Service-Learning: Improving
Learning and Our Communities
William Oakes
EPICS Program
Purdue University
Educational Needs
What are educational challenges or issues
related to students and student learning on
your campuses?
Opportunities
Equipping graduates to
address global
grand challenges
Both local and global
communities need access to
disciplinary expertise that is normally
prohibitively expensive:
improved, enhanced, new capabilities
Students need more than disciplinary
knowledge to succeed:
teamwork, communication,
customer-awareness,
project management,
leadership, ethics,
societal context,
professionalism
Universities/colleges
will be engaged in their
communities and in the world
Calls to Action
 U.S. National Academy of Engineering
Studies:
 The Engineer of 2020:
Visions of Engineering in
the New Century
 Educating the Engineer of
2020: Adapting Engineering
Education to the New Century
 What skills are needed in disciplines to
address the challenges in today’s global
economy
 How People Learn
Service-Learning Definition
We define service learning as a type of
experiential education in which students
participate in service in the community and
reflect on their involvement in such a way
as to gain further understanding of course
content and of the discipline and its
relationship to social needs and an
enhanced sense of civic responsibility.
- Hatcher and Bringle, 1997
Context: Learning Pedagogies
Experiential education
Active learning,
Problem-based learning
Inquiry-guided learning
Design education
Service learning
Engagement in the community
Tied to academic learning outcomes
Reciprocity
Reflection
Characteristics of Service-Learning
 Service – part of the service-learning
experience involves service opportunities for
students for the underserved in the local,
regional or global community.
 Academically-based - the service being
performed by the students must provide
reinforcement and connection with the subject
material of the academic course.
 Students given credit for mastery of course
content, not simply for the service they perform
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EPICS Course Outcomes (Design)
i. applies material from their discipline to the design of community-based projects
ii. demonstrates an understanding of design as a start-to-finish process
iii. an ability to identify and acquire new knowledge as a part of the problemsolving/design process
iv. demonstrates an awareness of the customer in engineering design
v. demonstrates an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams and an appreciation
for the contributions from individuals from other disciplines
vi. demonstrates an ability to communicate effectively with audiences with widelyvarying backgrounds
vii. demonstrates an awareness of professional ethics and responsibility
viii. demonstrates an appreciation of the role that their discipline can play in social
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contexts
Characteristics of Service-Learning
 Partnerships –
 partnerships between those who serving
and those being served.
 Meeting needs together
o
Doing work WITH, not for
 The students and community members
are partners addressing community need
o
Adding capacity to the community
 The community, students and faculty
benefit from the service learning
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Characteristics of Service-Learning
 Reflection (Analysis or Metacognition)
 Participants are intentionally guided through
activities to analyze and reflect upon the work
that is being performed and the larger social
issues..
 Metacognitive activities including reflection
improve learning
 Metacognition can help students understand
academic material covered by the course
 Activities for analysis and reflection can take
several forms
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Service vs Learning
service
learning
Service and learning goals are
separate
SERVICElearning
Service outcomes are primary;
learning goals are secondary
serviceLEARNING
Learning goals are primary; service
outcomes are secondary
SERVICELEARNING
Service and learning goals have
equal weight; each enhances the
other for all participants
New Context
A similar phenomenon occurs when students
are able to marshal a body of knowledge to
solve problems presented in class but fail even
to see a problem, much less the relevance of
what has been learned, in a different setting.
The new situation does not provide the cues
associated with what has been learned; the “key
words” from the classroom are not present in the
wider environment. A service-learning student
will have more ways to access this
understanding.
– Eyler and Giles
Benefits to Learning
Learners of all ages are more motivated
when they can see the usefulness of what
they are learning and when they can use
that information to do something that has
an impact on others – especially in their
local community – Bransford et al., How
People Learn
Kolb’s Learning Cycle
Allows diverse students to contribute and be valued.
Reflection connects learning and experiences
Concrete Experience
to experience
Active
Experimentation
Reflective
to examine Observation
to apply
to explain
Abstract Conceptualization
Multi-Level Learning
Students learn
 communication skills
Teamwork, leadership
Project planning
Resourcefulness
life-long learning
About themselves
o Their place as professionals and
as citizens
About others
o Communities
Service-Learning and Diversity
 Research on science education suggests that “context” is
important to students.
