service learning final essay

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Table of Contents

• Part One: 15 minutes
• Approximately 1 week for students to observe and gather information outside of class
• Part Two: 45-60 minutes
• To define service learning for students.
• To gather information about issues in the local community.
• To observe community needs and brainstorm possible areas for service-learning projects.

To determine one area of focus for the service-learning project by voting.

Materials: notebooks or paper (if possible, students can designate a notebook to use throughout the service-learning project for a journal and for all of the activities), pencils, whiteboard or chalkboard with markers or chalk, timer

PART ONE - INTRODUCING THE ACTIVITY

• Write the phrase service learning on the board. Ask students if they know what service learning is or if they have ideas about what the term means. If you wish, write their ideas on the board.
• After students have shared what they know about service learning, provide them with a definition (perhaps the one from this month’s Introduction) and write it on the board.
• Allow students time to reflect on the definition and to share their thoughts about it in small groups or as a whole class.
• Explain to the class that they will be participating in a service-learning project and their next step is to gather information about the needs in the local community. You can give examples of specific issues or ask students to share ideas.
• Tell students that they can gather information by talking to friends or family members, by reading local newspapers or publications, by interviewing community leaders, by watching news reports, etc.
• Determine how much time students should spend on collecting information outside of class; one week was suggested in the preparation section. Alternatively, if students do not  have access to the internet or news publications outside of class, you can choose to schedule several class periods for them to do research at school.
• Set a date for students to come to class with information about at least three issues filled in on the information-gathering table. Answer any questions students may have about the assignment.

PART TWO - BRAINSTORMING, DISCUSSING, AND VOTING

• On the day that students come to class with their completed information-gathering tables, split the class into groups of about five students. If helpful, have each group assign roles such as recorder, timekeeper, and presenter.
• Explain that each group member will share the community issues he or she recorded. The rest of the group should listen for any common themes, such as housing, hunger, literacy, etc. Provide students with 15-20 minutes for the discussion. Set a timer if desired.
• After each group member has shared his or her observations about issues in the community, the group should discuss common issues or problems. Each group should create a list of the top three issues that they identified after sharing and discussion. If there are any particularly unique or interesting community problems that someone shared, those can also be noted in addition to the top three.
• Once all the groups have had sufficient time to share and discuss ideas, each group will report their top three issues or community problems to the whole class. Depending on the size of your class, this should take 10-20 minutes. As each group names their top issues, write the issues in a list on the board. If issues are repeated, note this by making a tally mark next to the issue on the board. Any unique or interesting issues that were observed by the group can be noted on a separate list.
• Because students have been observing and collecting information about issues in their community, some common themes should naturally emerge. Ask students to look at the list on the board and determine which issues came up the most. (Do not include the separate list of the unique/interesting issues in this part.)
• Create a new list of the top three community problems that the class observed during information gathering. Write it next to the list of the unique or interesting issues, if any.
• Tell students that they will vote on the community issues on this final list to determine the focus issue of the class service-learning project. Explain that after choosing the focus issue, the class will be involved in some type of community service and classroom learning related to that issue.
• Although the class has yet to design the actual project, it may be helpful to give students some examples of what the community service component could be, such as volunteering time to tutor younger students in reading, cleaning up the environment in a part of your community, writing letters to government officials, etc. Answer any questions students may have.
• Allow students to vote for the issue(s) that interest them the most. You can ask students to vote for only one, or you can have them rank each issue from the list according to their level of interest (1 - top choice, 2 - second choice, 3 - third choice, etc.). Students can use a small piece of paper torn from their notebooks to vote.
• Collect all votes before the end of the class period. Count them to determine which issue your class has chosen to focus on for their service-learning project.

The activity presented this week allows students to observe the issues in their community and vote on one area of focus for the service-learning project. The next installment of the Teacher’s Corner will explain how to engage students in classroom learning related to the topic they have chosen. Next week’s activities will allow students to engage in meaningful use of English as they learn more about an issue facing their community.

Last week, students observed issues in the local community and brainstormed possible areas of focus for a service-learning project. Now that students have chosen the area of focus, the next step is to learn more about the chosen issue.

In the Introduction to this month’s Teacher’s Corner, we mentioned that James Minor’s definition of a true service-learning project includes both community service and formal learning. This week will present a Guided Seminar activity that will help students fulfill the “formal learning” portion of the definition. By participating in the Guided Seminar, students will learn more about the community issue they have chosen while practicing meaningful use of English.

GUIDED SEMINAR

• One class period for pre-reading and for answering key questions (This can also be assigned outside of class.)
• One class period for the seminar
• About 20 minutes of time outside of class for the post-seminar reflection
• To have students read information about the community issue in English.
• To participate in meaningful discussion about the issue with classmates in English.
• To write a reflection in English.

Materials: article(s), videos or news clips, radio clips, or social media posts about the chosen issue; key questions (see examples in Preparation Step 2); discussion stems (see examples in Procedure Step 2); service-learning project notebooks and pencils

Preparation:

• Choose one or two articles or news clips for students to read or watch before the seminar. All students will consume the same material beforehand in order to promote thoughtful discussion.
• Was any information that you found in the material surprising? What information made an impression on you as you were reading/watching?
• Have you noticed the effects of this issue in our community? Where, and what have you experienced or observed?
• How would you feel if this issue was a problem for you and your family? Or, if it has been a problem for your family, how has it affected you?
• What do you think are some possible solutions for this problem? Who should be responsible for taking action to start solving this problem?
• Give students time in class to read or watch the information, or assign the material for homework. Have students reflect and answer these questions in their service-learning notebooks after they read or watch the material you have chosen.
• Talk to students about the seminar and your expectations for the discussion. Note that during a seminar, the students really lead the discussion and the teacher acts as more of a facilitator. Students usually do not raise their hands; instead, they simply begin talking, one at a time, while others listen and respond. Depending on your students, you can practice this ahead of time if it will be helpful.
• If you are able to do so, arrange chairs or the students themselves in a large circle on the day of your seminar.  Sitting in a circle will encourage discussion amongst students. If not, you can still conduct the seminar in your normal classroom setting.
• Write the discussion stems below, as well as any others you can think of, on the board. If needed, provide students with examples of how to use these.
• I agree/disagree with __________ because…
• I would like to add that…
• I want to know more about…
• This made me think of __________ because…
• I would like to ask __________ about…
• I was surprised to learn…
• I felt __________ when I read…
• I would like to ask <student’s name> what he/she thinks about…
• Before starting the discussion, review procedures and expectations for the seminar with your students. Remind them about the guidelines for taking turns, listening, and responding to classmates. Answer any questions that students may have.
• Ask students to take out the article(s) they read and the reflection questions they answered in their notebooks. Give them a few minutes to review their responses. If students watched news clips, you can replay the clips or have students chat in pairs about what they remember from the clips. While students review, you can write the reflection questions on the board.
• Tell students that they will participate in a guided discussion about the community issue they have been learning about. Explain that you will ask one of the reflection questions and anyone can start the discussion by sharing their thoughts or ideas. Tell students that they can refer to the article/news clips or their notes but should not read directly from their notebooks.
• Read the first reflection question from the board and allow students to respond. Remind students of expectations throughout the seminar if needed. Let students know that they can ask each other questions directly using each other’s names. This can be helpful for encouraging all students to participate.
• Continue until all of the key questions have been addressed. Based on the discussion and level of interest of the students, you can pose follow-up questions during the seminar to further engage students with the topic.
• To wrap up the seminar, you may choose to pose a closing question and give students time to respond with a short answer. It is helpful to share some possible answers with students before asking them to respond. Here are some examples:
• What is one word that comes to mind when you think about this community issue? (Example answers: tragic, opportunity, hope, help, etc.)
• Respond with one word that describes how this issue makes you feel. (Example answers: inspired, hopeless, worried, motivated, etc.)
• What is one word or phrase that you can use to describe what is needed to improve this issue in our community? (Example answers: caring, generosity, time, money, hope, etc.)
• Once students have had a chance to answer the final question, explain that the last step will be to reflect on the seminar in their notebooks. Because this activity is preparing learners to participate in meaningful service learning, it is suggested that you ask students to write about ways the class can engage with the community issue they have chosen to have a positive impact.
• Write the final reflection question on the board for students to copy into their notebooks. You might write and ask “What ideas do you have for activities related to this issue that our class can do to have a positive impact on the community?” or something similar.
• If helpful, give students time to share a few ideas with the whole class. Then, assign students the task of writing ideas in their notebooks (either as homework or during the next class period).
• It should be noted that this seminar can be repeated several times over the duration of the service-learning project. Students can read or watch additional materials about the community issue and answer new questions in a seminar discussion. This activity can also be used to reflect on experiences when students are engaged in the project. More information about how to do this will be shared in Week 4.

