Transcript Document

TUTORIAL 1
Introduction to
Service-Learning
(Community-Based Learning/CBL)
and its Connection
to Jesuit Ideals
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
1
Tutorial Goals
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At the end of this tutorial, you will have an
understanding of:
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The definition and principles of servicelearning/CBL
The benefits of service-learning for students and
faculty
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
2
Tutorial Objectives
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At the end of this tutorial you will be able to:
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Reflect on your own perceptions of service-learning
based on your pre-assessment
• If you have not completed the pre-assessment, please stop
now and complete it prior to continuing with the tutorial
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Identify the type of potential course you have in mind
for service-learning
Explain how you see service-learning benefiting your
personal and professional life
Articulate how you think service-learning can benefit
your students
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
3
What is Service-Learning?
Or CBL?
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A pedagogical strategy where students apply what
they are learning in the classroom (course/learning
objectives) to a particular community
Communities are typically nonprofit (or underserved)
and the application, in part, is done through service
that fills a public good in the community; service that
is meaningful & relevant for all parties (community
and students)
Parties involved create a relationship and are
considered the recipient and the provider of the
service; both are changed by the experience
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
4
What is Service-Learning?
Or CBL?
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Students make meaningful connections between
what they are studying and its applications to the
community through guided reflective writing and
classroom discussion
“The community becomes an additional text for the
course.”
Community also becomes empowered as they codevelop the partnership and the work from their
strengths
Hopefully students will become more civically
engaged, leading to future community participation
(some materials adapted from Howard, 2001)
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
5
Who is Involved in
Service-Learning?
Students
Community
University
Faculty
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
6
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
4 Principles of Service-Learning
Public
Dissemination
Engagement
Reciprocity
Reflection
(Heffernan/Campus Compact, 2001)
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
7
4 Principles of Service-Learning
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Engagement: Direct experience working with
underserved communities and/or organizations that
promote the public good
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Does the service component meet a public good, and
how do you know this? Has the community been
consulted? How have campus-community boundaries
been negotiated and how will they be crossed?
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
8
4 Principles of Service-Learning
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Reflection: Reflection on the community
experience in connection to classroom materials
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Is there a mechanism that encourages students
to link their experience to course content and to
reflect upon why the service is important? What
assessment measures will be used to analyze
these reflections?
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
9
4 Principles of Service-Learning
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Reciprocity: Planned reciprocity of learning and
benefits
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Is reciprocity evident in the service component?
What is the community doing with and for the
students? What are the students doing with and for
the community? How?
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Service-Learning assumes that colleges are living
parts of communities, that the location of learning
and service is often beyond the classroom, and that
the communities have much to teach students and
faculty (Sigmon and Colleagues, 1996)
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
10
4 Principles of Service-Learning
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Public Dissemination: Sharing the outcomes with
appropriate communities
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Is service work presented to the public or made an
opportunity for the community to enter into a public
dialogue?
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For example: Do oral histories that students collect
return to the community in some public form? Is the
data students collect on saturation of toxins in the
local river made public? Does the University hear
about what the students have done? How?
(Heffernan/Campus Compact, 2001)
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
11
Teaching/Service Spectrum
Community Service
(“Pure” Service)
Practicum
(“Pure” Learning)
Service-Learning
(the meeting in the middle)
Charity
Philanthropy
Pre-professional
Training
(Zlotkowski, 2000; personal communication)
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
12
What makes Service Different
from Service-Learning?
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Both are just as important and valuable for students and
make an important contribution to society
The nature in which the service component or activity is
used as a pedagogy (in a course or within a co-curricular
program) to accomplish learning outcomes, to enhance
the learning of skills/concepts, and the inclusion of guided
reflections related to course content/outcomes is what
characterizes service-learning/CBL from service
Service-learning/CBL is also typically with the same site
throughout a semester; not a one-shot brief experience
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
13
Service Example
Students who volunteer and
help to clean the park as
a service activity for
Ratio Studiorum to help
out after a flood
No written reflections
Helping with
society
One-shot experience
Important to
community
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
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Learning about being
contributing members
of a community
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
Co-Curricular Service-Learning
Example
Students who go to New
Orleans for a fall break
service trip sponsored by
Creighton’s Center for
Service and Justice to help
families who have
been affected by Katrina
They have open reflections
and journal about the
experience; discussions and
events are focused around
objectives; students are
prepared for trip in advance
Helping with society;
students may also
become advocates
for local issues
Immersed experience where
students are helping a
community; more than likely
students have contact with and
create relationships with
community members
Raises student
consciousness of justice,
political, health,
human suffering…
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
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Learning about being
contributing members
of a community
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
Service-Learning/CBL Course
Example
Students partner with
the local Spanish
community during a
Social Work
They help families with the
immigration process and
study the effects of immigration
for families new to the country
Policies course
They visit the immigration
office and study the
Immigration laws in class
Students create
proposal for new
guidelines for
the immigration
process paperwork;
given to office
for consideration
Fulfilling a need of
the community and
learning about
cultural and
community issues
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
The create repeated written reflections
and have class discussions about
their experiences and how it links to
what they are studying in the class
Families,
students and
Immigration office
are mutually
benefiting from
the relationship
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They visit the families
various times throughout
the semester and create a
trusting relationship with them
Students grapple
with language,
class, and
justice issues
in reflections
Students feel
transformed
by the experience;
families are grateful
and experienced
compassion and
created relationship
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
How does it Fit in the Course?
