Helping Students Find Time
for Service-Learning in
Courses
Dr. Tania S. Smith
Assistant Professor
University of Calgary
EngageNOW Conference
Calgary, October 1, 2009
Curricular CSL
 2 locations for CSL
– Curricular (within curriculum, credit courses)
– Co-curricular (non-credit programs offered
by the institution)
 Both are valuable, complementary
 Different from other experiential learning
 Practicum, internship, co-op for credit
 Volunteerism, workplace learning
 Social learning (sports, clubs, family)
Benefits of Curricular CSL
 Accessible to more students
 Integration with academic learning
 Social development, not just career &
academic development
 Faculty & student engagement
 Transformation of curriculum &
teaching methods
 Problem-based, Inquiry-based, collaborative
 Sustainable community partnerships
Time for Service-Learning
2008 NSSE* student survey data
Question
Participated in a community-based
project (e.g., service learning) as part of
a regular course
Community service or volunteer work
(not service-learning)
*National Survey of Student Engagement
U of C 4th years
Never 72%
Sometimes 18%
Often 6%
Very often 4%
Have not decided
Do not plan to do
Plan to do
Done
10%
23%
14%
53%
Student Time
2008 CUSC* student survey data
Task
Canadian students
Hrs / week
U of C
Hrs / week
1.9
2.75
Time in class
15.7
15.8
Time studying
17.4
17.9
Employment
16.8
16.5
3.8
4.0
55.6
56.9
Commute to campus
(of the 48-50% of students who are
employed)
Service / Volunteer
(of the 48-49% of students who volunteer)
Totals
*Canadian University Survey Consortium
Canada (n = 11,981) |
U of C (n =248 )
Student Time for Community
2008 CUSC student survey data
Activity done
“often or very often”
Canadian
students
U of C
students
Participated in on/off-campus community
service / volunteer activities
22%
25%
Attended campus lectures (outside of class)
23%
23%
Attended campus social events
21%
15%
Attended campus cultural events (theatre,
concerts, art)
14%
9%
Participated in student clubs
20%
20%
Participated in student government
7%
3%
Time within courses
Class time (lecture, lab,
tutorial)
Study time
3 h / week
5 h / week
Total 8 h / week
3 courses / term 24 h / week
5 courses / term 40 h / week
Why CSL Needs Time
 Give a significant benefit to community
 Make it worthy of the effort; reputation
 2 aspects of CSL time for Students
 Time for the “service” activity
 Estimated 10-40 hours / term
 Time for preparation, related academic
learning and assignments
 Equal or greater in proportion to service activity
 2 aspects of CSL time for Faculty & Community -not covered here! -- institutional time needed
 Pre-term preparation, Post-term evaluation and research
CSL Preparation Time
 Before service, students learn…
 What is CSL and Why are we doing it?
 Who is the community partner?
 organization, people, local histories
 What are the issues and concepts the
community partner needs us to understand?
 How will our learning be structured?
 How does CSL relate to
 The rest of the course (readings, assignments)
 The students’ backgrounds & personal futures
CSL Implementation Time
 During service, students do…
 Group communication (if group project)
 Partner communication or liaison
 Class visits, telephone, email, real-time internet
 Transportation (if class or service off-campus)
 Assignments: Reporting & Reflection
 Service & lectures, readings, etc.
 Service & personal development
 Service & organizational, social development
Solution #1 = Within Course
 If CSL required for all students enrolled
 Downsize & simplify the service
 1-3 hrs / week of service
 This includes student communication & planning time
needed to conduct service
 One community partner per TA / Faculty
 Easier to integrate community content into course
 Try on-campus projects
 Clubs, offices, task forces, campus issues
 Less student preparation, transportation
 Limit (or omit) group assignments
 Group work usually requires additional time within &
outside of class.
