Service Learning Course Development:
Developing Community Partnerships That Work
Maureen Rubin
California State University, Northridge
maureen.rubin@csun.edu
Who is out there in cyberspace?
• Using the chat feature, please let me know who
is attending today.
• If you have already engaged in a community
partnership, please let me know the main
challenge you faced.
• If you are new to service-learning, what’s your
main challenge regarding community
partnerships?
Most important question for faculty-• What are your desired student learning outcomes?
• WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO LEARN?
• Primary Goal
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Understanding of Course Content
• Value Added Goals
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Understanding Related Societal/Professional Issues
Awareness of and Involvement with Community
Commitment to Service
Career Development
Self-awareness, Sensitivity to Diversity, Sense of Ownership
Improved Communication and Critical Thinking Skills
Leadership, Values, Taking Responsibility, Perseverance
Don’t want to preach to the choir
We’re all aware of the benefits of community
partnerships:
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Fulfills part of higher education’s responsibility to its
community.
Many positive effects of students’ academic and
personal development. Makes learning relevant.
High Impact practice that boosts retention and
graduation rates.
Helps community organizations increase the quality of
service to their clients.
Enhances the ability of both the university and the
community organization to achieve their missions.
What makes a good partnership?
• Honoring the role of the community as
co-educator.
• Collaborating on all aspects of course design.
• Having all parties understand the desired student
learning outcomes and have a clear role in guiding
students toward achieving them.
• Recognizing community voices in defining needs,
faculty expertise in developing projects to address
defined needs, and students' voices in implementing
community learning projects.
Cal State Northridge Center for Community Engagement
http://www.csun.edu/csl/
So that means definitions must be clear
Volunteerism – Describes people, who of their own free
will and without pay, perform service or do good work.
This can be done on a regular or sporadic basis with any
community. Volunteers perform whatever tasks need to
be done.
Internships/Practicum/Field Work – Capstone academic
experiences through which students implement material
covered in a series of classes. Students’ service should
give them opportunities to use the knowledge and skills
that have attained and should resemble entry-level
employment as much as possible.
Community service-learning
• Academic study linked to community service through
collaborative planning and structured reflection and so
that each reinforces the other.
• Service-learners should perform service that will
advance mutually agreed upon student learning
outcomes.
• The community service may be direct service to people
in need, community outreach and education, research
or policy analysis.
• Regular and vigorous reflection is on-going, not just at
mid-term and finals time.
Finding community partners
• Where are they?
 They are located throughout your community but you
and the University might have to network to find
them:
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Build a database.
Go to community meetings (United Way).
Learn about existing coalitions.
Ask faculty who they know and work with.
Visit schools, small businesses, specialty groups.
Make it easy for them to find you.
Create web applications.
(but be sure to work with risk management).
Resources that can help you
may exist in your community
It’s just like match.com
• If you were searching for a date, you would be
required to complete an extensive questionnaire
before a match is proposed.
• The potential consequences of not conducting an
extensive screening process is much worse than a
bad first date, because they last an entire semester.
• Researching compatibility is a MUST
• Is there a shared understanding of “who we are” as
a partnership entity? Janke calls it a “partnership
identity.”
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Janke, Emily
Defining Characteristics of Partnership Identity in Faculty Community Partnerships,
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Information Age Publishing, 2009
Here’s a sample of what to ask
from California State University
• Organization Name
• Type of Organization ( Adult Education, Faith
Based, Government, High School)
• Partnership Contact and Title
• Address
• Phone
• Email, FAX, website
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The whole request form can be found at:
http://www.servicelearning.org/sample_form_template/request-initiatecampus-community-partnership
Community issues addressed
Education - Early Childhood
Food Security
Health – Policies & Practices
Media – Public Radio or Television
Voter Information & Registration
Agriculture
Education – K-6
Global Issues
Health – Public Health
Poverty
Women’s Rights
Animal Welfare
Education – Middle School
Health – Aging & Hospice Care
Health – Substance Abuse
Public Safety
Youth – At-Risk Youth Programming
Arts & Culture
Education – High School
Health – Chronic Disease
Housing
Social Services – Adults
Youth – Career Exploration
Community/Economic Development
Education – Literacy
Health – Community Wellness
Homelessness
Social Services – Children & Youth
Youth – Foster Care
Community Gardening
Education – Mathematics
Health – Mental Wellness
Immigration & Naturalization
Technology
Youth – Recreational Programs
Conflict Resolution/ Peace & Justice
Education – Physical Education
Health - Nutrition
Labor/Employment Development
Transportation
Youth – School-Based Programs
Economic Development
Environmental Sustainability
Health – Physical Fitness
Legal Assistance / Social Justice
Urban Planning & Development
Other
advocacy
Have students indicate availability and
community members indicate requirements
• Ask how many hours will be required of a student
• Ask what those hours are
•Student schedules have to accommodate community partner needs
• Everyone is asking for trouble if they don’t. Students often overestimate
their availability and underestimate their outside activities.