The Guided Seminar allows students to use English to learn more about the community issue they are interested in. Learners also use English to engage in thoughtful, structured conversation about the topic, to reflect on what they have learned, and to generate ideas.

The final step in this week’s activity asks students to begin thinking about how the class can engage in service related to the community issue they have selected. This will be the starting point for designing the community service component of the service-learning project. Next week the Teacher’s Corner will present several ways for students to become actively involved with the community issue they have chosen.

Thus far this month in the Teacher’s Corner, students have observed needs in their community, chosen an area of focus for a service-learning project, and participated in a seminar to learn more about their community issue. This week’s installment will present possible types of projects for the community-service portion of the service-learning project.

Often when one hears the term service learning, thoughts come to mind of hands-on volunteer work and helping others, usually at a location away from school. While this is a possibility for the service portion of a service-learning project, it is certainly not the only way. It is important to note that there are many opportunities to have an impact in the community without having to leave your school’s campus.

Below are several different suggestions for actions students can take as a way of serving their communities. The most appropriate model for your service will depend on what issue your class has chosen, how much time you have to offer, whether there are established agencies in your community, and what actions will have the most impact. When designing this part of the project, it is recommended that you also consider the ideas about action steps that students wrote in their reflections after last week’s Guided Seminar activity.

VOLUNTERRING TIME WITH A LOCAL AGENCY

One model for a service-learning project is to volunteer with an existing agency or non-government organization (NGO) that is working in the focus area that your class has chosen. How often your students volunteer and for how long will depend on the issue being addressed. For instance, suppose your class voted to focus on early childhood literacy, and they find a local NGO that provides educational activities or services for young children. If your students wanted to work directly with the children in the program, it would likely be more beneficial for them to volunteer twice a week for an hour or two each time, rather than to visit the agency just once for six hours. Or suppose your students chose the focus area of adequate housing, and they find a local agency that provides free home repairs or that builds affordable houses. In this case, it may be better for the class to spend a whole day or two working on a single project with that agency rather than to spread out the time over several weeks or months.

If you and your students cannot travel to the community organization to volunteer your time, there may be other ways to get involved. Many agencies can use assistance with creating brochures, flyers, or educational materials. You can contact the organization to ask about projects your students may be able to complete at your school. Additional ideas about fundraising or collecting materials to benefit a community organization are shared under Fundraising and Collecting Items below.

ADVOCATING AND RAISING AWARENESS

Sometimes students can be of service to people affected by an issue in the community by simply letting others know about the problem. Some people may not even realize that the problem exists because the issue does not directly affect them. There are different ways that students can raise awareness about the community need they have chosen.

Letter-Writing Campaigns

Students can write letters to newspapers, elected officials, or even celebrities about the issues in their community. If students choose to write letters, be sure that they include facts and information about how members of the community are being affected by the issue. Letters asking for people to take a specific action, such as voting for or against legislation or donating funds to a project, are very persuasive.

Often, people advocating for an issue or cause will create a form letter that others can easily sign and send to their government representatives. A form letter may not work for every situation, but if it is something that is appropriate for your students’ service-learning project, they might consider doing so.

Presentations or Speeches

To raise awareness about a community issue, students may want to give presentations or speeches to others about the issue. This type of presentation is effective when students share facts about the issue, discuss how it is affecting members of the community, and offer ways for the audience to take action or get involved. One way for students to gather necessary information is to interview professionals in fields related to the issue or to interview people affected by the issue. Students can share their presentations with community groups, government officials, or even other students and teachers at your school. Students can request time to visit and present at community meetings, or ask teachers for time to come to their classrooms to share information during the school day.

Infographics and Posters

If your students are creative, they can increase awareness about their community issue by making attention-grabbing visuals such as infographics and posters.

Infographics have become a very popular way to communicate facts, figures, and key information about different topics. An excellent free resource that students can use to create infographics is www.canva.com . More information about what to include in infographics and how to get started can be found in this webinar from American English. Infographics can be used in presentations and shared on social media.

Posters are another excellent way for students to share important information about their community issue with others. The information included can be similar to that of an infographic. Students can share their posters with others by using them in presentations or putting them up around your school. Another option would be to hold a poster session where students stand near their posters and share information about the community issue with others walking around the room. Students, administrators, teachers, community groups, and government officials can all be invited to attend a poster session.

FUNDRAISING OR COLLECTING ITEMS

If financial support would benefit the community issue your students have chosen, they may choose to organize one or more fundraisers. There are many ways to do this, some that require a bit of financial investment up front and some that do not. It is always important to communicate the purpose of the fundraiser to the audience, which can be done through presentations, posters, or any other ways your students come up with. Here are some ideas for simple fundraising activities:

• Food or beverage sales: Set up a table at lunch or break times at school to sell snacks, coffee, tea, juice, etc.
• Candy-grams: Your class can collect names, information, and money from students who want to send a candy-gram (a nice note and a piece of candy) to a friend at school. They then deliver the candy-grams on a certain date.
• Change drive: Share information about the issue and the need for money, and ask every class in the school to collect spare change for a certain period of time. Offer a small reward, such as an ice cream party, for the class that raises the most money.
• School dance/event: Plan a dance or other event that interests students at your school and charge admission.

Sometimes certain items are needed to help members of the community. In this situation, students can share information about their community issue and the need for these items and involve the whole school or other community members in collecting these items. Returning to the earlier example of early childhood literacy, students could organize a book drive to collect books for an organization that serves young children. Depending on the need, students can collect clothing, blankets, toiletry items, and more to benefit those affected by the issue.

There are many factors to think about when deciding what the service component of a service-learning project could be. It is important to consider the amount of time needed, students’ interests and abilities, whether your class can travel, and the area of focus. Most importantly, make sure that the activity will benefit both your class and the community. In the final installment of the Teacher’s Corner this month, we will examine ways for students to reflect on the service-learning project and share the impact with others.

This week’s Teacher’s Corner will begin with discussing how to use a reflection journal throughout the service-learning project. Writing a reflection journal will encourage students to be more thoughtful about what they are learning and experiencing, while also providing another opportunity to practice English. Finally, this week’s installment will present strategies for students to share their experiences and reflections after the completion of the project.

• 15-30 minutes at various points over the course of the project (either in class or outside of class, or a combination of both)
• To encourage students to reflect on experiences during the service-learning project.
• To write in English about experiences, thoughts, and feelings.

Materials: notebooks or paper, pencils, whiteboard or chalkboard with markers or chalk

• At any point during the service-learning project, provide students with a journal prompt and have them reflect in their notebooks.
• Tell students that it is more important that they get their thoughts on paper and not to worry about spelling or grammar for the journal entries.
• After your students have chosen a focus area for their service learning project (after completing the vote from Week 1), ask them to write about what they know about the issue and how it affects the local community.
• Have students answer the reflection questions about the materials they read or watched to prepare for the Guided Seminar activity in Week 2.
• During the service-learning project itself, have students write reflections regularly. If your students visit an agency or interact with others, they can write a reflection after each visit or interaction. If students are planning a fundraiser, participating in a letter writing campaign, or planning presentations, ask them to write about what they are learning, struggling with, or surprised about.
• Provide students with specific questions to answer about what they are seeing and doing or about their interactions with other members of their community or school. Ask questions that prompt students to share feelings or to discuss how their ideas about the issue are evolving or changing.
• Once the service component of the service-learning project is complete, students can look back at their journal entries to see how their thinking has changed or what they have learned about the issue.

Extensions:

• In addition to using the journal to keep track of their experiences and thoughts throughout the service-learning project, students can also use it to participate in additional guided seminars. Students can read additional information about the area of focus (especially if it is one that is often in the news) and follow the same format of pre-reading, answering questions, and sharing ideas in seminars. A less formal approach can also be taken where students simply gather their thoughts in their service-learning notebooks and then use the seminar to share personal experiences and reflections.

SHARING THE SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS

Final Reflective Essay

As a final activity, students can examine all the journal entries they have written over the course of the service-learning project. The entries can be used to write a final reflective essay about the whole experience. Ask students to explain what their ideas and assumptions about the issue were before the project. Using the journal, students can choose one or two key experiences to expand upon and discuss the type of impact they had. Then, students can write about whether the project changed their thinking or reinforced things that they knew. Essays and reflections can be shared among the class or with others invited to attend a sharing session.

Poster Session

Similar to the activity presented in Week 3, asking students to create a poster about their experience and to participate in a poster session is a great way to conclude the service-learning project. If students have photos or mementos from their experience, they can include them in the poster. If you plan to do this activity only with the students who participated in the project, it is best to have students take turns standing at their posters so that they have a chance to see others’ work. The class can be split in half with one group presenting their posters for the first part of the class period and a second group presenting their posters during the second part. Or schedule several poster sessions over different class periods and divide your class so that only a portion of students present each day. School administrators, government officials, other teachers and students, and professionals who work in the area of focus for your project can be invited to attend the sessions. Attendees should walk around and have a chance to look at the posters and talk with students standing at their posters.