Solution #1 = Within Course
 CSL in registrar-scheduled class time
 Group meetings, Lectures
 CSL presentations (I.e. progress, final)
 Partner visits, field trips
 CSL integrated with content & methods
 Some lecture time on CSL
 Some readings cover CSL issues/skills as well
as course content/skills
 Student assignments: CSL or integrated
Solution #1= Within Course
CSL course
(2 alternatives)
h/week h/week
h/week h/week
Academic Integrated
Learning*
Service
Course A Class time
2
2
1
2
Course A Out-of-class
time
1
0
TOTALS
4
4
Not more than “normal”
Course B Class time
1
1
1
Course B Out-of-class 2
2
1
8
3
5
Not more than “normal”
8
time
* “integrated learning” = lecture or required readings on the theme of the CSL project; “reflection”
assignments that ask students to synthesize academic learning with service experience
Solution # 2. CSL In & Beyond
 If course requires significantly more time
& effort from all students enrolled
 If CSL is optional, an additional unit built
on top of the course
 If some students volunteer extra CSL time
and effort on the project
It is still credit-based learning, not
volunteerism/co-curricular
Solution # 2. CSL In & Beyond
 Alternative assignments for CSL students
 Quality & integration requires extra
individualized instruction for CSL students
 Can be perceived as unfair treatment
 Extra credit hours (3 cr + 1 extra credit)
 Administrative policies, paperwork
 E.g. at Missouri State University and Georgetown
University center for social justice, and Miami
University
 Students do the paperwork, obtain signatures,
submit proof
Solution # 2. CSL In & Beyond
Class time
h/week h/week
h/week h/week
Academic Integrated
Learning
Service
2
1
1
Out-of-class time
2
3*
3
1/3 More than “normal” course
TOTALS
4
8
12
* Students may be assigned additional readings by the community
partner, I.e. reports by the organization, literature review on the
issue, additional observation / training in the community
Solution #3. Directed Study
 Some students interested in CSL, but…
NO room in “normal” course for CSL
 3-5 students in concurrent directed study course
 Synergies: With the same teacher. Students may play a
“leadership” role in the regular course, share lecture
time in reg. course, do complementary assignments,
orally present to the reg. course
 Costs: additional faculty member time, faculty member
expertise in CSL, student recruitment & planning
 Alternative : Subsequent directed study course
 Useful to conduct CSL follow-up or evaluation
Solution # 3. Directed Study
Course A Class time
Course A Out-of-class
time
Directed Study Class
time
Directed Study Out-ofclass time
h/week h/week
h/week h/week
Academic Integrated
Learning
Service
3
5
-
-
TOTALS
3
5
“normal” course
1
1
1
8
3
1
5
2
2
“normal” course
8
Solution # 4. Learning Community
 Concurrent enrollment in 2-3
courses on a related theme
 1 of the courses is CSL intensive
 1 course is primarily academic
 1 optional course or non-credit
workshop focuses on integration or
skills (I.e. writing, research, teamwork,
leadership)
 Normal credit for each academic
course
Solution #4 Learning Community
 Benefits




Collaboration and shared learning for all
More service hours & better preparation
Interdisciplinarity
Can be scheduled as
 1 course with 2x credit in a single term
 1 Fall Academic course + 1 Winter CSL course
 Costs
 Students must be recruited or required
 Registrar must accommodate
 Faculty & community time & help to plan
together
Solution #4 Learning Community
h/week h/week
h/week h/week
Academic Integrated
Learning
Service
Academic Course
Class time
3
-
-
3
Academic Course Outof-class time
5
-
-
5
CSL Course Class time
“normal” course
0
2
1
0
2
3
8
3
5
Complementary “normal” course
8
CSL Course Out-ofclass time
TOTALS
Summary: Finding Time
1. Within course time
2. In and beyond course
3. Directed study courses
4. Learning communities
Solutions 1-4 arranged in order:
 Increasing CSL time, quality, potential
 Short to Long-term implementation
•
•
#1 requires the instructor to be the CSL
expert. Integration is not easy.
#4 requires institutional teamwork
References
•
•
•
Juganue. (2009). Clock texture. [Background image] deviantART. Retrieved September 27, 2009 from
http://www.deviantart.com/download/79693975/Clock_Texture_by_juganue.jpg
Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC). (2008, June). Undergraduate Student Survey. Retrieved
September 27, 2009 from the University of Calgary website http://oia.ucalgary.ca/system/files/CUSC_2008.pdf
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). (2008, August) University of Calgary: Mean Comparisons.
Retrieved September 27, 2009 from the University of Calgary website
http://wcmprod2.ucalgary.ca/oia/system/files/NSSE+2008.pdf (p. 23, 28)