What is service-learning?
|
- Service-Learning is often thought of as an additional component that teachers have to add to the curriculum taught in the classroom. This is actually not the case!
- Service-learning is more than a community service project.
- It is an opportunity to allow students to use the knowledge they have learned in the classroom, think critically, implement a change in society, and reflect on how they can have a positive impact in the local community.
- Service-learning is an inviting opportunity for students to learn more about global and social issues and step outside of the classroom.
- These types of opportunities also engage students in satisfying career opportunities.
- Service-learning could be the answer to helping improve test scores, critical thinking skills, overall student achievement, and the key to engaging students in rewarding and meaningful academic experiences.
Learn and Serve America. (2007, January 17). Learn and Serve America. Retrieved October 13, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTAfHBwW2mk
- This is a great video explaining what service-learning is. The video was put together in 2007; however, the topics that administrators, teachers, and students share are still applicable to today. The video also does an excellent job at showing how to integrate the service-learning projects with the academic curriculum. This video gives more information about Learn and Serve America that could be helpful for teachers and school districts.
All students will benefit from service-learning projects for many reasons:
- Hands on learning, increases student engagement, connects academics to real world experiences
- Build community inside and outside of the classroom and promote cultural awareness
- The term service-learning is seen with and without a hyphen.
- The hyphen suggests that this is a two-way street where, “service is enhanced through learning and learning is enhanced through service” (Bhaerman, 1995, p. 2).
- Teachers have the opportunity to connect academics with theories in order to address the needs of the community.
- Research also shows that preservice teachers have a higher sense of self-efficacy when incorporating service-learning into the classroom (Cone N. , 2009, p. 28).
- Ultimately, the neighbors in need are the ones right there in the community that surrounds us; that is why community service has such a vital role in our world (Bhaerman, 1995, p. 3).
Neporcha Cone of the University of Miami states, “Community-based service learning is a student-centered pedagogy that connects authentic, meaningful service with academic study and reflection” (Cone N. , 2009, p. 27). |
Sug Kim states, “Service-learning programs present alternative strategies that provide preservice teachers with meaningful contexts to deepen their learning experiences” (Kim, 2010, p. 321). |
- Volunteers can learn several life skills but often miss the connection to academics. A crucial component that service-learning provides is the ability to allow students to engage in rewarding experiences with the community and then make the connection with various academic subjects (Kaye, 2004, p. 7) (Legant, 2010, pp. 2-4).
- Service-learning for preservice teachers is a great example of how they can use the skills learned in teacher education courses and address community needs. This also increases awareness of diversity within the classroom. The ultimate outcome of this is a better educated community and educated individuals who have the capability to be effective teachers for all students (Cone N. , 2012, p. 893).
|
|