Service-Learning in Higher Education
October 4, 2010
Allison Edwards, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor & Director, Undergraduate Family and
Consumer Sciences
Department of Human Environmental Sciences
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Is service-learning different from
experiential learning?
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Experiential Learning
In Experiential Learning,
• knowledge is continuously created through the
transformation of experiences;
• learning occurs through action;
• new experiences must be integrated with past
experiences through on-going reflection for
true experiential learning to occur.
(King & Kitchener, 2004; Kolb, 1984; Dewey, 1938)
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Experiential Learning: Common Types
Practicum
ServiceLearning
Travel/Field
Study
Cooperative
Education
Internship
Experiential
Learning
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Service-Learning – What is it?
A form of experiential learning that encourages
intellectual development and civic engagement
through student interactions with real-world
problems.
– Praxis: Formation of knowledge through critical, realitybased action and reflection (Connecting theory to practice)
– Reciprocal: Learning reinforces the service, and the service
reinforces the learning.
(American Association of Higher Education, 1997; Freire, 1973; Prentice & Garcia, 2000)
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Service-Learning…
Service-Learning includes:
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active, meaningful participations,
purposefully organized experiences,
a focus on community needs,
academic curriculum focus,
integration into course objectives,
structured time for on-going reflection,
opportunities for application of skills and knowledge,
development of civic responsibility.
(Corporation for National and Community Service, 2008.; Howard, 1998; Madsen, 2004; Weigert, 1998)
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Service-Learning as a Viable Pedagogy
Benefits to students include:
• intellectual growth,
• greater understanding of course concepts
• personal development & epistemological
transformation,
• social commitment & civic responsibility (serve the
dear neighbor, and
• appreciation for diversity.
(Astin, et al., 2000; Eyler & Giles, 1998; Holland, 2001; Hughes, 2001; Markus, Arbor,
Howard & King, 1993; Rhoads, 1998)
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Service-Learning:
• “My eyes were opened to a different world and to
situations that were beyond control. These women did
not ask to be put in this situation. A lot of the time I just
thought they [specific population] were lazy. It really
gave me a different outlook on people. Life is not always
hard; somebody else is always fighting a harder battle”
(Participant Interview 2).
• “I think this experience [service-learning] is very
important. I do think that when you are in a
classroom all the time and getting stuff out of a book
you do not really know how to apply the information
until you are in a situation where you need it. I think
that is very important” (Participant Interview 7).
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Quality Service-Learning Experiences Include:
• Student Input: student participation in the selection of the
service site and community need to address.
• Structure: the setting of the service, type of service,
preparations the student receives prior to the experience and
the experiences/tasks during the service.
• Application: extent to which students are able to link the
classroom curriculum to the community experience.
• Reflection: the on-going connection between the service and
academic learning (reflection before, during and after ).
• Diversity: opportunity to work with people from diverse
groups during the service.
(Eyler & Giles, 1999; Schine, 1990; The Corporation for National and Community Service, 2008)
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Our Roles as Educators
• Organize and facilitate experiences that will ultimately
lead to students’ meaningful learning. (Smith, 2003)
• Preparing graduates to critically analyze, transfer and
apply knowledge and skills to real-life situations.
( Baxter Magolda, 2006; Ngai 2006; Boyer, 1994)
• Create experiences that will lead to educational goals
through hands-on and active learning, reflective
thinking and shared communication. (Smith, 2003)
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Resources
Higher Education – Service Learning List Serve
http://lists.etr.org/read/?forum=he-sl
Campus Compact
http://www.compact.org/
– Dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and servicelearning in higher education.
The National Center for Service Learning
http://www.servicelearning.org/
– Service learning resources, lessons, syllabi, scholarly resources and faculty tool
kit.
Corporation for National & Community Service
http://www.nationalservice.gov/Default.asp
– Supports the American culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility.
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References
Astin, A.W., Sax, L.J., & Avalos, J. (2003). Long-term effects are affected by service participation. Journal of College
Student Development, 39(3), 251-263.
Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2006). Evolution of a constructivist conceptualization of epistemological reflection. Educational
Psychologist, 39(1), 31-42.
Boyer, E. L. (1994, March 9). Creating the new American college. Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A48.
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books.
Eyler, J., & Giles, E. G. (1998). A service learning research agenda for the next five years. [Monograph] New Directions
for Teaching and Learning, 73. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
King, P. M. & Kitchener, K. S. (2004). Reflective judgment: Theory and research on the development of epistemic
assumptions through adulthood. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), 5-18.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experiences as the source of learning and development. Inglewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Ngai, S. S. (2006, Spring). Service-learning, personal development, and social commitment: A case study of university
students in Hong Kong. Adolescence, 41(161), 165-174.
Markus, G., Arbor, A., Howard, J. P. E., & King. D. C. (1993). Integrating community service and classroom instruction
enhances learning: Results from an experiment. Education Evaluation & Policy Analysis, 15, 410-419.
Rhoads, R. A., & Howard, J. P. F. (1998). Academic service learning: A pedagogy of action and Reflection. [Monograph]
New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 73, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ryerson University, (n.d.). Experiential learning outcomes. Retrieved September 21, 2009, from
http://www.ryerson.ca/experiential_learning/el_at_ryerson/outcomes/
Smith, M. K. (2003). Introducing informal education. Retrieved September 18, 2009, from http://www.infed.org/iintro.htm
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“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I
do and I understand”. (Confucius)
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