Additional Action

After completing a service-learning project, students often want to continue volunteering or doing work in the chosen area of focus. If some of your students are interested in doing this, you can create a final assignment that asks them to write about why they feel inspired by their experience, what they plan to do to stay involved, and how or why they believe their continued involvement in the issue will be beneficial. These reflections and action plans can be shared with their peers, school officials, or community organizations.

All students will have unique experiences and interpret the service-learning project differently. The ideas above are only a few options for final projects. Providing several choices for how students can share their experiences is encouraged. Allowing students to choose how they would like to express their thoughts and present what they have learned can be very motivating and even encourage them to take risks with English in the process.

A service-learning project should have an impact on both the community and the students who are participating. For students learning English, a service-learning project is an opportunity to use the target language to learn about the issue, take part in discussions, interact with others, and reflect upon the experience.

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Center for Engaged Learning

Service-learning.

Service-learning was one of the ten experiences listed as a high-impact practice (HIP) when such practices were first identified by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) in 2007. Given the many benefits that service-learning experiences offer students (Jacoby, 2015), it is not surprising that it was one of the ten identified as a HIP in the AACU’s report,  College Learning for a New Global Century.  Before discussing what makes service-learning a HIP, it is important to define service-learning and describe aspects of the definition in detail.

Every course has a list of objectives that students are expected to reach, and all instructors have to consider how students will achieve those objectives. When course objectives can be reached by doing work for and with community partners, service-learning pedagogy is an option. Bringle and Hatcher (1995) define service-learning as

a credit-bearing, educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. (p. 112)

Each part of this definition is significant and will be described in more depth.

Service-learning is Credit-Bearing

Service-learning is part of a course – a “credit-bearing educational experience” (Bringle & Hatch, 1995, p. 112). This distinguishes service-learning from volunteerism. While volunteers offer service in the community, the service is generally not associated with a course, nor are the volunteers asked to reflect on the service activity. Service-learning is designed as a means for students to learn the content of a course through the process of carrying out service. The service and the learning are intertwined.

An example is helpful here. Volunteers can help hand out blankets to homeless people and drive them to shelters on cold evenings. This act contributes to the public good, yet the volunteers may or may not learn much from the experience. Students in a service-learning sociology course about social issues and local problems can also hand out blankets and drive homeless individuals to shelters, but to meet the objectives of the course, they will do more. The students could help a city to determine if there are enough beds in shelters for the number of homeless individuals in the city. They could gather information on the conditions in shelters as they are handing out blankets. An assignment in the course could be to write a report that city officials use to help determine funding for homeless individuals. The students in this sociology course would have a meaningful  educational  experience as they provide important and needed work in the community that contributes to the public good.

Meeting an Identified Community Need

Service-learning is intended to meet “identified community needs” (Bringle & Hatcher, 1995, p. 112). Sometimes the learning that university students accomplish in the community is not associated with a service-learning course and is not necessarily focused on a need that community members have stated. For example, schools of education generally have education majors spend time learning and teaching in public elementary, middle, and high schools. These practicum and student teaching experiences are designed for education majors to meet national and state standards as they work toward obtaining teaching licenses. In this instance, the public schools in the community are partnering with the university, but not to meet an identified community need. Rather, the public schools are helping the university to meet the needs of the schools of education for educating teacher candidates. This is the distinction between service-learning and community engagement.

To qualify as an identified community need, a community member must state the particular service that is needed. Service-learning honors the wisdom of individuals who run community organizations and work daily in the community. These are the people who know what type of service is needed and how it should be carried out. Should a college professor approach a leader of a community organization by telling her the work that her students will accomplish for the organization, without understanding the particular needs of the community organization, this would not qualify as service-learning. The college instructor needs to approach the organization by asking the leader to share the particular needs for service the organization has identified. The instructor can then see if any of these needs are related to objectives in her course. When there is a close match between a service need stated by a community member and one or more course objectives, the prospects for service-learning are greatly improved.

There are basically three ways that the service component of a service-learning course can be conducted. The first is by providing community-based service, generally in partnership with a community organization. Again, a leader in the organization would stipulate the specific service need that students would help fulfill on-site in the community. The second way is with a class-based service. Working in the college classroom, students provide a product or service that the community partner has requested. Examples of class-based service include website development, video production, or research for a non-profit organization. Generally with class-based service, the community partner visits the class and explains the service or product needed. Often students are encouraged or even required to visit the community organization at least once during the semester. At the end of the semester, the leader of the community organization might visit the class to see the final product or to discuss the result of the students’ service. The final way that service can be incorporated into a course is a combination of community- and class-based service. Regardless of which of the three types are used, it is critical that the community partner identify the need to be met through service.

Service-learning can also take place in study abroad courses. Instructors make arrangements before arriving at the destination abroad to determine which identified community need the students will be addressing. Often the service-learning experiences are the most meaningful part of the study abroad course because of the interactions students will experience while conducting the service. One professor said of her service-learning course in Africa, “Without the service work, we are simply staring out the bus windows and trying to interpret from our Western lens. The sunsets are magnificent, the elephants awe-inspiring, but it is the interactions in working with the people that are transformative.”

Reflection on Service

Students in service-learning courses are asked to reflect on their service and how it integrates with course content. Frequently students write reflections on their service in the community and participate in class discussions that make connections between course readings and the service activities. Again, this is different from volunteering. Concerns can arise when service is conducted without a reflective component. Negative stereotypes may be reinforced, complex problems may be viewed in superficial ways, and analysis of underlying structural inequalities in society left unconsidered (Jones, 2002). Instructors of service-learning courses work to include thoughtful reflection in class discussions and written assignments. Depending on course content and the particular service-experience, negative stereotypes can be examined and discredited, layers of complexity related to the societal problem can be uncovered, or larger societal issues related to inequality can be studied. Reflection is a central and essential component of service-learning courses.

Understanding of Course Content

Since service-learning is arranged to simultaneously meet an identified community need and one or more course objectives, students’ service experiences will relate to the content of the course they are taking. As students read texts for the course, participate in class discussions and carry out written assignments, they can make connections with their service-learning experiences. Students will sometimes say that their service experiences “bring the course to life.” By this they mean that at least some of the concepts, theories, and principles being taught in the course are learned in a dynamic way with the service. Students are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in service-learning courses.

Consider two options for how an instructor of a computer course might design her pedagogy. The first option is to teach the course without service-learning. Students will have required readings and written assignments and, as a culminating activity, design a website for an imaginary client. The students will likely enjoy this experience and learn from it, but it is very different in nature from the instructor’s second option for how to teach the course.

The computer course instructor who chooses to use service-learning has required readings and written assignments and also arranges a service project with the director of a local non-profit agency who is requesting a new website for the agency. The director attends a class session to describe the mission of the agency, its clients, and how the new website should function. Prior to designing the website, the students are asked to spend a few hours at the agency to learn more about it. As students work on constructing the website, they keep in contact with the agency director and people employed there to ensure that expectations for the final product are met. Students are highly motivated to create a website that meets with the agency director’s specifications, and they work diligently to produce a high quality product. They know that people who work at the non-profit agency are depending on them and that the clients need an up-to-date website with new and important functions. Focusing on every detail, the students put a significant amount of thought and energy into creating the best possible product possible.

While students in the computer course without service-learning learn how to design a website through the exercise of making one for an imaginary client, the students in the service-learning course have the experience of creating a website for an actual client. They know what it means to meet, and perhaps, even exceed the client’s expectations. They understand the significance of their work and the value of listening carefully to clients in a way that students in the course without service-learning have yet to experience. The students in the service-learning course develop a deep understanding of the course content as they carry out the service associated with the course.

A Broader Appreciation of the Discipline

While not all students in a service-learning course are going to gain a broader appreciation of the discipline, some students will take away deep learning and a greater understanding of the discipline. In a multi-institutional study conducted with 261 engineering students, a survey was used to learn how the students perceived service as a source of learning technical and professional skills relative to traditional course work. Students’ responses indicated that 45% of what they learned about technical skills and 62% of what they learned about professional skills was through service (Carberry, Lee & Swan, 2013). Clearly, these engineering students’ gain a greater understanding of their discipline through their service experiences.

