Guiding Principles for Service-Learning
- The syllabus is developed and revised to incorporate the service experience into the teaching and learning objectives of the course.
- Partner agencies define their needs and are included in planning for the service.
- The faculty member becomes acquainted with each community agency that students are placed with, and understands the agency mission, clientele, location and student role.
- Preparation for the service addresses student training, clarification of responsibilities, and risk management issues.
- Students are introduced to the partner agency before the service begins, and are given an orientation to the issues being addressed.
- Academic credit is awarded for the learning gained from the experience, not for the service itself.
- The service experience is connected to the course through readings, projects, and class presentations.
- Reflection on the service experience is ongoing and includes dialogue about community issues and the need for the service.
- Students, faculty, and community representatives participate in the evaluation process.
An Effective Program:
- Engages people in responsible and challenging actions for the common good.
- Provides structured opportunities for people to reflect critically on their service experience.
- Articulates clear service and learning goals for everyone involved.
- Allows for those with needs to define their own needs.
- Clarifies the responsibilities of each person and organization involved.
- Matches service providers and service needs through a process that recognizes changing circumstances.
- Expects genuine, active and sustained organizational commitment.
- Includes training, supervision, monitoring, support, recognition, and evaluation to meet service and learning goals.
- Ensures that the time commitment for service and learning is flexible, appropriate, and in the best interests of all involved.
- Is committed to program participation by and with diverse populations.
Further Reading
Honnet, E. P., and Poulen, S. J. (1989). A Wingspread Special Report. Racine, WI: The Johnson Foundation.
Howard, J. (1993). “Principles of Good Practice in Community Service-Learning Pedagogy”. Praxis I, A Faculty Casebook on Community Service-Learning. Ann Arbor, MI: OCSL Press, 5-9.
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Howard, J. (2001). Service-learning course design workbook.
Mintz, S. & Hesser, G. (1996). “Principles of Good Practice in Service-Learning”. In B. Jacoby & Associates, Service-Learning in Higher Education. San-Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Adapted from The Institute for Learning and Teaching at Colorado State University. Colorado State University Service-Learning Faculty Manual, Fourth Edition, 2007.