Monday
6:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. - Noon
Noon – 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Determine what sort of majors
community partners need – they don’t
think BROADLY
Accounting & Information
Systems
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Economics
Engineering – Civil &
Applied Mechanics
Family & Consumer
Sciences
Journalism
Modern & Classical
Languages & Literature
Psychology
Anthropology
Chicana/o Studies
Education – Deaf
Studies
Engineering – Electrical &
Computer
Finance, Real Estate &
Insurance
Kinesiology
Music
Recreation & Tourism
Mgmt.
Art
Child & Adolescent
Development
Education – Elementary
Engineering –
Manufacturing Systems
Gender & Women’s
Studies
Liberal Studies Program
Pan African Studies
Religious Studies
Asian American Studies
Cinema & Television Arts
Education – Leadership
& Policy
Engineering – Mechanical
Geography
Management
Philosophy
Social Work
Biology
Communication Disorders &
Sciences
Education –
Psychology &
Counseling
Engineering – Systems &
Operations Mgmt.
Geological Sciences
Marketing
Physical Therapy
Sociology
Business Law
Communication Studies
Education – Secondary
English
Health Sciences
Mathematics
Physics & Astronomy
Theatre
Central American Studies
Computer Science
Education – Special
Education
Environmental &
Occupational Health
History
Mathematics –
Developmental
Political Science
Urban Studies & Planning
Planning for the first meeting
Community collaboration planner
Community Partner
• Briefly describe your organization: mission, main
interest, population served, organizational structure,
budgets.
• What do you see as the potential benefit for the
community from students performing these service
activities?
• What are the most important lessons your
organization can teach college students?
• List three service outcomes (representative activities
that you would like students to perform) at your
organization and describe them to the students and
faculty members.
Community collaboration planner
Faculty Members and Students
• Describe the course in which community-service learning
will be used.
• List your top three student learning outcomes (the three
most important things you want to learn or have your
students learn during the service learning experience)
and describe them to your community partner.
Both Partners
• Find at least three intersections where the faculty and
student goals and the community partner goals can
coalesce. Keep talking and negotiating until this is
accomplished.
What will students do?
• Is there a meeting of the minds? A “partnership identity?
• Very important to see if community partners have a
realistic understanding of the type and level of service
that it expected.
• Consider:
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Is the service the right level for the class?
Is it something that can be done in one semester?
Will students address on-going needs or work on a
special projects?
Will the faculty member’s student learning objectives be
advanced through this service?
Do both parties agree on student learning outcomes?
Would you allow…
• Students to pick up trash at a site?
• Under what circumstances?
Please type your criteria using the chat feature.
Would you allow…
• Students to help litigants fill out forms for court
appearances?
• Under what circumstances?
Next step: Having a conversation
With basic outcomes are defined begin working toward
agreement on several points.
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Placing Students
Scheduling
Site Procedures
Training and Orientation
Planning activities
Communicating
Evaluating
All decisions don’t have to be made at the first joint
planning session. BUT they should be made together
as soon as possible.
Placing students
• Who assigns students to sites? Faculty
member or student?
• Get information from community partner and
distribute to students on the first day of class.
Include brochures or descriptions with syllabus
• Invite the community partner to come to class at
the next meeting to describe the
organization/project/clients?
• Same assignment or rotation?
Scheduling
• How long will the service component of the class
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last? Start date______ End date_____
How many students will go to this site?
How many times a week will they come to the site?
How many total hours will be required of each
student?
What are the on-site check-in and check-out
procedures.
Make a sign up grid.
Can missed days be made up? How?
Revisit student schedule planners
with community partners
• Ask how many hours will be required of a student
• Ask what those hours are
•Student schedules have to accommodate community partner needs
• Everyone is asking for trouble if they don’t. Students often overestimate
their availability and underestimate their outside activities.
Monday
6:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. - Noon
Noon – 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Plan student recruitment
• Have all potential community partners come to
first class
• Bring literature
• Make a presentation
• All students time for q & a with potential partners
• If a representative of the community partner
can’t attend, pass out literature. But it is not a
good sign of their recognition of what the
students need from them.
