves because of college/university effort

  23. Community • Students are more engaged in their learning because they see it as relevant • Community sees that many kinds of students do science (& maybe none have a lab coat) • Community benefits from science and students

  24. Community • Middletown, CT • 40,000 residents / 2700 students • Adjacent to CT River, • Center of CT • Financially struggling downtown • School more liberal than town • Many, many social services • 8 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 high school • Some public transportation • Lots of restaurants • Some open space, parks, state

  25. Improve Town-Gown Relations Attitude 20 years ago • College is rich, town and residents aren’t • College doesn’t pay taxes, residents do • College people weren’t born here, Residents were (even if they won't) • ~ 16 years ago “Real Residents” vs. Wesleyan employee/residents • ~14 years ago new president (Bennett) realized importance of town relationships • First service learning course • Followed by Office of Community Partnership • Community Advisory Board/residents

  26. How to begin/continue • Single course, establish a track record • Start with a half credit course? • Include one SL exercise in a course you’ve been teaching • Be your own PR person • Get help from Campus Compact, people in this course, administration • Demonstrate improved class/information/attitude • Get students to advocate

  27. How to begin/continue • Seek institutional support • Recognition – Carnegie Classification (Positive publicity for Institution) • Career Office • Alumni • Transportation, materials, contacts • Once you have a track record, the community may come to your rescue. Wesleyan example. • Community Volunteers to sit the phone • Transportation from other groups, e.g. retirement community vans

  28. Students • Students are more engaged • Other people care about their work • Decisions will be made based on their work • There is no formula to follow – they have to make the plan and carry it out • Other people think they’re a scientist (maybe?) • They develop citizen & science skills • Address a problem • Collect data • Analyze & interpret data • Present results – speaking skills • Present results – writing skills

  29. Our Model • Received small grant from Surdna Foundation • Established Center for Community Partnership • Full time Director of Volunteerism, coordinates all volunteer and paid volunteer activities (several hundred a semester) • Full Time Director of the Center and Community Outreach, meets with civic groups (Chamber, Boards, Social Service Groups) • 0.73 time AA (full time during academic year), pays students, orders supplies, arranges transportation, handles accounts for Service Learning Professors, and other community related tasks • Half time director of Service Learning

  30. Our Model Director of Service learning Assist Faculty developing service learning course Give at least one presentation /year to faculty about service learning Visit departments and encourage them to think about service learning classes Approach faculty if I have an idea, or translate an idea from a community member. Make sure there are funds for faculty education, equipment, field trips, bring in speakers. We’ve been adding about 5 service learning courses/year. Achievements McDonough School (K-6) – biggest gains in state achievement tests Annotated GIS maps for open space planning and trail location Water quality analysis and recommendations for the YMCA swimming pond Recommendations for the landfill methane Student effort to get other students to ride the bus – all first year students now receive bus information and are encouraged to take the bus

  31. Our Model • Director of Service learning • Assist faculty developing or wanting to develop a service learning course • Give at least one presentation /year to faculty about service learning • Arrange presentation at Commencement & Reunion • Visit departments and encourage them to think about service learning classes • Approach faculty if I have an idea, or translate an idea from a community member. • Make sure there are funds for faculty education, equipment, field trips, bring in speakers. • We’ve been adding about 5 service learning courses/year.

  32. Service Learning in the Geosciences => Broader (better?) learning outcomes, Wider interpretation of science and who does science, & Community participation http://www.planetpals.com/recyclesymbols.html

  33. Service Learning in the Geosciences => Broader (better?) learning outcomes, Wider interpretation of science and who does science, & Community participation & its really a lot more fun http://www.planetpals.com/recyclesymbols.html

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