Service Learning Course Designation Form
Use this form to request a Service Learning Course Designation for a new or existing course.
Proposed course title should end with the following designation: /Service Learning
I. Service Learning Course
Parks, Tourism and
PTRM 495
Dept/Program
Course Number
Recreation Management (e.g. SW UG 423)
Subject
Course Title (e.g.
Practicum in Parks, Tourism and Recreation Management
Addiction
Studies/SvcLrn)
Short Title (max. 26
Practicum in PTRM
characters incl. spaces)
6-9
Number of credits
Dr. Elizabeth Covelli
Instructor name
Elizabeth.covelli@umontana.edu
Instructor phone
X4448
and e-mail
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete this form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office.
Requestor
Requestor phone
and e-mail
Program
Chair/Director
Other affected
programs
Dean
Please Type/Print Name
Dr. Elizabeth Covelli
Signature
Date
Elizabeth.covelli@umontana.edu
X4448
Dr. Michael Patterson
Dr. James Burchfield
III. UM Service Learning Definition: Service Learning is a method of teaching and learning
in which students, faculty and community partners work together to enhance student
learning by applying academic knowledge in a community-based setting. Student work
addresses the needs of the community, as identified through collaboration with community
or tribal partners, while meeting instructional objectives through faculty-structured service
work and critical reflection meant to prepare students to be civically responsible members
of the community. At its best, service learning enhances and deepens students’
understanding of an academic discipline by facilitating the integration of theory and
practice, while providing them with experience that develops life skills and engages them
in critical reflection about individual, institutional, and social ethics.
IV.Service Learning Course Criteria The University of Montana-Missoula has established the
following criteria for Service Learning courses. In order to receive the Service Learning course
designation, a course must clearly exemplify all of the following criteria:
 Students in the course will provide a needed service to individuals, organizations, schools, or other
not-for-profit or tax-exempt entities in the community.
 The service experience is directly related to the subject matter of the course.
 Knowledge from the discipline informs the service experiences with which the students are to be
involved.
 Activities in the classroom will provide opportunities for students to actively reflect upon what they
have learned through the service experience and how these experiences relate to the subject matter of
the course. Reflection should be imbedded as course assignments and in-class time should be
scheduled to do reflection – both should be clear on the syllabus. Reflection should incorporate
discussion/assignments that help students understand the importance of meeting community needs
through service and civic engagement in a democratic society.
 The course offers a method to assess the learning derived from the service. Credit will be given for
the learning and its relation to the course, not for the service alone.
 Service interactions in the community will recognize the needs of service recipients and represent
reciprocal partnerships between the campus(class) and community partner organization(s).
Community partner(s) should have the opportunity to provide advice and feedback in class on the
nature and value of the service performed by the students.
 Training (by the service agency) and preparation (by the course instructor) ensure that students
perform service activities in a professional manner and that vulnerable populations are not harmed.
 Service options ensure that no student is required to participate in a service placement that creates a
religious, political, or moral conflict for the student.
 In a 3-credit service learning course, students should be required to perform a minimum of 15 hours
of community service per semester (i.e. 5 hours of service per academic credit.) Service hours may
include hours spent in training, preparation, and direct contact with clients.
V. Confirmation of Service Learning Course Criteria: Explain how this course meets each of
the following criteria.
Need for service: Describe the communityStudents will work with recreation and
identified need and the nature of the service
tourism organizations throughout the U.S.
experience students will be involved in.
Students will provide expertise and
assistance for recreation and tourism
organizations. Students will fulfill a
project/service need for the organization that
may not have been addressed otherwise.
Examples of previous projects include:
 Developing a risk management plan
for a Teton National Park
concessionaire
 Developing/updating marketing
materials for outfitter guides
 Conducting research on hunter
access in MT and developing a
research report
 Conducting research on visitor
centers in MT and developing
strategies to improve tourism related
information
 Building and designing facilities for
summer camps (examples: Disc golf
course and tent platforms)
Relation to course content: Describe how the
The service portion of the course provides
hands-on experience for students in the area
of recreation and tourism. This course links
students with professionals and provides
opportunities to help solve real world issues.
Students take the concepts they have
learned in PTRM and apply them in their
practicum. For example, some students
critique and improve risk management plans
for their organization. Risk management is a
key learning objective in the PTRM major
and covered extensively in course work.
Other examples include developing
marketing and informational material for
organizations. In PTRM, students are
required to take courses on effective
communication and how to develop
informational materials that reach
visitors/clients. Many of the classes the
students take are experiential and help train
them for their future careers.
