Kelly A. Dagan, Marlee Bradshaw, Calla Kaufmann,
Kristi Price
Illinois College
Each of the authors believes in our institutional mission
that calls us to “develop in it students qualities of mind
and character needed for fulfilling lives of leadership and
service.” (IC Catalogue). We each come with personal
backgrounds rooted in and a concern for serving and
changing the small/rural communities in which we live.
As members of a small, private liberal arts college we
come together in our interest in serving the immediate
needs of our community, maximizing the human potential
of our neighbors, and navigating the complex road
toward social change and community building. Thus we
think it is crucial to critically examine the sometimes
competing necessities of charity vs. social change, as well
as, student learning vs. community need.
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The Mission of Illinois College
General Education Revision (BLUEprint)
Strategic Plan of IC (“Realizing the Vision”)
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Content-Oriented Service-Learning Course
◦ Goals:
-Achieve student learning
-Provide quality service
◦ Structure:
-Teams of students at various agencies
-40 hours of service
-Significant reflection opportunities
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Context for Student Analysis: Reflection
Readings
◦ “The Four Traditions of Philanthropy” (Lynn and
Wisely 2006)
◦ “What We Don’t Talk About When We Don’t Talk
About Service” (Davis 2006)
◦ “The Promise” (C. Wright Mills 1959)
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Service Activities: Organize PCOA Senior Health Fair
Class Connection: “The Four Traditions of
Philanthropy” (Lynn and Wisely 2006)
Individual/Personal Development
-Gained a greater understanding of the
complex struggles that seniors face
-Gained a greater understand of the complexity
of addressing the struggles that seniors face
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Service Activities: Recruit & Interview “Bigs”
Class Connection: “What We Don’t Talk About When
We Don’t Talk About Service” (Davis 2006)
Individual/Personal Development
-Gained an understanding the importance of
the socialization of children
-Greater connection to the community
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Service Activities: Engage in activities with patients
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Class Connection: “The Promise” (C. Wright Mills
1959)
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Individual/Personal Development
-Gain an understanding of death as a part of
life
-Gained a more complex understanding of end
of life options and choices
Overview of IC Course Evaluations (N=11 of 14)
SO 206
Academic Skills
4.) Rigor
2.6
(1=Less Rigorous, 5= More Rigorous)
7.)Gained Knowledge
1.6
8.)Critical Thinking Skills
1.4
9.)Critical Reading
1.6
10.)Problem Solving Skills
1.8
11.)Writing Skills
1.4
12.)Discussion Skills
1.6
13.)Presentations Skills
1.5
(1=Strongly Agree, 5=Strongly Disagree)
All Sociology All Courses
Courses
2.1
2.1
2.0
2.1
2.2
2.4
2.3
2.1
2.3
1.7
1.8
2.0
2.0
2.1
2.0
2.2
Mean Scores (N=12 of 14)
(1=Strongly Agree, 5 = Strongly Disagree)
General Outcomes
6.)Enjoyed My Experience
7.)Made a Positive Difference
1.5
1.7
Mean Scores (N=12 of 14)
(1=Strongly Agree, 5 = Strongly Disagree)
Individual Skill Development
8.)Skill Development in:
a.)Time Management Skills
b.)Organizational Skills
c.)Oral Communication Skills
d.)Written Communication Skills
e.)Working with Others/Teamwork
f.)Leadership Skills
1.8
1.8
2.2
3.3
1.7
2.0
9.)Self-Improvement In:
a.)Managing Emotions
b.)Social/cultural Awareness
c.)Tolerance/Respect
d.)Sense of Values/Ethics
2.2
1.7
1.8
1.8
Mean Scores (N=12 of 14)
(1=Strongly Agree, 5 = Strongly Disagree)
Academic Learning
10.)Service Aided in Learning
Course Material
11.)Service Aided Understanding
of How Course Material Can
Be Used in Everyday Life
12.)Course Material Helped to
Understand Service
13.)Service Led to Changes in Attitudes
15.)Had Opportunities to Discuss
Relationship Between Service and
Course Material
2.2
2.2
2.3
1.9
1.3
Mean Scores (N=12 of 14)
(1=Strongly Agree, 5 = Strongly Disagree)
Current and Future Actions
16.)Service Affected Behavior
a.)Speak Out About the Issue
b.)Give Donations
c.)Engage in More Service
d.)Change Personal Behaviors
2.0
1.9
1.9
2.9
17.)Service Has Led Me to Share the Issue
a.)Family
b.)Friends
c.)Church
d.)Workplace
1.8
1.8
3.2
3.0
18.)Service Has Clarified Career Aspirations
2.5
Means of Satisfaction Level with IC Service (N=4)
(1-Very Satisfied, 5=Very Dissatisfied)
1.)Overall Communication with Faculty
2.)Level/Quality of Interaction with Faculty
3.)Level of Trust in the Faculty
4.)Overall Communication with Students
5.)Level/Quality of Interaction with Students
6.)Level of Trust in Students
7.)Quality of Student Work
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
Number of Agencies Reporting
Effects of Students’ Service (N=4)
5.)Influence Capacity to fulfill the
needs of your agency?
