COBEC Conference
February 8, 2008
International Service Learning
Jay Ashman
Meg Ashman
Department of Community Development and Applied Economics,
University of Vermont
Visiting Faculty, Galen University
St. Lucia
Micro-hydro Project
What is Service-Learning?
“A form of experiential education in which
students engage in activities that address
human and community needs
together with structured opportunities
intentionally designed to promote
student learning and development.”
» Jacoby, 1996
Service and Learning Typology
Sygmon, 1994
Service-LEARNING
Learning goals primary
Service outcomes secondary
SERVICE-learning
Service outcomes primary
Learning goals secondary
service learning
Service and learning goals
completely separate
SERVICE-LEARNING
Service and learning goals of equal weight
Each enhances other for all participants
Experiential Learning Continuum
Who is BENEFITTING?
Recipient
Provider
What is the main FOCUS?
Service
Learning
SERVICE-LEARNING
COMMUNITY SERVICE
VOLUNTEERISM
FIELD EDUCATION
INTERNSHIP
Adapted from
Furco, 1996
Volunteerism
• Primary emphasis on service provided
• Primary beneficiary is service recipient
• “Inherently altruistic”
Community Service
• Primary focus on service provided
• May involve more structure than volunteerism
• As service becomes integrated with formal
course work, moves closer to center of
continuum
Internships
• Student the primary beneficiary
• Focus on student learning
– Goal is to acquire skills and knowledge
Field Education
• Service activities related to but not fully
integrated into academics
• Focus on maximizing student learning
Service Learning
• Service addresses a need and follows processes that
are mutually agreed upon by partner agency and
instructor
• Equal benefit to community partner and students
– “reciprocity”
• Equal focus on service and learning
Examples:
What might each look like?
• Volunteering for Belize
Botanic Gardens
• Interning at Belize
Botanic Gardens
• Service learning with
Belize Botanic Gardens
Service Learning Courses
• Must have academic context that ensures
– Service enhances learning
– Learning enhances service
• Actively guide and support students in critical
reflection regarding integration of service and
academic course content
Benefits of Service Learning
for the Student
• Applies concepts from the classroom to
service
• Provides platforms to analyze and discuss civic
values
• Increases analytical skills
• Develops meaningful involvement with the
local community
Domestic Example of S-L Course:
“Strategic Writing for Public Communication”
Objective:
Students apply principles of strategic writing
by partnering with a community-based org.
to address a need in the community
through written materials
4 Building Blocks: PARE
(Preparation, Action, Reflection, Evaluation)
1. Preparation:
• Identify organization
• Develop relationship with partner
• Prepare service-learning teaching assistant
• Introduce students to service-learning
• Have students “research” the organization
2. Action (by students):
• Meet with partner organization
• Develop Partnership Agreement
– Who will do what by when, and how?
– How often will students and partner meet
– How will students and partner communicate?
• Perform the “service” (with input from instructor)
Note: Service-learning T.A. makes sure students and
partner are communicating well and on task
• Present “product” to partner
3. Reflection
(structured critical analysis throughout semester):
• Connect the experience to the coursework
• Provide opportunity for students to share
project progress and concerns on ongoing basis
• Facilitate exchange of relevant information
between students, instructor and community
• Provide safe space to grapple with emotions
that arise from service experience
• http://www.compact.org/disciplines/reflection/faq/structured-part2.html
4. Evaluation, by:
•
•
•
•
Students
Partner
S-L teaching assistant
Instructor
How is International
Service Learning Different?
The intercultural component!
• Prepare students for intercultural experience
before leaving home institution
• Process the intercultural experience
during service-learning course in host country
Preparing Students for and Processing
the Intercultural Experience
•
•
•
•
•
Meetings (pre-departure; in host country)
Group exercises
Readings
Individual written reflections
Feedback on reflections
Pre-Departure Reflections
• Personal identity and culture:
– How do you think your personal traits or aspects of your
cultural identity will shape your experience living and
studying in abroad?
• Differences and similarities between U.S. and Belize:
– How do you anticipate handling differences?
– How might you use similarities to best advantage in new
relationships with Belizeans—inside/outside the university?
– How might you need to modify some usual behaviors?
• “Chance favors the prepared mind”:
– Describe the goals you have regarding your experience in
Belize--what do you want to get out of it?
– What are the benchmarks for each of your goals?
– What might you need to do to achieve them?
In-Country Reflections: Example
“Green Banana” article by Donald Batchelder
(learning and discovery related to
self-awareness and cultural awareness)
– Before coming to Belize, what was the center of your
world? What made it the center?
– What have been some “learning moments” you’ve had so
far in Belize?
– In what ways have you had a glimpse into the center of the
world of our host culture? What have you discovered
about that center?
Fostering Interaction between
UVM and Galen students
• Service project during
orientation weekend
• Extra-curricular
activities
• Volunteering
• Service-learning course
– Enrolled Galen students
– Appointed two Galen
students as servicelearning TA’s
– Brought TA’s on field trip
2007 Projects
Environmental Education
St. Barnabas
Energy Conservation
Tumul K’in Education Center
AIDS Media Study
Cornerstone Foundation
Best protection method
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Best Protection Method?
Our Curriculum in Belize
17 credits
• Course in sustainable development (3 credits)
– Principles of Sustainable Development
– Sustainable Development: An Indigenous Perspective
• Three elective courses (3 credits each)
– e.g., Social Issues in a Developing Country
– Environmental Problems
• Applications of Sustainable Development (4 credits)
– Service-learning course
• Maximizing Your Belize Experience (1 credit)
Applications of Sustainable Development
2008 service learning course
What we’ve done to date
• Concepts of service learning
• Cultural issues related to international service learning
• e.g., Ver Beek, International Service Learning: A Call To
Caution
• Sustainable Development Theory
– Chapters from “Taking Stock”
• Economy
• Environment
• Society
– Guest lectures from Galen faculty
• Dr. Julie Mueller
• Dr. Colin Young
• Dr. Filiberto Penados
• Teams read and presented to class
– 2007 project reports
– UN Millenium Development Goals
• Discussed potential projects and partners
• Tentatively selected seven potential projects
and partners
What’s next?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Literature reviews
Project proposals
Partnership agreements
Projects
Practice presentations
Written reports
Presentations to partners and other stakeholders
Evaluations by students and partners
Galen Faculty Participation This Year
• Consultations with Jay concerning community
needs, potential projects, potential partners
• Guest lectures
• Possible supervision of projects
Lessons We’ve Learned
• Learn about the country, the people and the community you
will be working in
• Plan for a multi-year commitment--build trust
• Apply principles of sustainability to the projects themselves
– Will work “live on” in the community--“plant a seed”?
– Is there the potential for the next group of students to
continue?
• Choose partners carefully; work hard at building relationships
– Educational institution (e.g, Galen University)
• Focus on sustainable development
• Interest in collaboration
– Community partner (e.g., Belize Botanical Garden)
• Select the right students
• Prepare them thoroughly
– pre-departure and in-country
• Be realistic about goals
• Have a clear partnership agreement
• Expect the unexpected
– be willing to make mid-course corrections
• Build in reflection
– group discussion and individual writing
• Evaluate what worked well (and not so well) and
learn from that
Is It Worth the Effort?
• “You betcha!”
• 2007 UVM students felt service learning was
the highlight of their Belize experience
• Curriculum developed by environmental
education group being used widely in Cayo
region
– Asked to develop curriculum for other levels of
primary school