The Society for Experiential Education defines service learning as, “any carefully monitored service experience in which a student has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience” (Staton 1). Service learning is a great opportunity to get extra learning experiences while also experiencing the community around the universities campus. “Service learning allows students to apply what they are learning from their instructors, peers, and readings to genuine tasks that occur outside the four walls of the classroom while simultaneously helping others” (Staton 1). Universities are using service learning to expand beyond the classroom and provide students with experiences that will benefit them in the future. Service learning provides students with some fundamental aspects of life that can simply not be taught in the classroom. Service learning is a very beneficial tool in expanding on class room topics in the real world.
There are numerous reasons why universities should incorporate service learning into their curriculum. One way that service learning is so beneficial to college curriculums is that it will cheapen the price of credit hours. Many universities have made the service learning free credits, which will appeal to students when they are making the decision to attend school. And trust me, as a college student, the cheaper the credit hour the more appealing the school is. Another very beneficial aspect of service learning in curriculums is that it gives students a taste of the “real world”. “Service learning allows students to apply what they are learning to real-world problems, become more involved in the community surrounding the campus, and develop career g...
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...nication” (Staton 3). The students in these classrooms really benefit from the extra communication skills that are taught by the college students.
Service learning is a program that many universities around the country have turned to in order to improve their curriculum. It provides students with many excellent opportunities to go out in the community and get more then just a typical “college education.” The students who have been involved in service learning feel that they have become well-rounded human beings and have a taste of what it is like to function in the real world. Another great part of service learning is that not only the students benefit from it. The university, as well as the surrounding community are both rewarded by the program. Service learning is a great program that can be incorporated into any subject matter that a university offers.
What I feel I really learned in this module that I will carry on with me for the rest of my academic career is the importance of reflection and journaling. I learned that I am a more successful learner when I reflect on my experiences and use multiple strategies to do so. Journaling is a key component in successful reflection and it is important to structure the journal so that critical reflection is demonstrated (Eyler, 2002). As I completed my journals, I was able to break down my thoughts and build connections between my own knowledge and the knowledge I gained while at my service learning setting. This strategy enhanced my learning and taught me an important lesson about myself, being that I need to write down my thoughts in order to build connections. The module introduced the DEAL model, which also enhanced my reflection process and as the module discussed, deepened the connections I was making within my journals. The module recommended using this model for each lens, which I found aligned my thoughts and gave me a multi-perspective outlook on my experience. The articles provided in this module really enhanced the instructional narrative provided on self-reflection. Eyler (2002), demonstrated that service learning is more successful when students engage in journaling and reflection. I found this to be very true through the course as I learned that it contributed to my understanding of the course and myself. The importance of reflective practice to myself as a learner is a lesson I will take away from this course for the remainder of my academic
I really think that having the service learning-project in the Unity and Diversity class is great. In class we have talked about minorites and disadvantaged groups, and volunteering in the minority places has everything to do with our class. The suggestions I have for revising the requirements of the service-learning component in a future class would be to require more theories and concepts into our papers. I think you should require more terms in our papers, so that we look more into our books and notes. Other than adding more concepts into the paper I don’t think anything else should be changed.
A service learning experience is designed to enhance a student 's growth in personal and social development and to obtain an understanding of community involvement. For my service learning experience, I volunteered at Change Point Center. In this reflection paper, I will discuss in depth information about the services that Change Point provides, my goals while I was there,and what I ultimately learned from this experience.
A sort of culmination to my realizations through this service learning experience happened at the Fools’ annual Oscard’s Feast. This event was very eye-opening and stunning to me. Because I had never previously heard of this organization, I truly did not understand the true scope and the extent to which this organization, these people, truly help and inspired people; I was especially surprised by the amount of people they have
What is the right age for age someone to start a service learning opportunity? Although service-learning opportunities are not usually available until college, service learning can have a major impact on high school students as well. The benefits from starting service learning at a young age include building team working skills, increased academic scores, and also building network opportunites. Service learning can become a valuable part of our youth’s future, and the earlier they begin learning, the more secure our nations future becomes.