Reflection: What opportunities are provided in the There are five journal assignments that have
classroom for students to reflect upon what they
two parts. Part one asks students to discuss
have learned through their service experience? How the organization they are working with for
is service placed within the broader context of civic their practicum. Students are asked to
engagement and service to others?
discuss the mission, purpose and clients
served for the organization. Students also
discuss any orientations or trainings they
complete during their 400 hours. Other
journal assignments focus on risk
management plans and improvements the
students would make to the organization if
they were in charge. Lastly, students are
asked about their overall assessment of how
the organization operates. The second part
of the journal assignments are focused on
personal reflection. These reflections are
prompted by sentences like “What has your
practicum showed you about leadership?”
and “what has your practicum made you
want to learn/develop/improve about
yourself?”
service experience is related to the subject matter of
the course. How do students apply their classroom
learning in the service experience?
Assessment: What method(s) are used to assess
the learning derived from the service experience?
Reciprocity: How do community partner(s)
provide advice and feedback on the nature and
value of the service performed?
Training: What training and preparation will be
provided to assure that that students perform their
service activities in a professional manner and that
vulnerable populations are not harmed?
Service options: What service options exist to
ensure that no student is required to participate in a
service placement that creates a religious, political,
or moral conflict?
All students are required to complete journal
assignments and a final project and report for
PTRM 495. These assessments help the
instructor understand how the student is
evolving throughout their practicum and any
challenges the student might be facing. The
final project and report demonstrates what
the students have learned throughout their
practicum experience. In addition to written
assignments, the student’s supervisor
provides feedback to the instructor after the
experience is complete. The evaluation is
comprehensive and asks about the students
performance, compatibility with the agency
and others, leadership, skills, and
knowledge. The instructor also evaluates the
students overall professionalism and ability
to follow through with assignments and
projects. The instructor is in weekly contact
with each student to help them process their
experience and help them solve problems
that may occur during the experience.
Students work with their organizations to
negotiate responsibilities of the job and the
type of service that will be provided. All
organization supervisors are asked to
complete an evaluation of the student and
provide overall feedback about the
experience. In addition, the instructor
conducts site visits and has phone
conversations with a majority of the
supervisors to determine future needs and
improvements. Often these conversations
result in practicum opportunities for future
students.
All students are required to take a prepracticum course (PTRM 450). The course
reviews issues related to professionalism,
ethics and general code of conduct that is
needed for the experience. Guest speakers
are brought in to discuss resume writing,
professionalism, and discuss potential issues
that might arise on the job. Each student is
provided with a manual that outlines their
own, the practicum supervisors, and the
instructor’s responsibilities.
Students are able to self-select service sites
for their credits. Students are able to control
which organizations they apply to and where
they accept a position. No student is ever
required to participate with an organization
that creates religious, political, or moral
conflict for the individual.
Number of service hours required: How many
All students are required to complete at least
400 hours of service. Activities differ due to
individual placement. Examples of service
activities include:
 Conducting surveys of recreation
visitors and sites
 Working at summer youth camps
 Guiding visitors on rivers and
teaching them how to fish
 Managing a team of trail maintainers
for forests and parks
 Developing a program to recycle
outdoor recreation gear
 Programming and marketing special
recreation related events
VI. Community Partner Information: Provide information on the organization(s) that will
provide service placements for students in this course.
Name of Agency/Organization(s)
Examples of organizations that have
provided service placements in the past:
 Lolo National Forest
 Northwest Youth Corps
 Signal Mountain Lodge, Grand
Tetons
 Walk Your Path Well Adventures
 Glacier National Park
 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
 Kootenai National Forest
 Missoula Parks and Recreation
 Blue Damsel Lodge
 Yosemite National Park
 Institute for Tourism and Recreation
Research
Contact person name(s)
Contact information of the above
organizations is available upon request.
Please contact Libby Covelli for more
information x4448
hours of service per semester are students required
to perform? Provide detailed description of the
service activities to be performed.
Contact person(s) phone and e-mail
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form. The syllabus should
clearly indicate that this is a service learning course and it should include the UM Service Learning
Definition as text within the syllabus. The syllabus should also demonstrate how the above criteria are
satisfied. For assistance in preparing a service learning course syllabus, see
http://www.compact.org/syllabi/ or contact Andrea Vernon, Director of the Office for Civic
Engagement: andrea.vernon@umontana.edu.
VIII. Copies and Electronic Submission: Submit approved original, a copy, and electronic
file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.
Revised 6/10