In another study, with a smaller sample of 37 students across sections of a non-profit marketing course, the students compared their learning from a variety of pedagogical tools, including case studies, lectures, reading assignments, guest speakers, exams, textbooks, and service-learning experiences in local chapters of national organizations and non-profit organizations. Students responded with a 5-point Likert scale indicating the degree to which each pedagogical tool helped them to meet the specific objectives of the course. Students rated the service-learning project higher than all of the other pedagogical tools as contributing to their learning in all course objectives (Mottner, 2010). Additionally, the course instructor saw that service-learning was not only effective for supporting students’ learning of the course objectives, but also proved helpful for students in determining their future careers, gaining confidence in interacting with clients, and understanding people from another culture (p. 243).

With the opportunity to apply newly learned skills in a service-learning project, students learn more about the discipline they are studying, and depending on the service-learning setting, they may learn about the lives of people in the community who have fewer resources than they do while also learning about the underlying and systemic reasons for particular circumstances.

Enhanced Sense of Civic Responsibility

The final aspect of Bringle and Hatcher’s (1995) definition of service-learning maintains that students can gain an enhanced sense of civic responsibility by conducting and reflecting on service. Through the process of conducting meaningful service in the community, students can learn the importance of engaging in the community to make positive contributions; that is, they can learn to be civic-minded.

Cress (2013) explains that being civic-minded involves both knowing and doing. College students and graduates may know about and even analyze community problems yet feel overwhelmed and do little or nothing to remedy them. This is knowing without doing. Just as harmful, are individuals who carry out service without substantial knowledge about the issue. This is doing without knowing. Cress calls for community-based educational experiences that increase knowledge and skills to address civic issues. In other words, combining knowing and doing in such a way that civic action is carried out responsibly.

Service-learning offers the initial opportunity for college students to learn how to be civic-minded by combining knowledge gained in the university classroom with skills acquired in community settings so that responsible and respectful service is provided. “Civic-minded graduates will make important contributions to their communities through their capacity to generate citizen-driven solutions” (Moore & Mendez, 2014, p. 33).

Bringle and Hatcher’s (1995) definition of service-learning, quoted and described in detail here, illustrates the multifaceted aspects of this pedagogy. Just tacking on service to an existing course does not make it a service-learning course. The service experience and reflection upon it is integrated with the course. Successes, frustrations, and troubleshooting are discussed in the classroom. Instructors support students in making links between their service experience and the curriculum of the course. Instructors may also support students in analyzing the specific circumstances experienced in service-learning so they develop an understanding of the underlying structural inequalities in the broader society that impact those circumstances. Service-learning pedagogy, when conducted in a thorough and thoughtful manner, has the potential for deepening students’ learning and even offering the prospect of transformative learning (Felten & Clayton, 2011).

With such impressive outcomes, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (2007) rightly included service-learning on the list of high-impact practices. The next section addresses the question, “What makes service-learning a high-impact practice?”

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What makes it a high-impact practice?

Calling for “implementation quality,” in high-impact practices, Kuh (2013, p. 7) outlined eight key elements of high-impact practices. According to Kuh, these elements can be useful in determining the quality of a practice for advancing student accomplishment. The eight key elements are listed below.

• Performance expectations set at appropriately high levels
• Significant investment of time and effort by students over an extended period of time
• Interactions with faculty and peers about substantive matters
• Experiences with diversity wherein students are exposed to and must contend with people and circumstances that differ from those with which students are familiar
• Frequent, timely, and constructive feedback
• Periodic, structured opportunities to reflect and integrate learning
• Opportunities to discover relevance of learning through real-world applications
• Public demonstration of competence (p. 10)

In this section, service-learning will be discussed as it relates to each of the key elements of high-impact practices.

High Performance Expectations

From the first day of class, it is important for instructors of service-learning courses to communicate the high expectations they have for students’ service. The quality of the service should influence grading, as this is a way to immediately communicate the centrality of service to students. The leader of the community organization where the service will be performed should be invited to speak to the class about their expectations for service. This leader can share how both high- and low-quality service impact the organization and people in the community. Generally, service does come with some challenges as Cress (2013) points out service-learning involves relationships, and these can go awry. “Personality conflicts can arise, students may lack the ability to deal with others who are different from themselves, community partners may not follow through on their commitments, and group members may not meet their responsibilities” (p. 16). Students who are working to meet high performance expectations will likely need to overcome obstacles that can interfere with performing the service at a peak level. How the students cope with and overcome obstacles is part of the learning in service-learning, and it is a significant aspect of how students demonstrate a high level of performance in the course.

Investment of Significant Time and Effort

When students carry out service, they will likely learn that careful planning, a thoughtful approach, and meaningful analysis of the circumstances takes time, energy, and effort on their part. The old adage that “You only get out of something what you put into it,” most certainly applies to service-learning. Often students arrive at college having learned to focus on academic achievement and to view community service as less important or secondary. With service-learning pedagogy, the service is woven into students’ academic achievement, and, accordingly, students need to focus a significant amount of their time and efforts on providing high quality service in order to meet expectations.

Interactions with Faculty and Peers about Substantive Matters

In order to plan and carry out meaningful service-learning, students will need to work closely with the faculty member teaching the course and their peers who are taking the course alongside them. Consider the example presented earlier of the instructor of a computer course who had the option of having students design a website for an imaginary client or an actual client of a non-profit agency. Students who are designing the website for an imaginary client, even if working in groups, will not have the same types of interactions with faculty and peers as those who are creating a website for an agency in the community. Simply put, more is at stake when designing a product for an actual client. When that client is meeting a specific need in the community, the website must communicate that clearly and allow for clients and donors to have easy access to various parts of the site. Students carrying out this type of service-learning will find that substantive interactions with faculty, peers, and the community leader become necessary in order to successfully complete the project.

Experiences with Diversity

While college campuses can offer students some experience with a range of diversity for race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, and age, it is likely that the differences between college students and people living in the local community are greater. Life can look quite different for people living as close as a couple of miles from a university as compared to life on campus.

Students performing service in the community or during study abroad courses can learn about individuals who are living in poverty, struggling to meet basic needs, and who often do without. Students can learn about the impact of discrimination from individuals who have experienced it first-hand. For some students, the disparity between the life experiences of people they meet during service-learning and their own life circumstances makes them realize the privilege they have lived with all of their lives.

Jacoby (2015) explains that when students conduct service without multicultural education, negative stereotypes can be reinforced and perpetuated (p. 232). Jacoby notes that by integrating multicultural education with service-learning, students are helped to “expand their emotional comfort zones in dealing with difference, gain an increasing ability to view the world from multiple perspectives, and reflect on their own social positions in relations to others” (p. 233). Often these goals are among those that faculty hope to achieve when choosing to use service-learning pedagogy.

Frequent, Timely, and Constructive Feedback

Meeting frequently with the faculty member teaching a service-learning course to receive suggestions, learn how to make progress, solve problems, and increase the quality of service will greatly benefit the students who are carrying out the service. The faculty member can provide the timely and constructive feedback that allows students to make improvements in how they conduct the service and develop a more profound understanding of the circumstances that give rise to the need for the services.

Although the leaders of community organizations hosting students for their service-learning courses are generally incredibly busy people, they may be able to arrange brief meetings with students to provide feedback on the service they are conducting. With support from both faculty and leaders in the community, students can refine their service and deepen their understanding. Students often have a greater appreciation of the complexity involved in providing service to meet an identified need as they spend more time within an organization. Frequent and timely feedback affords students the guidance needed to meet the high expectations for service-learning experiences.

Opportunities to Reflect

As noted earlier, reflection is integral to service-learning. In fact, without reflection, a service experience becomes volunteering. The instructor of a service-learning course is responsible for providing periodic, structured opportunities to reflect on the service and integrate the learning from service with course content.

Campus Compact, a source of support for universities implementing service-learning, outlines four ways to structure the reflection process (“Structuring”). The first is that reflection should connect service with other coursework. Second, faculty need to coach students on how to reflect. Third, the reflection process should offer both challenge and support to students. Fourth, the reflection should be continuous; reflection needs to happen before, during and after service-learning experiences. Faculty utilizing this framework will help students to gain insights through the reflection process.

Real-World Applications

Service-learning by definition provides opportunities for students to discover relevance of disciplinary knowledge through real-world application. Students in an educational psychology course will provide service in high-poverty schools; students in human service study course will provide service in a domestic violence shelter; students in a research course will provide service in the form of program assessment for a non-profit organization; students in a marketing course will provide service supporting women in a developing country who are starting a cooperative to sell handmade goods. The needs in most communities outweigh the resources, which makes service-learning a welcome addition in the community, while also providing the chance for university students to make connections between their studies and real-world applications.