The article opens up describing a background of service learning through factual information and opinions of other people. Values of both service and learning are separately described discussing the importance of both. Service learning is described to initiate civic participation in the lives of future students through real life learning experiences solving problems. Incompetence of senior citizens use of technology is addressed as an issue faced in many communities according to the article. However, service learning students were trained to tutor senior citizens to technological advances. Another point the article addresses is that a relationship and knowledge was often acquired for both the student as well as the senior citizen. The student offered
Furthermore, students are able to assist in meeting several of the human resource needs throughout their community. There are a multitude of reasons the service learning project will help students achieve their career goals. Service learning projects are looked up highly on resumes by prospective employers. By learning to apply classroom concepts, students are becoming more aware of to use this information in the work force. Another significant point is that, this kind of project allows students to make connections
When it comes to service learning I have always found it to be a rewarding way to challenge yourself as well as a better way to connect with and understand your community. I am actually not associated with any religious organization, but I have been doing community service for the better half of my school career. In the past and in the case of this courses requirements I volunteered my time at schools who are always in need of people who are willing to help the staff and students. I spent my ten plus hours at Faubion Middle School in Mrs. Phyllis Madison’s humanities classroom. This was a seventh grade classroom full of kids who had been labeled as troublemakers and slackers by the administration, but while
Refection allows students to enhance prior knowledge, draw new conclusions, and make meaning of an experience (Fiddler & Marienau, 2008). The literature greatly emphasizes that, for service-learning, reflection should be structured, formal, and faculty-led (cite). Jacoby (2015) writes that the service-learning experience without reflection could be not only a missed opportunity, but a damaging opportunity. Students engaging in a service-learning experience may reinforce existing stereotypes and biases, develop unsustainable solutions to problem, and do more harm to a community than good. Reflection is an opportunity to think critically about an experience with a facilitator who can push, challenge, and correct as needed.
During my Service Learning, there were interactions between me and the residents and I was able to learn and change certain concepts about this experience. I completed my hours at the Utah Independent Living Center, where I was able to watch a couple of youth and adult classes that were being taught to individuals with disabilities. While I was there, I would observe and interact with them and help them if they needed it. First, they would have classes that were on topics such as goals, literacy, manners, communication, etc.
Service learning is a very important part of my experience here at St. Cloud State University. It is something I have never done, so I am excited for the new experience. Service learning presents a new way of learning outside of the classroom, and benefits the community.
Four our service learning location, our group had the opportunity to attend Freedom Fellowship through Highland Church Ministries. Freedom Fellowship provides a ‘Pray and Prayer’ service and a meal for dinner, every Wednesday to the community neighborhood. During our service learning at Freedom Fellowship, we served food to people who are in need due to different circumstances. There are diverse groups of people who attend the meal service every Wednesday at Freedom Fellowship. Through our service learning, I had the opportunity to meet Darla, the coordinator at Freedom Fellowship. Freedom Fellowship is also a non-profit, charitable organization and they provide the cooked meals through donations that are given to them and through donations
In order for future service learners to have a successful and beautiful experience the best way to approach a community is to begin exploring certain places and analyzing important issues that the community is facing. Exploring the community and talking to residents of the community is a great start because a service learner begins to learn about important obstacles that a community is facing and begins to have an idea about where the members of the community come from. At the service site, there will be many obstacles along the way which is going to make service learners unmotivated about their experience. If there is an individual or student that is giving a hard time to the service learner the best way to approach and solve this problem
Higher education institutions implement, support, and maintain service learning as it fosters civic and social responsibility, develops empathy and multicultural understanding, and maintains traditional academic goals of critical thinking (Butin, 2006; Kezar & Rhoads, 2001). Often these components are part of the institution’s mission statement which provides an array of hands-on learning opportunities. Service learning is an example of an instructional method that supports hands-on learning.
Another concern that some students might have is communication. Some students might not need to have a teacher in front of them and teach the course material to them, to whereas some students might need the te...