Optional or Mandatory?
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Service-learning is a pedagogy; a unique mode of teaching and
learning
You do not have to justify reading a textbook or explain why
students need to write a paper; as long as they meet your
course objectives
Thus, you do not have to justify why students work in the
community - it is simply a course requirement
Remember, the community is another text for meeting course
objectives
It helps course material come to life and enhances learning!
If you do not make it an issue; students are less likely to make
it an issue!
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
17
Benefits of Service-Learning:
For Students
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Connects Theory and Practice
Helps Students Gain a Sense of Community and
Responsibility For Others
Learning/High Level of Student Engagement
Strengthens Promotes Active Analytical, ProblemSolving and Critical Thinking Skills
Promotes Value of Diversity/Reduces Stereotyping
and Facilitates Intercultural Understanding
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
18
Benefits of Service-Learning:
For Students
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Strengthens Interpersonal and Communication
Skills
Student Learning is Deeper; Understand Course
Concepts Better
Affirms Two Cardinal Values:
● personal responsibility for civic engagement
● institutional responsibility to participate with the
community to improve society
Adapted from: Conville, R. L. & Weintraub, S. C. (2002)
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
19
Service-Learning and
Jesuit Ideals
The Mission and Identity of Creighton
University parallel service-learning benefits:
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Our Jesuit vision commits us to form women and
men of competence, conscience and compassion
who have learned from reflecting upon their
experiences of being for and with others. We do this
in service of a faith that does justice.
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
20
Benefits for Faculty:
Teaching
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Enables Teaching to become More ProcessOriented
Increases Variety of Unique Pedagogical Practices
Improves Student Satisfaction with College
Provides Authentic Assessment Opportunities
Builds Stronger Relationships with Faculty Members
(and with Students)
Co-Creation of Courses with Other Faculty
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
21
Benefits For Faculty:
Service
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Improves Relationships with Community
Increases Personal Involvement with Community
Provides Opportunity for Community Boards
Allows for Campus Organizational/Service
Opportunities
Affirms Two Cardinal Values:
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personal responsibility for civic engagement
institutional responsibility to participate with the
community to improve society
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
22
Benefits for Faculty:
Scholarship
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Integrates Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Projects
Allows Faculty to Reach Scholarship Level
Enhances Personal Scholarship of Teaching
Provides Opportunities for Regional/National
Scholarship Engagement in Organizations
Broadens Outlets for Presentations and Publications of
Research
Enhances Tenure/Promotion Dossier
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
23
Link to Jesuit Mission
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As Jesuit, Creighton participates in the tradition of the Society of Jesus which
provides an integrating vision of the world that arises out of a knowledge and love
of Jesus Christ.
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As comprehensive, Creighton's education embraces several colleges and
professional schools and is directed to the intellectual, social, spiritual, physical
and recreational aspects of student's lives and to the promotion of justice.
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Creighton exists for students and learning. Members of the Creighton
community are challenged to reflect on transcendent values, including their
relationship with God, in an atmosphere of freedom of inquiry, belief and religious
worship.
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Service to others, the importance of family life, the inalienable worth of each
individual, and appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity are core values of
Creighton.
www.creighton.edu/mission
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
24
Link to Jesuit Mission
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Creighton faculty members conduct research to
enhance teaching, to contribute to the
betterment of society, and to discover new
knowledge. Faculty and staff stimulate critical and
creative thinking and provide ethical perspectives for
dealing with an increasingly complex world.
www.creighton.edu/mission
Your teaching should inform
and be informed by your scholarship!!
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
25
Final Thoughts
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Hope you now have a general understanding of
service-learning/community-based learning and how
you may find it useful in your classes
Remember just as you carefully pick the texts for
your courses, you also carefully choose the service
sites for your courses; if your objectives are
appropriate, then think about the potentials of
engaging your students in the wonderful world of
service-learning!
Proceed to completing the post-tutorial exercises
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
26
References
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Conville, R. L., & Weintraub, S. C. (2002). Service-learning and communication: A disciplinary toolkit. Washington,
DC: National Communication Association.
Heffernan, K. (Ed.), (2001). Fundamentals of service-learning course construction. Providence, RI: Campus
Compact.
Howard, J. (Ed.). (2001). Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning: Service-learning course design
workbook. Ann Arbor, MI: Regents of the University of Michigan, OCSL Press.
National Service-Learning and Assessment Study Group (October, 1999). Service-learning and assessment: A
field guide for teachers. The Vermont Department of Education - Learn and Serve America.
Sigmon, R. L., & Colleagues. (1996). Journey to service-learning: Experiences from independent liberal arts
colleges and universities. Washington, DC: Council of Independent Colleges.
www.creighton.edu/mission
Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment
Creighton University
© 2007 Donna R. Pawlowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
27