Public Demonstration of Competence

Kuh’s (2013) final key element of HIP is for students to publicly demonstrate the competency they gained, in this case, during the service-learning course. While the work of community organizations is ongoing, students’ service is often completed as the semester ends. A culminating project that is presented to stakeholders offers students the opportunity to consider the outcomes of their learning, make connections between course content and the service they provided, and to contemplate on the larger societal issues related to inequality. The culminating project may be an oral presentation or a report given to the community partner. In some cases the culminating project is one of the main goals of the service. Students who exhibit a high level of competence with their culminating project can articulate how the service-learning experience was a HIP for them.

Service-learning is a HIP, and, as such, has the power to impact students’ lives in meaningful, perhaps even transformative ways (Felten & Clayton, 2011). Every key element of HIP, as outlined by Kuh (2013) for the Association of American Colleges and Universities, are met in service-learning. Those students who excel in service-learning have the potential to become civic-minded graduates who bring good to their communities, a goal universities surely find worthy.

Research-Informed Practices

The following best practices in service-learning are adapted from Reitenaure, Spring, Kecskes, Kerrigan, Cress, and Collier (2005) and Howard (1993), who focus on two different sides of service-learning. Reitenaure et al. (2005) focus on the community partnership side of service-learning results in a list centered on establishing strong and productive relationships among the parties involved in service-learning: students, faculty, and community members. Howard’s (1993) focus on the academic side of service-learning results in a list centered on maintaining academic rigor and making space for deep student learning through community praxis. Collectively, their work leads to the following practices for high-quality service-learning:

• Establish shared goals and values
• Focus on academic learning  through  service
• Provide supports for student learning and reflection
• Be prepared for uncertainty and variation in student learning outcomes
• Build mutual trust, respect, authenticity, and commitment between the student and community partner
• Identify existing strengths and areas for improvement among all partners
• Work to balance power and share resources
• Communicate openly and accessibly
• Commit to the time it will require
• Seek feedback for improvement

(adapted from Reitenaure et al., 2005, and Howard, 1993)

Overall, these recommendations focus on two broad goals of service-learning: establish a strong and reciprocal relationship, and structure and support student learning. These goals happen through frequent and open communication among all involved and facilitated space in and out of the classroom for student reflection and integration of their learning. Each of the model programs described below enact these good practices in similar ways.

Embedded and Emerging Questions for Research, Practice, and Theory

While service-learning is one of the more heavily researched high impact practices, additional areas of study remain. For example, the distinction between service-learning and community engagement warrants additional focus and research. Does this variation in framing equate to differential impacts on student learning? Service-learning also varies in length and intensity, and research is needed to parse out the differential impacts on student learning of short term versus long term service-learning experiences. Recent research has begun to examine the differential impacts on service-learning for underrepresented minority (URM) students and suggests service-learning has strong academic success impacts for URMs, but service-learning is less closely linked to retention and four-year graduation for URMs than it is for highly represented students (Song, Furco, Lopez, & Maruyama, 2017). Additional research is needed to understand why this may be the case and how service-learning experiences might be facilitated to support more equitable student impacts.

Finally, perhaps the greatest avenues for effective community partnerships in the coming years exist in community colleges and distinctive two-year institutions. Community colleges have a great opportunity to contribute to social research surrounding challenges, missions and strengths of community partnerships. Since students are usually still embedded within the surrounding community, the opportunity to develop community partnerships is promising (Brukhardt et al., 2004). Two-year institutions are also on the front-line of accepting students from diverse financial, racial, and experiential backgrounds. These expansions and alterations to the ‘typical’ college student population will continue to present themselves in the coming years. Community colleges have the opportunity to create policies and service-learning opportunities that engage and enrich the lives of diverse student populations, which places two-year institutions above other, more traditional, colleges that may be more delayed in response to such changes. As Butin (2006) describes, current service-learning and engagement is only focused towards “full-time single, non-indebted, and childless students pursuing a liberal arts degree” (p.482). As a result, colleges and universities who adapt to the future trends that break out of such barriers will be more successful with engaged learning in the years to come.

Key Scholarship

Ash, Sarah L., and Patti H. Clayton. 2004. “The Articulated Learning: An approach to Guided Reflection and Assessment.” Innovative Higher Education 29 (2): 137-154.

About this Journal Article:

Reflection is an integral aspect of service-learning, but it does not simply happen by telling students to reflect. This paper describes the risks involved in poor quality reflection and explains the results of rigorous reflection. A rigorous reflection framework is introduced that involves objectively describing an experience, analyzing the experience, and then articulating learning outcomes according to guiding questions.

Celio, Christine I., Joseph Durlak, and Allison Dymnicki. 2011. “A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Service-Learning on Students.” Journal of Experiential Education 34 (2): 164-181.

For those seeking empirical data regarding the value of service-learning, this meta-analysis provides considerable evidence. Representing data from 11,837 students, this meta-analysis of 62 studies identified five areas of gain for students who took service-learning courses as compared to control groups who did not. The students in service-learning courses demonstrated significant gains in their self-esteem and self-efficacy, educational engagement, altruism, cultural proficiency, and academic achievement. Studies of service-learning courses that implemented best practices (e.g., supporting students in connecting curriculum with the service, incorporating the voice of students in the service-learning project, welcoming community involvement in the project, and requiring reflection) had higher effect sizes.

Cress, Christine M., Peter J. Collier, Vicki L. Reitenauer, and Associates, eds. 2013. Learning through Service: A Student Guidebook for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement across Academic Disciplines and Cultural Communities, 2nd ed. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.

About this Edited Book:

Although written for students to promote an understanding of their community service through reflection and their personal development as citizens who share expertise with compassion, this text is also useful for faculty. Among the many topics addressed, it provides descriptions of service-learning and civic engagement, explains how to establish and deepen community partnerships, and challenges students to navigate difference in ways that unpack privilege and analyze power dynamics that often surface in service-learning and civic engagement. Written in an accessible style, it is good first text for learning about service-learning and civic engagement.

Delano-Oriaran, Omobolade, Marguerite W Penick-Parks, and Suzanne Fondrie, eds. 2015. The SAGE Sourcebook of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

This tome contains 58 chapters on a variety of aspects related to service-learning and civic engagement. The intended audience is faculty in higher education and faculty in P-12 schools, as well as directors of service-learning or civic engagement centers in universities or school districts. The SAGE Sourcebook of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement outlines several theoretical models on the themes of service-learning and civic engagement, provides guides that faculty can employ when developing service-learning projects, shares ideas for program development, and offers numerous resources that faculty can use. Parts I – IV of the sourcebook are directed toward general information about service-learning and civic engagement, including aspects of implementation; parts V – VIII describe programs and issues related to the use of service-learning or civic engagement within disciplines or divisions; part IX addresses international service-learning; and part X discusses sustainability.

Felten, Peter, and Patti H. Clayton. 2011. “Service-Learning.” New Directions for Teaching and Learning 128: 75-84. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tl.470 .

Felten and Clayton define service-learning, describe its essential aspects, and review the empirical evidence supporting this pedagogy. Both affective and cognitive aspects of growth are examined in their review. The authors conclude that effectively designed service-learning has considerable potential to promote transformation for all involved, including those who mentor students during the service-learning experience.

Jacoby, Barbara. 2015. Service-learning essentials: Questions, answers and lessons learned. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

About this Book:

Arranged as a series of questions and answers about service-learning, this text shares research and the author’s personal wisdom gathered over decades of experience in service-learning. Faculty members who are new to service-learning will learn the basics of this pedagogy. Those with experience will discover ways to refine and improve their implementation of service-learning. All aspects of service-learning are clearly explained in this accessible text, including advise for overcoming obstacles.

Jones, Susan R. 2002. “The Underside of Service-Learning.” About Campus 7 (4): 10-15.

Although an older publication, this article is not outdated. Jones describes how some students resist examining assumptions and refuse to see how their beliefs perpetuate negative stereotypes. These students challenge both the faculty member teaching the service-learning course and classmates. Jones discusses the need for faculty to anticipate how to respond to students’ racist or homophobic comments in a way that acknowledges where the students are developmentally, while also honoring the complexity involved. Additionally, the author recommends that faculty examine their own background and level of development relative to issues of privilege and power that can arise in service-learning pedagogy.

McDonald, James, and Lynn Dominguez. 2015. “Developing University and Community Partnerships: A Critical Piece of Successful Service Learning.” Journal of College Science Teaching 44 (3): 52-56.

Developing a positive partnership with a community organization is a critical aspect service-learning. McDonald and Dominguez discuss best practice for service-learning and explain a framework for developing a successful partnership in the community. Faculty need to

• Identify the objectives of the course that will be met through service,
• Identify the community organization whose mission or self-identified need can be address with service-learning,
• Define the purpose of the project, the roles, responsibilities and benefits of individuals involved,
• Maintain regular communication with the community partner, and
• Invite the community partner to the culminating student presentation on their service-learning.

Two service-learning projects, one for an environmental course and another for an elementary methods science course, are described along with the positive outcomes for students and community partners.