 “Image” is increasingly being cited as a deterrent to
attracting women in the U.S.
 What are the diversity issues facing your institutions?
 Gender
 Ethnicity
 Cultural
 Socio-economically
Accreditation and S-L
 Service Learning projects provide opportunities
for students to demonstrate that they have
achieved outcomes (e.g. ABET Criterion 3 )
 apply knowledge
 design/analyze/interpret
 design system/component/process
 techniques/skills/tools
 problem solving
 professional/ethical responsibility
 multidisciplinary teams
 communication
 societal context
 contemporary issues
 life-long learning
Industry: Boeing List
•
•
•
•
A good understanding of engineering science fundamentals.
 Mathematics (including statistics)
 Physical and life sciences
 Information technology (far more than "computer literacy")
A good understanding of design and manufacturing processes.
 (i.e., understands engineering)
A multi-disciplinary, systems perspective.
A basic understanding of the context in which engineering is practiced.




•
Good communication skills.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Economics (including business practices)
History
The environment
Customer and societal needs
Written, oral, graphic and listening
High ethical standards.
An ability to think both critically and creatively - independently and cooperatively.
Flexibility. The ability and self-confidence to adapt to rapid or major change.
Curiosity and a desire to learn for life.
A profound understanding of the importance of teamwork.
Teaching Design
 The Design Process As a Full Cycle
Traditional courses use a piece of the design cycle
o Problem Definition phase is often skipped
S-L provides an opportunity for start-to-finish design
o Problem definition
o Working designs for fielded projects
o Support for fielded projects
n redesign opportunities
o Design for x-ability
Design
Process
Real Contexts
 Compelling Context for
Classroom Material
Kinematics course – analyze
playground safety
 Active exercises to engage
students
Diversity of learning styles
 Answers “When would I ever
have to use this”
Educating Citizens
 Engineering’s responsibility to educate the
“whole person”
Educating future professionals
Educating future community members
 Engaged/educated citizens
Future neighbors
 Lifelong impact
Career choices
Outside interests
or activities
Why Community Projects?
 Real projects: start-to-finish design –
problem definition, specifications,
version control, sustainability,
design/coding standards,
rigorous testing, reliability,
maintainability, safety,
satisfying a customer,
accountability, pride
 A different view of
engineering and
computing
 The university as citizen
Integrating the Curriculum
T
I
M
E
innovation
problem solving
design
analysis
resourcefulness
engineering
fundamentals
ethics
science
teamwork
mathematics
communication
C
O
N
T
E
X
T
EPICS has the
potential to
realize new
efficiencies in the
engineering
curriculum
Examples
 Four models
Co-curricular
o ProCEED – U. of Michigan
o U. de Sherbrooke
o International
Integrated within a course
o U. Massachusetts-Lowell
o U. of Utah
Separate courses
o Freshman courses – U. of South Alabama, CWRU
o Senior design
Programs or series of courses
o EPICS
Service Learning works in engineering
Co-Curricular Service-Learning
 Programs incorporate co-curricular
activities with engineering-based projects in
the community
ProCEED – U. of Michigan
o ME Honorary Society + Senior design course
Ohio State
o ECOS – Student organization doing international work
Universite’ de Sherbrooke
o Contest to design toys for autistic children
o Follow-on to freshman ECE design course
Integrated in Specific Courses
 ME Kinematics – analyze playground
safety and write report to responsible
entity
 Measurements Laboratory – data
acquired in community (e.g.
environmental data)
 What to do with the data?
 CE – Hydrology – hydrological analysis of
local wet lands or lakes
 Biology in Engineering – play ground
design for local schools
 First-Year Projects
 Projects for the community
 Present projects to schools or hospital
Service-Learning Courses
 Institutions have created separate courses for
Service Learning
 Capstone courses
 UML – Assistive Technology Capstone for
electrical engineers
 First-Year –Design or Introduction to
Major Courses (Improves retention)
 Case Western Reserve Univ.
