As seen in the previous literature, much of the empirical research in the last twenty years has focused on documenting the positive student outcomes associated with service-learning. Despite this focus, only few studies have also explored the role individual characteristics play in participation in such outcomes. Susan Jones (2002), for example, finds that the student’s ability to actively participate in all aspects of her/his service-learning experience depends on “the intersection of the student’s own background. . . , developmental readiness for such a learning experience, and the privileging conditions that put a college student in a community service organization as a volunteer in the first place” (p. 13). Accordingly, different complexities may emerge when students “engage with ill structured, complex social issues present in the community service settings typically associated with service-learning courses” (Jones, Gilbride-Brown, & Gasiorski, 2005, p. 4). Jones refers to this trend as the underside of service-learning, which includes previously held assumptions, stereotypes, and privileges. As a result, attitudes of resistance emerge as a student process of negotiating their identity while making meaning out of the service-learning experience.
Nevertheless, the aforesaid discussion occurs when approaching service-learning as a critical pedagogy that strives for social justice (p. 7). In other words, when designing a service-learning curriculum to help students develop self-awareness, awareness of others, awareness of social issues, and developing ethics in service and social change.
In order to examine service-learning from the perspective of student resistance, Jones proposes a new model: The Critical Developmental Len...
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...Identity (Re) Construction and Student Resistance. In D. W. Butin (Ed.), Teaching social foundations of education : contexts, theories, and issues (pp. 109-126). Mahwah, N.J.: L. Erlbaum Associates.
Frankenberg, R. (1993). White women, race matters : the social construction of whiteness. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Jones, S. R. (2002). The Underside of Service Learning. About Campus, 7(4), 10-15.
Jones, S. R., & Abes, E. S. (2004). Enduring Influences of Service-Learning on College Students' Identity Development. Journal of College Student Development, 45(2), 149-166.
Jones, S. R., Gilbride-Brown, J., & Gasiorski, A. (2005). Getting Inside the "Underside" of Service-Learning: Student Resistance and Possibilities. In D. W. Butin (Ed.), Service-learning in higher education : critical issues and directions (pp. 3-24). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
A definitive part of my individuality is my level of intelligence. I’ve always been encouraged and driven to challenge my intellect through various opportunities in my community. Although my endeavors whether academic or artistic have provided both beneficial and detrimental outcomes in my life, I’ve been able to gain the greatest amount of esteem from my commitment to voluntary civic service. In the academically rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program as a part of eligibility for diploma status, candidates are required to submit 200 CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service) hours performing duties that meet the criteria for each category. At first I viewed the task as your stereo-typical student with disdain and contempt for the seemingly daunting tasks. However, I never expected to have gained a true introspect and regard from my experiences in service. It is most accurate to expound that community service has required and produced a higher standard of intellect by which I have sought to attain. For me, serving my community has become a source of engaging refuge by wh...
The functional area of service-learning is currently emerging as an acknowledged department at an institution of higher education. The theoretical roots of service learning go back to John Dewey, and the early twentieth century. However, current research on service-learning pedagogy dates back only to the early 1990’s. Best practices for the field are still being created as more and more new offices are springing up on campuses throughout the United States and institutions internationally. The reason this functional area is becoming ever popular is due to the positive impact it has on students and most all educational outcomes.
On Being Young-A Woman-and Colored an essay by Marita Bonner addresses what it means to be black women in a world of white privilege. Bonner reflects about a time when she was younger, how simple her life was, but as she grows older she is forced to work hard to live a life better than those around her. Ultimately, she is a woman living with the roles that women of all colors have been constrained to. Critics, within the last 20 years, believe that Marita Bonners’ essay primarily focuses on the double consciousness ; while others believe that she is focusing on gender , class , “economic hardships, and discrimination” . I argue that Bonner is writing her essay about the historical context of oppression forcing women into intersectional oppression by explaining the naturality of racial discrimination between black and white, how time and money equate to the American Dream, and lastly how gender discrimination silences women, specifically black women.
Walker, T. (2000). The Service/Politics Split: Rethinking Service to Teach Political Engagement. PS: Political Science & Politics, 33, 647-649.
important issues, gain new perspectives and provides learning experiences for volunteers as well as individuals from underserved groups. Because of the numerous benefits, college students should enroll in the Service Learning courses or service learning based programs. These programs allows students to move away from the dualism versus unity point of view and focus on reciprocity and provides the skills necessary to approach future service experiences with a service learning perspective.
Being a teacher for social justice is more than just making sure you include all of your students in your discussions. It is being aware of the injustices that your students may have faced, are already facing, or may face in the future. With this awareness, as teachers, we should be able to reflect on what we know, and respond by using our resources to apply it to the classroom.
Following participation in an Engaged Department Institute sponsored by Campus Compact, a service-learning requirement was instituted for all majors in the department studied beginning Fall 2002. All faculty were encouraged to incorporate service-learning in their courses. A training session on service-learning was the centerpiece of a departmental retreat in January 2002. In order to develop closer relationships with community agencies, the department hosted a faculty-partnership luncheon the following fall semester. Potential community partners were invited to meet with faculty in an effort to forge new relationships with the University. In order to institutionalize service-learning, all recruitment advertisements specifically mention service-learning and all new hires are expected to include service-learning components in their courses. As a consequence of these efforts, this department has gone from teaching only a few courses with service-learning components to offering twenty five different classes (thirteen courses) by Fall 2002.
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.
There were quite many relations made between my service learning experiences and themes addressed in the course. Some of the connections were about human self-respect, unity, and fairness. The social ties hold people together and can support the people who do not have the power to help each other. It was interesting for me to employ my skills and knowledge I learned in the classroom to serve those who need help.
Community service is something that I have always engaged. In college, I worked with chemically dependent children as both a caretaker and a mentor. After I graduated, I taught at-risk children in a community youth outreach program. To remain involved and aware of the focus of my studies during my first year of law school, I volunteered at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center teaching youth their basic legal rights. Essentially, we strove to empower kids by providing practical information about the legal system and to help them develop more favora...
Orem, D. (1999 July 4). Lessons From Service Learning. The Washington Post, Pg.B.06. Retrieved May 3, 2004 from ProQuest database.
Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2 ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Completing community service hours can really teach a graduating student responsibility. Graduating teens are becoming young adults. They still have to raise their hand if they want to go to the bathroom but
Raising community awareness to students will teach them the importance of being involved in the community. Students being able to give back to the community will prepare them for their journey to being a positive role model or servant leader.
Student-centered teaching is when the focus of the instruction is placed on the student, not the teacher. In this setting, teachers act as a facilitator, not as an instructor during class discussions and activies. When the instruction is placed on the students, they become active participants in the learning, often times through doing, which results in psychomotor experiences (Social Reconstructionism). An example of student centered teaching which would encourage the reconstruction of society through education is allowing the students to create their own classroom rules. My goal as a future educator is to provide my students with the resources and the ability to live successful lives where they can work to change the injustices that so many marginalized people face. Teaching students to have the belief that they can make changes to society be very hard to do, but allowing them to create the rules of the classroom will help them gain the confidence to do so. When students are able to collaborate and make their own classroom rules, they feel as if they can be powerful people who can use their voice to make a change. When students feel like their voice is important, they will be more inclined to use them to make changes to society which is the goal of social