-Provided New Insights About
Organization’s Operation
-Increased the Number of Clients Served
-Increased the Leverage of
Financial Resources
-Enhanced Agency Offerings
-Facilitating New Connections
-Enhanced Services
1
2
2
3
1
1
Number of Agencies Reporting
Effects of Students’ Service (N=4)
6.)Challenges Encountered?
-Time it Took to Train Students
-Mismatch Between Course and
Agency Goals
7.)Economic Effects of IC Students Service?
-Completion of Projects
-Increased Organizational Resources1
-Increased Funding Opportunities
-Helped to Identify Additional Volunteers
1
1
3
1
1
Number of Agencies Reporting
Effects of Students’ Service (N=4)
8.)How Has Agency Influenced the College?
-Influenced Faculty Awareness
-Influenced Student Awareness
-Influenced Staff Awareness
-Influenced Course Content
9.)Supervisor/Agency Awareness of IC?
-Learned More About College
Programs/Services
-Know whom to Call for Assistance
-More Interactions with
Faculty/Administrators
2
3
2
1
2
4
2
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Students
◦ Gained
◦ Gained
◦ Gained
were served
Academic Skills
Personal Development
Knowledge
Community agencies were served
◦ Gained Needed and Quality Service
◦ Gained Increased Awareness
QUESTIONS?
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ix-xv. In, Ostrow, James, Garry Hesser, and Sandra Enos (eds.) 1999. Cultivating
the Sociological Imagination: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning.
American Association for Higher Education in cooperation with American
Sociological Association.
Blouin, David D. and Evelyn M. Perry 2009. “Whom Does Service Learning Really
Serve? Community-Based Organizations’ Perspectives on Service Learning.”
Teaching Sociology
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Chapdelaine, Ana Ruiz, Judith Warchal, and Carole Wells. 2005. Service-Learning
Code of Ethics. Anker Publishing.
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Models for Service-learning in Sociology.
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Service.” Pgs. 148-156. In, The Civically Engaged Reader: A Diverse Collection of
short Provocative Readings on Civic Activity, Adam Davis and Elizabeth Lynn (eds.).
Great Books Foundation.
Dolgan, Corey. 2002. “In Search of ‘Cognitive Consonance:’ Humanist and Society
24 (2):216-18.
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Eyler, Janet, Dwight E. Giles, Jr., and John Braxton 1997. “The Impact of
Service-Learning on College Students.” Michigan Journal of Community
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Service.” Pgs. 148-156. In, The Civically Engaged Reader: A Diverse
Collection of short Provocative Readings on Civic Activity, Adam Davis and
Elizabeth Lynn (eds.). Great Books Foundation.
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Service-Learning on College Students.” Michigan Journal of Community
Service-Learning 4:5-15.
Eyler, Janet and Dwight E. Giles Jr. 1999. Where’s the Learning in ServiceLearning? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eyler, Janet. 2002. “Reflection: Lin king Service and Learning-Linking
Students to Communities.” Journal of Social Issues 58(3): 517-534.
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Courses.” Sociological Practice: A Journal of Applied Sociology 4(1):67-77.
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Kerrigan. 2001. Assessing Service-Learning and Civic Engagement:
Principles and Techniques. Campus Compact.
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Kerrigan. 2001. Assessing Service-Learning and Civic Engagement:
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Kendrick, J.R. Jr. 1999. “Building Campus-Community Connections: Using
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