 University of Colorado
 Columbia
 General Elective
 University of Pretoria – course partnering with
area townships
EPICS
Engineering Projects in Community Service
Purdue undergraduates are learning real-world skills by
defining, designing, building, testing, deploying, and
supporting engineering solutions in a unique academic
program that assists local community service and education
organizations.
EPICS successes:

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1995-2008: 2500+ Purdue students to date
Over 250 projects deployed
2007-2008: 500+ students from 30 Purdue departments on 30 teams
A growing Purdue-community-industry partnership: 11 industry advisors
$13+M total from grants, industry, Purdue, and alumni
 Support for national expansion from NSF,
Corporation for National & Community Service,
Microsoft, HP;
 19 EPICS universities, ~35 High Schools
EPICS develops long-term partnerships
in the local community
EPICS Programs
EPICS Curriculum Provides
Service- Design
Project
Learning Education Management
Community
Partnerships
Disciplinary
Knowledge
from
Departments
Projects and
Problems
from Local
Community
Institutional
Curriculum
and Culture
EPICS Programs
EPICS Characteristics
 Long term projects:
 Long-term partnerships with community organizations
 Vertically-integrated teams:
firstyear+sophomores+juniors+seniors
 Extended design experience: academic credit throughout the
student’s undergraduate career, 1-2 credits/semester
 Large-team experience: teams of 8-18 students
 Broadly multidisciplinary teams: EE, CmpE, CS, ME, CE, IE,
Sociology, Education, Biology, Audiology, Child Development, Visual
Design, Technical Writing, Natural Resources, …
 Open-ended design:
define-design-build-test-deploy-support
EPICS teams can tackle projects of
significant size, scope, and impact
EPICS Decouples Timescales
Student Learning
Student Learning
Semester/Quarter
Semester/Quarter
Project
Semester/Quarter
Project
Community Receives Long-Term Support They Need
Entrepreneurship and EPICS
Needs, Ideas
Ideas, Products
EPICS
The Community
 Goals of the Initiative
 Spread benefits of Products
 Learn about entrepreneurship
 Protect IP developed by
teams and partners
 I2P Competition
 2007, Princeton University
 2008, Georgia Tech
Examples of Scope
International Projects
Local Projects
All four models are used
Advantage is that students can see need and
results
Integrates them into the local community
Regional or national projects
Example: EPICS and Habitat for Humanity
International
 Students from “here” go “there”
 John Duffy - U. Mass.-Lowell
 http://faculty.uml.edu/jduffy/PerUML
 Students work on projects for
remote villages in Peru and
deliver/install on trips.
 Water purification, solar and
hydro-electrical power systems
 Engineers without Borders
students chapters and professionals
 http://www.ewb-usa
 Projects in India
http://www.ewb-usa.org/project_search.php?country=India
 Water and electrification
Local EPICS Projects
Access & Abilities
Education & Outreach
Human Services
Environment
EPICS Projects: Human Services
 Design chemical sensing equipment to
help and protect local law enforcement in
their work to inhibit drug making
laboratories.
 Develop database system to assist the
Tippecanoe and Jasper County Probation
Departments to track and supervise
offenders.
 Develop scheduling software to assist
local crisis center to schedule volunteers
24/7.
 Complete analysis of sustainability and
energy efficiency techniques for HFH
homes.
EPICS Projects: Environment
• Waiheke Island, New Zealand
 Processing waste glass into construction
materials
 bio-diesel fuel processing
• Purdue
• Constructed Wetlands and Water quality
• Sustainability on campus
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EPICS Projects: Access & Abilities
 Reducing barriers on campus
 Students with disabilities
 Classroom learning
 Campus barriers
 Interactive play environments
for young children with
disabilities
 Walking swing
 Remote controlled bowling
ramp
 Develop devices to increase
safety and efficiency of
employees with disabilities
EPICS Projects: Education
 Outreach projects for
research centers
Nano-technology
 Partnerships with local
K-12 schools
 Hands-on science
projects
 Technology-assisted job
training
 Projects with local
museums and zoos
(Inter)National-Scale Project
Habitat for Humanity - EPICS
Teams from multiple
universities
Projects
o Multimedia volunteer
tutorials
o Data collection of
homeowner assessment
o Global disaster relief home designs
Community Partner is the
HFHI staff in Americus, GA
Students coordinate work between
campuses and with partners at HFHI
Impact: Meeting Students’ Needs
 15 semesters
of data, 2385
responses
 Impact of
EPICS on
your Topic
 % of students
giving “A” or
“B” rating
Topic
ability to work on a team
communication skills
awareness of the customer
understanding of design process
resourcefulness
organizational skills
awareness of the community
technical skills
awareness of ethical issues
OVERALL EVALUATION
%A+B
88%
83%
81%
80%
79%
77%
73%
71%
68%
84%
Impact: Meeting Students’ Needs
“What are the 3 most valuable things you have
learned from being a part of the EPICS program”:
Responses from 9 semesters, 2044 respondents
Objectives
# responses
Teamwork
1751
Communication Skills
1008
Organizational Skills
793
Technical Skills
754
Leadership Skills
534
Student Quotes
 “(S-L) completely changed my opinion of engineering.”