Warner, Beth, and Judy Esposito. 2009. “What’s Not in the Syllabus: Faculty Transformation, Role Modeling and Role Conflict in Immersion Service-Learning Courses.” International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 20 (3): 510-517.

This article describes immersive learning in the context of international service learning (or domestic service learning that happens away from the local community surrounding an institution) where students and faculty live and work together in a deeply immersive environment. The article is careful to articulate the difference in international or away service learning, where the immersion is constant, with localized experiences where the service learning experience is socketed into a student’s day. The article also discusses the value and need of the instructor working in close proximity to students as a facilitative guide to the learning experience.  

See all Service-Learning entries

Model Programs

The following model programs are drawn from recommendations by service-learning professionals across the United States. All of these selected programs also meet the  Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement.  Carnegie defines community engagement as:

The partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good. (“Defining Community Engagement,” 2018, para. 2)

This voluntary classification requires schools to collect data and provide evidence of alignment across mission and commitments; this evidence is then reviewed by a national review panel before an institution is selected for inclusion on the list. While community engagement is not always service-learning, the two are closely related and many campus centers offer more expansive definitions to include both service learning and community engagement.

Drake University’s Office of Community Engaged Learning and Service  emphasizes models of service learning focused on project completion rather than hours served. They have seven models for service-learning: project or problem based, multiple course projects, placement based, community education and advocacy, action research, one-time group service project, and service internships. Descriptions of each model can be found  here . All of these models must meet their four main attributes for community engaged learning. They must have 1) learning outcomes, 2) application and integration, 3) reciprocity, and 4) reflection and assessment. 

Elon University’s Kernodle Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement  has existed since 1995 and aims, “in partnership with local and global communities, to advance student learning, leadership, and citizenship to prepare students for lives of active community engagement within a complex and changing world.” Elon University has several interdisciplinary minors which include service learning as an explicit component of their educative goals. The University also includes service learning as a way students may fulfill one of their experiential learning requirements (ELR) through enrollment in an associated service learning course or through 15 days of service along with mentored research and reflection experiences. 

James Madison University’s Center for Community Service-Learning  offers a range of service options for students, but is especially intentional about facilitating course-based service-learning. They support student placement with community partners as is relevant to the course, offer one-on-one faculty consultations, and share  reflection resources  to support students’ integration of their service-learning with course goals and broader learning goals. JMU’s focus on reflection as a core component of service-learning is evident throughout their center, including their definition of service-learning: “[Service-learning] cultivates positive social change through mutually beneficial service partnerships, critical reflection, and the development of engaged citizens.” Their  seven tenets  of service-learning (humility, intentionality, equity, accountability, service, relationships, and learning) can help guide faculty development of mutually supportive goals with community partners.

Marquette University’s Service Learning Program  is housed within their Center for Teaching and Learning separate from their Center for Community Service. The program is intentional about distinguishing between community service, internships, and service-learning, and focuses their work around five models of service-learning: placement model, presentation model, presentation-plus model, product model, and project model. They offer descriptions and examples of each model  here . Marquette structures service-learning as a “philosophy of education.” Their program also offers numerous resources around service-learning course design. 

Rollins College’s Center for Leadership and Community Service  uses the language of community engagement, but is firm in the standard that for a course to be considered a community engagement course, it must meet a community-identified need. Community partners at Rollins are considered co-educators, and Rollins’  course guidelines  emphasize reciprocity in the community-course partnership. The culture surrounding these ideals is so strong that “over 74% of all Rollins faculty have been involved in at least one aspect of community engagement through service-learning, community-based research, professional development, immersion, or campus/community partnership. In addition, over the last seven years every major at Rollins has offered at least one academic course with a community experience” (“ Faculty Resources “).

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Featured Resources

Teaching service-learning online or in hybrid/flex models.

In response to shifts to online learning due to COVID-19 in spring 2020 and in anticipation of alternate models for higher education in fall 2020 and beyond, we have curated publications and online resources that can help inform programmatic and…

• Association of American Colleges and Universities (2007)  College learning for a new global century , Association of American Colleges and Universities. Washington, DC.  http://www.aacu.org/advocacy/leap/documents/GlobalCentury_final.pdf
• Bringle, R., & Hatcher, J. (1995). A service learning curriculum for faculty.  The   Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning, 2 (1), 112-122.
• Brukardt, M. H., Holland, B., Percy, S. L., Simpher, N., on behalf of Wingspread Conference Participants. (2004).  Wingspread Statement: Calling the question: Is higher education ready to commit to community engagement.  Milwaukee: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Butin, D. W. (2006). The limits of service-learning in higher education.  The Review of Higher Education, 29 (4), 473-498.
• Campus Compact (n.d.),  Structuring the reflection process . Retrieved August 2017 from http://compact.org/disciplines/reflection/structuring/
• Carberry, A., Lee, H., & Swan, C. (2013). Student perceptions of engineering service experiences as a source of learning technical and professional skills,  International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, 8 (1), 1-17.
• Cress, C. M. (2013). What are service-learning and community engagement? In Cress, C. M., Collier, P. J., Reitenauer, V. L., and Associates,  Learning through serving 2 nd  ed. , pp. 9-18. Richmond, VA: Stylus Publishing LLC.
• Felten, P., & Clayton, P. H. (2011). Service-learning. Evidence-based teaching.  New Directions for Teaching and Learning , 128, 75-84.
• Howard, J. (1993).  Praxis I: A faculty casebook on community service learning.  Ann Arbor, MI: Office of Community Service Learning Press, University of Michigan.
• Jacoby, B. (2015).  Service-learning essentials: Questions, answers, and lessons learned . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Jones, S. R. (2002). The underside of service-learning,  About Campus , 7(4), 10-15.
• Kuh, G. D. (2013). Taking HIPs to the next level. In G. D. Kuh & K. O’Donnell (Eds.) pp. 1-14,  Ensuring quality and taking high-impact practices to scale . Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.
• Moore, T. L., & Mendez, J. P. (2014). Civic engagement and organizational learning strategies for student success. In P. L. Eddy (Ed.),  Connecting learning across the institution  (New Directions in Higher Education No. 165 ,  pp. 31-40). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Mottner, S. (2010). Service-learning in a nonprofit marketing course: A comparative case of pedagogical tools.  Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 22 (3), 231-245.
• Reitenaure, V. L., Spring, A., Kecskes, K., Kerrigan, S.A., Cress, C. M., & Collier, P. J. (2005). Chapter 2: Building and maintaining community partnerships. In Cress, C. M., Collier, P. J., Reitenaure, V. L., & Associates (Eds.)  Learning through service: A student guidebook for service-learning and civic engagement across academic disciplines and cultural communities  (17-31). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
• Song, W., Furco, A., Lopez, I., & Maruyama, G. (2017). Examining the relationship between service-learning participation and the educational success of underrepresented students.  Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 24 (1) 23-37.

The Center thanks Mary Knight-McKenna for contributing the initial content for this resource. The Center’s 2018-2020 graduate apprentice, Sophia Abbot, extended the content, with additional contributions from Elon Masters of Higher Education students Caroline Dean, Jillian Epperson, Tobin Finizio, Sierra Smith, and Taylor Swan.

Service Learning

This guide provides insight into service learning including the benefits of using it in the classroom, ideas for implementation, and sample assignments.

An academic course that involves community engagement — more widely known as service learning or community-based learning — is “an approach to teaching and learning in which students use academic knowledge and skills to address genuine community needs.” This type of civic engagement aligns closely with  Boston University’s core institutional values. As the BU  Mission Statement  emphasizes,  “We remain dedicated to our founding principles: that higher education should be accessible to all and that research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community — local and international.”

Note: In its focus on addressing real-world issues, service learning is often seen as a kind of experiential learning. Consult CTL’s guide on experiential learning to learn more. 

What are the benefits?

Multiple researchers have found that engaging in service learning helps students develop leadership skills, strengthen their sense of belonging at their home institution, cultivate personal values, and embrace self-efficacy (Eyler & Giles, 1999). Furthermore, such experiences increase student commitment to promoting racial understanding, commitment to activism, and the likelihood of pursuing a career in medicine, education, or another service-related profession (Astin et. al, 2000).

In order to harness these benefits, students must engage in meaningful reflection to help them process and make sense of their service learning experience. Reflection prompts students to assume an active role in the meaning-making process by “direc[ting] the student’s attention to new interpretations of events” (Eyler & Giles, 1999) as well as inviting them to consider how their beliefs and identities (as well as others’) are informed by social, economic, and other structural forces.

How do I structure service learning in my course?