At orientation, cover site procedures
• What are the on-site check-in and check-out procedures
• How will students track their hours?
• Are there transportation or parking problems?
• Is public transportation available?
• What should students wear?
• Who will be the on-site supervisor?
• Will students be driving a company car?
• Where will students work? Will all materials/equipment
be provided?
• Will students be asked to purchase anything? Will
expenses be reimbursed?
Plan ahead
• Background checks
• TB tests
• Special training
• All of these take time
• When can you communicate with next
semester’s students?
• Find out and contact them as soon as possible
to deal with site requirements
Training
• Where and what kind of orientation is planned?
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In class or on site?
How long?
One shot or continual?
• Stress importance of attendance.
• Any special training? Can it be part of the
class?
• Schedule a meeting between the on-site
supervisor and the students as early as possible.
Student orientation
• Presentation on agency mission, main interest,
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population served, organizational structure, budgets,
programs and services.
Introduction and break out sessions with site
supervisors. Provide job descriptions.
Rules and regulations: privacy; state, local and
federal laws (i.e. privacy, reporting, harassment).
Emergency procedures including who to contact.
Tour the site.
Sample common sense
rules for students
• Ask for help when in doubt.
• Be punctual and responsible.
• Call if you’re going to be late or absent.
• Respect the privacy of everyone at community site.
• Show respect for everyone you meet.
• Be appropriate, courteous and kind.
• Dress modestly and safely.
• Be flexible; community needs aren’t always
predictable.
Stricter guidelines
• DO NOT report under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Do not loan money.
• Do not make promises you can’t keep.
• Do not tolerate any sexual harassment or inappropriate
behavior.
• Do not engage in business relationship.
• Do not tolerate any verbal exchanges that might show
discrimination of any kind.
• Do not enter into any personal relationships.
Community partners must be
trained -- just like students
• Require designated representatives of all
community partner organizations to attend a
substantive training session prior to the start of
the semester.
• No other way to assure that rules, regulations
and expectations are shared and understood.
• Include time for faculty and community partners
to work together to shape the class and its
service experience.
Planning activities
The first day of service
What “ice-breakers” will be used to introduce
students to their on-site clients? It’s like 6th
grade!
The last day of service
What is the plan for closure and recognition of
participants?
Everything in between
Just like teachers, service-learning students
need “lesson plans.”
Communicating
• The number one problem and the number one
solution.
• How will communication between faculty
members, students and community partners be
maintained?
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Be specific
Exchange contact information for every contingency
Evaluating and assessing
• In service-learning, every party evaluates every
other party.
• What indicators or outcome measure will be
used?
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Students evaluate placement
Students evaluate faculty
Community supervisors evaluate students
• How will the partnership as a whole be
assessed?
• How will needed adjustments be made?
Risk management
• Complex and campus specific but:
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Community sites should identify and put inherent risks
in writing (facility hazards, location concerns, client or
personnel issues)
Make a plan to communicate these risks to campus
official and to students
Make a plan on how future risks will be
identified and communicated
Sample forms
• Sample forms are available at:
• http://www.csun.edu/communityengagement/
• Look under “Risk Management Support for
Service-Learning Courses” and “Risk
Management Forms for Students” to see how
my university handles the issue.
Additional Resources: National
Service Learning Clearinghouse
• http://www.servicelearning.org/
• Search for many articles under “community
partnerships”
• By discipline ( Community Partnerships for Health)
• By issue (economic development)
• By type of Higher Ed (faith-based)
• By country
Partnerships that
Work: the Stories and
Lessons from
Campus/Community
Collaborations
Author:
Charlene J. Gray
Author:
James M. Heffernan
Author:
Michael H. Norton
Publication Date:
n.d.
Publisher:
Campus Compact
Creating Our Identities in ServiceLearning and Community
Engagement
Author:
Shelley H. Billig
Author:
Barbara A. Holland
Author:
Barbara E. Moely
Publication Date:
2009
Publisher:
Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Pages:
288
Achieving the Promise of Authentic CommunityHigher Education Partnerships: Community Case
Stories
Institution:
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health
Publication Date: 2007
Publisher: Community-Campus Partnerships for
Health
Defining Characteristics of Partnership Identity in
Faculty Community Partnerships
Emily Janke, Information Age Publishing, 2009
Questions
Maureen Rubin
California State University, Northridge
maureen.rubin@csun.edu
818-677-8821
www.innovativeeducators.org