 “Working on this project has helped me guide the rest of
my course work and ideas for a future profession.”
 “Other engineering courses only directly benefit me.
(S-L) benefits everyone involved.”
 “I have learned that engineering includes more than
theory, it includes teamwork, communication,
organization and leadership.”
 “It made me understand how every aspect of engineering
(design, implementation, team work, documentation)
come together.”
 “No longer is engineering just a bunch of equations,
now I see it as a means to help mankind.”
 “Opened my heart.”
Service-Learning Definition
We define service learning as a type of
experiential education in which students
participate in service in the community and
reflect on their involvement in such a way
as to gain further understanding of course
content and of the discipline and its
relationship to social needs and an
enhanced sense of civic responsibility.
- Hatcher and Bringle, 1997
Reflection in Service-Learning
 Reflection (and Analysis)




Participants are intentionally guided through
activities to analyze and reflect upon the work that
is being performed and the larger social issues..
Metacognitive activities including reflection improve
learning
Metacognition can help students understand
academic material covered by the course
Activities for analysis and reflection can take
several forms
Why do we need reflection?
Connect service to academic learning
Metacognitive activity
Students compartimentalize experiences
and learning
Draw out learning
Students may miss learning opportunities
if not pointed out
Address student reaction and/or
experience from service
Were stereotypes challenged or
reinforced?
Was there unintended learning?
Methods for Reflection
Written questions
Notebooks (journals)
Essays – collect in Blackboard
Small group discussions
Class discussions
Readings
Combinations
Reflection Model
Technical
Level or
Discipline
Specific
Personal Values
Social Systems
and Issues
Developed by
Edward Zlotkowski
How much is enough?
Janet Eyler (Vanderbilt) studied reflection
Amount of reflection was not a significant
factor in effectiveness
Key elements were intentional (targeted at
learning objectives) and frequent
Reflection (Analysis)
 What strategies will you use to have students
process (reflect on) the many aspects of the
service experience and connect these aspects
to the rest of the course?
 Academic context and learning objectives
 Personal experience
 Connection to and implications for the
profession/discipline
 Social/community issues
Partnerships
Communities
Universities
High Schools
Corporations/Societies
Benefits and Learning
Participants
Students
Community
Participants
Faculty/ Staff
How will they
benefit?
What will they
learn?
EPICS Programs
Core Values
 The core values of EPICS Programs are those
elements required of all EPICS programs.
Following a model of service-learning:
1. EPICS students earn academic credit for
participation in team-based design projects that
solve engineering, computing, and technologybased needs in the local community;
2. EPICS teams provide service to the local
community by partnering with not-for-profit
community organizations, educational institutions,
and governmental agencies; and
3. EPICS programs support these reciprocal local
partnerships over multiple years without obligation
for remuneration to EPICS.