Dr. Sheila Cordner, Lecturer of Humanities at BU, recommends the following steps for incorporating service learning into your course:

• Decide on the role of service learning in the course :  Service learning can be a central focus of a course in its theme and content — requiring students to participate in the community organization throughout the semester — or it can simply be incorporated into the course as part of one specific assignment. For instance, in Dr. Cordner’s introductory Humanities course at BU, the service-learning component is part of one assignment that serves as a capstone to the course, requiring a one-time site visit (with preparation beforehand and reflection afterwards). It can be helpful to explain the extent of service learning in the course syllabus, especially in terms of learning outcomes, assignments, and grading requirements.
• Identify community partners :  Many organizations in Boston regularly welcome college students. The BU  Community Service Center also offers a number of volunteer opportunities for BU students, and staff members are willing to help faculty develop service learning opportunities for courses and to speak to students in related courses.
• How often and how many times will the students visit?
• Does the organization require an orientation for its volunteers? If so, could the orientation for students be incorporated into one of the site visits?
• What information does the organization want the students to know before beginning the project? For example, if it is a nursing home, what would be helpful for students to know in advance about the population of residents?
• Consider creating a simple rubric that the community organizations could complete after the students have participated (this may be particularly helpful if the faculty member is not accompanying students on the site visits).
• When scheduling site visits to community organizations, help students factor in travel time.
• When introducing the service learning assignment(s), emphasize the importance of building a  partnership  with the organization instead of conducting an act of service.
• Discuss the differences between “community service” and “service learning” conducted in relation to specific course material.
• Consider inviting other BU students who have experience with the community partner to share information with current students.
• Establish clear grading guidelines:  How will the students be assessed? By an ongoing journal kept of their experiences? By a final reflection paper? How will their attendance at the site visits be evaluated?

Reflection and Sample Assignments

A key difference between “community service” and “service learning” is that in the case of service learning, students are expected to reflect on how their experience partnering with a community organization impacts their learning of course material.

One effective way to evaluate students’ service learning is to develop a writing assignment with a reflection component, which specifically requires students to connect their service experience with course themes, questions, and texts. One popular method is the  “What? So What? Now What?”  model, which aligns with the different stages of Kolb’s experiential learning cycle (see figure below) and can be easily adapted to reflective journal writing.

Agreeing that guided reflection is essential to the service learning experience, many educators have turned to Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning cycle. This process depicts the relationship between community engagement and critical reflection.

Here, after completing an aspect of their service learning experience (Step 1), students move through three phases to make sense of their experience. These include reflecting on the experience itself (Step 2: reflective observation), drawing conclusions from this reflection (Step 3: abstract conceptualization), and then planning for the future or trying out new ideas (Step 4: active experimentation). This cyclical process thus includes the integration of:

• knowledge — the concepts, facts, and information acquired through formal learning and past experience;
• activity — the application of knowledge to a “real world” setting; and
• reflection — the analysis and synthesis of knowledge and activity to create new knowledge” (Indiana University, 2006, n.p.).

Other examples of reflective writing can be found  here  and  here .

Additional means of evaluation often include an oral presentation, or a digital project. For instance,  Digication , a free ePortfolio platform supported by BU, can be used to help students showcase and reflect on their cocurricular learning experience.

Here are some sample rubrics for specific types of assessments:

• Reflective journals for  field biology  and  clinical medicine
• Presentation,  engineering
• Portfolios for  legal externship  and  English/writing

Additional resources

• Reflection in Service Learning (Indiana University – Bloomington)
• Service Learning sample syllabi (Campus Compact)
• Service-Learning course descriptions by discipline (Loyola University Maryland)
• Teaching Through Community Engagement (Vanderbilt University)

References and further reading

Astin, Alexander & J. Vogelgesang, Lori & K. Ikeda, Elaine & A. Yee, Jennifer. (2000). How Service Learning Affects Students. Higher Education Research Institute. University of California, Los Angeles.

Eyler, Janet; Giles, Dwight E. Jr.; and Gray, Charlene J., “At A Glance: What We Know about The Effects of Service-Learning on Students, Faculty, Institutions and Communities, 1993-1999” (1999).  Bibliographies . 5.  https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slcebibliography/5

Eyler, Janet, and D.E. Giles. (1996).  A Practitioners Guide to Reflection in Service-Learning . Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press.

Eyler, J. (2002).  Reflection: Linking Service and Learning—Linking Students and Communities . Journal of Social Issues, 58: 517–534.

Jacoby, Barbara. (2015). Service-Learning Essentials: Questions, Answers, and Lessons Learned. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Sheila Cordner , co-author of this guide, would be happy to be in touch with faculty interested in pursuing service learning in their courses: [email protected] .

Prepared by Sheila Cordner and the Center for Teaching and Learning at Boston University

You may also be interested in:

Experiential learning, assessing learning, embodied learning: teaching and learning with reacting to the past, ctl guide to the individual in community hub area, active learning, universal design for learning: an introduction, turning inside out: learning beyond the classroom, project-based learning.

Center for Teaching

• What is Service Learning or Community Engagement?

• Benefits of Community Engagement

Models of Community Engagement Teaching

Ways to integrate community engagement into an existing course.

Community engagement pedagogies, often called “service learning,” are ones that combine learning goals and community service in ways that can enhance both student growth and the common good.  In the words of the National Service Learning Clearinghouse , it is “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.”  Or, to quote Vanderbilt University’s Janet S. Eyler (winner of the 2003 Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service Learning) and Dwight E. Giles, Jr., it is

“a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students. . . seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves. In the process, students link personal and social development with academic and cognitive development. . . experience enhances understanding; understanding leads to more effective action.”

Typically, community engagement is incorporated into a course or series of courses by way of a project that has both learning and community action goals.  This project is designed via collaboration between faculty and community partners, such as non-governmental organizations or government agencies.  The project asks students to apply course content to community-based activities.  This gives students experiential opportunities to learn in real world contexts and develop skills of community engagement, while affording community partners opportunities to address significant needs. Vanderbilt University’s Sharon Shields has argued that service learning is “one of the most significant teaching methodologies gaining momentum on many campuses.” Indeed, when done well, teaching through community engagement benefits students, faculty, communities, and institutions of higher education. Below are some of the benefits that education researchers and practitioners have associated with community engaged teaching.

Student Benefits of Community Engagement

Learning outcomes.

• Positive impact on students’ academic learning
• Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned in “the real world”
• Positive impact on academic outcomes such as demonstrated complexity of understanding, problem analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, and cognitive development
• Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity

Personal Outcomes

• Greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development
• Greater interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work well with others, and build leadership and communication skills

Social Outcomes

• Reduced stereotypes and greater inter-cultural understanding
• Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills
• Greater involvement in community service after graduation

Career Development

• Connections with professionals and community members for learning and career opportunities
• Greater academic learning, leadership skills, and personal efficacy can lead to greater opportunity

Relationship with the Institution

• Stronger relationships with faculty
• Greater satisfaction with college
• Improved graduation rates

Faculty Benefits of Community Engagement

• Satisfaction with the quality of student learning
• New avenues for research and publication via new relationships between faculty and community
• Providing networking opportunities with engaged faculty in other disciplines or institutions
• A stronger commitment to one’s research

College and University Benefits of Community Engagement

• Improved institutional commitment to the curriculum
• Improved student retention
• Enhanced community relations

Community Benefits of Community Engagement

• Satisfaction with student participation
• Valuable human resources needed to achieve community goals
• New energy, enthusiasm and perspectives applied to community work
• Enhanced community-university relations

Discipline-Based

Discipline-based model.

In this model, students are expected to have a presence in the community throughout the semester and reflect on their experiences regularly.  In these reflections, they use course content as a basis for their analysis and understanding of the key theoretical, methodological and applied issues at hand.

Problem-Based

Problem-based model.

Students relate to the community much as “consultants” working for a “client.” Students work with community members to understand a particular community problem or need.  This model presumes that the students have or will develop capacities with which to help communities solve a problem.  For example: architecture students might design a park; business students might develop a web site; botany students might identify non-native plants and suggest eradication methods.

Capstone Course

Capstone course model.

These courses are generally designed for majors and minors in a given discipline and are offered almost exclusively to students in their final year. Capstone courses ask students to draw upon the knowledge they have obtained throughout their course work and combine it with relevant service work in the community. The goal of capstone courses is usually either exploring a new topic or synthesizing students’ understanding of their discipline.

Service Internship

Service internship model.

This approach asks students to work as many as 10 to 20 hours a week in a community setting. As in traditional internships, students are charged with producing a body of work that is of value to the community or site. However, unlike traditional internships, service internships have on-going faculty-guided reflection to challenge the students to analyze their new experiences using discipline-based theories.  Service internships focus on reciprocity: the idea that the community and the student benefit equally from the experience.

Undergrad Community-Based Action Research

Action research model.