Adapted to Local Institutional Culture and Constraints
Goals for EPICS Programs

In addition to the core values, there are attributes of EPICS
Programs that provide a richer learning experience and add
value to community partnerships.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Long-term Participation by Students
Large Team Structure and Continuity
Multidisciplinary Teams
Advisors for teams
Reflection on the Broader Social Context and Impact
Learning Design
Meeting the Needs of the Underserved
Vertically Integrated
Integration into Core Curricula
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Collaboration with Other EPICS Programs
Phases of an EPICS Team
1. Establishing project partnerships
2. Creating a curriculum structure & basic
infrastructure
3. Assembling a project team
4. Implementing the projects
5. Supporting the partnerships
6. Ending the partnership
Academic Credit / Plans of Study
 EE: 3 credits senior design + 6 ECE elective credits; 2
lab credits if not used as senior design
 CmpE: 3 credits senior design + 6 CmpE elective credits
 ME: 6 credits tech elective + 3 credits free elective
 CE: 6 credits tech elective
 IDE: 6 credits engineering/design + 3 senior design
 CS: CS elective + 3 senior design
 AAE: 3 credits as tech elective;
additional AAE elective with permission
 LA: 3 credits count as core in Social Ethics
 CFS: fulfills specialization requirement in selected areas;
elective for all areas
 Others: free elective credit
 Entrepreneurship Certificate: Option + Capstone
Purdue Course Structure
 1 or 2 credits / semester emphasis on long-term participation
 ~5 hours/week outside of lab for 2 credits
 ~2.5 hours/week outside of lab for 1 credit
 2-hour team lab each week
 Each team meets separately to do administration,
planning, and project work
 Common lecture time for all teams
 Supplemental learning experiences to lectures
 TA-run “Skills Sessions” and workshops
 Final Presentation (Exam)
Lectures
 Common Lecture hour
 Required common and Introductory lectures
 1 credit students attend 5 lectures units
 2 credit students attend 10 lecture units
 Lectures are on video server
 Topics
 Administrative: orientation, resources, and assessment
 Design process
 Communication topics
 Project planning
 Team building / leadership
 Community context
 Entrepreneurship
 Best practices
Skills Sessions and Workshops
 Alternative/supplementary ways of earning
lecture credit
 Facilitators (TA’s, students, faculty, EPICS Admin,
Corporate partners…) run sessions on specific skills
 Target students after their first semester
 Also give credit for relevant seminars etc.
 Topics:
 ME shop
 Specific programming skills & tools
 Webmaster training
 Disability awareness
 Ethical issues
 Social context
…
Textbook Readings and Reflections
Lima and Oakes “Service-Learning:
Engineering in Your Community”
Readings to supplement lectures
Reflections on reading and lab work
Targeted readings for team roles
o Leaders
o Partner liaisons
Labs
Student run: team leader
Administration and milestones
Project status and planning
Team building
Breakout for project work
Team Roles: Students
 Team Leader/Co-Leaders
 Project leaders - lead individual projects
 Liaison - primary contact for the community
partner
 Financial officer - manages team’s budget
 Manager of Intellectual Property - leads
entrepreneurship activities, patent searches
 ESAC – Student Advisory Council –recruiting
and placement
 Webmaster
Team Roles: Advisors
 Faculty play key role
Advising teams in areas of expertise
Academic credibility
 Industry advisors
 Non-faculty advisors with expertise
 Co-advisors from other disciplines
Add multidisciplinary components
 Meet with team weekly
Responsible for progress of team and
individuals
 Grading
Team Roles: TAs
Technical guidance to supplement
background of advisors
Administrative assistance for operation
of program: 1 “administrative TA”
assigned to each team
Talent pool for all teams to tap
Office hours
Skills sessions
Lab oversight
Grading
design notebooks, reflections, etc.
Roles: Administration
Program planning, development,
management, and oversight
Course management
Community partner identification and
selection; community relations
Resource management (funds, labs, staff)
Assessment and data collection
Reporting
Milestone Highlights
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Transition and Integrating New
Students
Planning and setting
expectations
Execute Semester Plans
Deliver if Appropriate
Document As You Go
8
Slow
Fast
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Finals
Delivery Deadline
Complete semester
commitments
Transition to next semester
Coordinate with Project Partner
Focus on Project
Partner and
Transition
Milestones Schedule(s)
Administering EPICS: Outline
 Ten elements
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Students
Community partners & projects
Academic staff: Advisors & TAs
Administrative staff
Funds for project expenses
Labs & infrastructure
Space
Curricular structures
Risk management
Institutional support
 Budgets
 Challenges