Community-based action research is similar to an independent study option for the student who is highly experienced in community work.  This approach can be effective with small classes or groups of students.  In this model, students work closely with faculty members to learn research methodology while serving as advocates for communities.  This model assumes that students are or can be trained to be competent in time management and can negotiate diverse communities.

Directed Study Extra Credit

Directed study additional/extra credit model.

Students can register for up to three additional/extra credits in a course by making special arrangements with the instructor to complete an added community-based project.  The course instructor serves as the advisor for the directed study option.  Such arrangements require departmental approval and formal student registration.

There are many ways to integrate community engagement into an existing course, depending on the learning goals, the size of the class, the academic preparation of the students, and the community partnership or project type. Below are some general tips to consider as you begin:

• One-time group service projects: Some course objectives can be met when the entire class is involved in a one-time service project. Arrangements for service projects can be made prior to the semester and included in the syllabus. This model affords the opportunity for faculty and peer interaction because a common service experience is shared. One-time projects have different learning outcomes than ongoing service activities.
• Option within a course: Many faculty begin community engagement with a pilot project. In this design, students have the option to become involved in the community-based project.  A portion of the normal coursework is substituted by the community-based component.  For example, a traditional research paper or group project can be replaced with an experiential research paper or personal journal that documents learning from the service experience.
• Required within a course: In this case, all students are involved in service as an integrated aspect of the course. This expectation must be clearly stated at the first class meeting, on the syllabus, with a clear rationale provided to students as to why the service component is required. Exceptions can be arranged on an individual basis or students can transfer to another class. If all students are involved in service, it is easier to design coursework (i.e., class discussions, writing assignments, exam questions) that integrates the service experience with course objectives. Class sessions can involve agency personnel and site visits. Faculty report that it is easier to build community partnerships if a consistent number of students are involved each semester.
• Action research projects: This type of class involves students in research within the community. The results of the research are communicated to the agency so that it can be used to address community needs. Action research and participatory action research take a significant amount of time to build relationships of trust in the community and identify common research agendas; however, community research projects can support the ongoing research of faculty. Extending this type of research beyond the confines of a semester may be best for all involved.
• Disciplinary capstone projects: Community engagement is an excellent way to build upon students’ cumulative knowledge in a specific discipline and to demonstrate the integration of that knowledge with real life issues. Upper class students can explore ways their disciplinary expertise and competencies translate into addressing community needs. Other community-based classes within the department can prepare the student for this more extensive community-based class.
• Multiple course projects :  Community engagement projects with one or more partners may span different courses in the same semester or multiple courses over a year or longer.  These projects must be broad enough to meet the learning goals of multiple courses over time, and because of this they may have a cumulative impact on both student learning and community development that is robust.  Such projects may be particularly suited to course clusters or learning communities within or across disciplines, or course sequences, say, within a major, that build student capacity towards advanced learning and community action goals.

Other CFT Guides About Community Engagement Pedagogies

• A Word on Nomenclature
• Best Practices in Community Engaged Teaching
• Community Engaged Teaching Step by Step
• Challenges and Opportunities of Community Engaged Teaching
• Additional Resources

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• Pedagogies & Strategies
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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Learning — Exploring Service Learning: Goals, Benefits, and Challenges

Exploring Service Learning: Goals, Benefits, and Challenges

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Introduction, importance and benefits of service learning, a. the concept of service learning, b. the goals and objectives of service learning, c. benefits of service learning, d. challenges and limitations of service learning, e. case studies and examples of successful service learning projects, f. reflection and personal experiences with service learning.

• Eyler, J., & Giles, D. (1999). Where's the learning in service-learning? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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What is reflection's role in service-learning?  Reflection is a key component of service-learning; in fact, reflection is the link between the service and the learning. Reflection is the intentional consideration of an experience in light of particular learning objectives. The presumption is that community service does not necessarily, in and of itself, produce learning. Reflection activities provide the bridge between the community service activities and the academic content of the course. Reflection activities direct the student’s attention to new interpretations of events and provide a means through which the community service can be studied and interpreted, much as a text is read and studied for deeper understanding.

When should reflection take place?  Reflection activities can be incorporated before, during, and after the service experience. Reflection activities prior to service can focus on helping students anticipate what their service experience will be like and what assumptions they are bringing into the situation. Reflection during and after the service experience help students understand the actual outcome of their experience in relation to the course content.

How should reflection sessions be structured?  For reflection to be effective, outcomes should be specified explicitly and precisely. If outcomes are too broad, it may be difficult to devise appropriate reflection activities and to develop appropriate assessment techniques. Reflection questions can direct the students towards understanding themselves, the population they are serving, the social issue driving their service activity, and the relationship between the service and the academic content of the course.

Issue-focused questions:

• Why is there a need for your service?
• What do you perceive as the underlying issue, and why does it exist?
• What social, economic, political, and educational systems are maintaining and perpetuating the situation?
• What can you do with the knowledge you gained from this experience to promote change?

Client-focused reflection questions:

• What similarities do you perceive between you and the people you are serving?
• How are you perceived by the people you are serving?
• What do you think a typical day is like for the people you serve? What pressures to they confront?

Self-focused reflection questions:

• What personal qualities (e.g. leadership, communication skills, empathy etc.) have you developed through service-learning?
• What contribution can you make to public understanding of this issue based on your service-learning experience?
• In what ways are you finding your involvement with service-learning difficulty? What have you found that is helping you follow through despite the difficulties you encounter?

Course-focused reflection questions:

• How does the service experience relate to the course material?
• Did the experience contradict or reinforce course material?
• How did the course material help you overcome obstacles or dilemmas in the service-experience?
• What aspects of your learning may have been due to your service-experience?

Brookfield, S. (1995).  Becoming a critically reflective teacher.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Eyler, J., Giles, D., & Schmiede, A. (1996).  A Practitioner’s Guide to Reflection in Service-Learning: Student Voices and Reflections.  Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press.

Goldsmith, S. (1995).  Journal Reflection :  A Resource Guide for Community Service Leaders and Educators Engaged in Service-Learning.  Washington, DC: The American Alliance for Rights and Responsibilities.

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Service-Learning

• Reference work entry
• First Online: 01 January 2014
• pp 2614–2621
• Cite this reference work entry

• Judith A. Nelson 2 &
• Daniel G. Eckstein 3  

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This essay examines the nature and importance of service-learning, with special reference to behaviorally at-risk youth. The essay seeks to show how service-learning can be used to construct what is known as a “possibility” narrative of youth, rather than a deficit view. To do so, the essay begins with a definition of service-learning and a brief overview of constructivist theory applied to the perception of at-risk youth by school personnel, community members, and the youth themselves. After reviewing recent research relevant to service-learning, the essay then describes an educational program that engaged youth in meaningful educational experiences. The essay ends by making specific recommendations for educators who seek to involve at-risk adolescents in service-learning projects.

The Nature of Service Learning

Definitions of service-learning typically borrow from the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (PL 101–610). The act defines service-learning as:

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Acknowledgments

Parts of this essay are adapted from “A Service-Learning Model for At-Risk Adolescents” by J. A. Nelson and D. G. Eckstein, 2008, Education and Treatment of Children , Volume 31 , pp. 223–237. Copyright [2008] by West Virginia Press. Reprinted with permission.

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Nelson, J.A., Eckstein, D.G. (2011). Service-Learning. In: Levesque, R.J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Adolescence. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1695-2_232

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What is Service Learning? A Complete Guide for Educators

Published on: 11/30/2023

By Julia Bashore

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Community service has been part of the public education sphere for many years.  As a teacher myself, I truly believe that encouraging young people to step up for their communities has many benefits.  Whether it’s cleaning up a local park or playground, helping the homeless, fostering pets up for adoption, or raising money for a community need, it’s always a victory when young people can take action to better their world.

Some teachers take community service even further. Instead of simply requiring their students to spend a certain number of hours doing volunteer work, these teachers build their learning objectives around the community service itself. Entire units of study are thoughtfully aligned with public outreach objectives and projects, so that students learn academic content as they work together to serve their communities.

This is what’s known as service learning.

Why Do Some Teachers Choose Service Learning?

Service learning is a valuable way to help students connect what they’re learning in the classroom to the real world.  By engaging in social outreach activities, students get a firsthand look at how what they’re learning actually leads to positive change.

I’ve found that service learning can create a higher level of student engagement, as well.  Ask any teacher you know, and they’ll tell you that when students are able to work on projects that actually matter to them and their communities, they’re much more likely to put in their best efforts.

Knowing there’s more at stake than just a final grade on their report cards can also motivate those students who might typically be disinterested in school.

A student who may not care much about math might care passionately about beautifying their favorite local park – and suddenly, the equations required to determine how much potting soil or fencing is needed become real, tangible issues, instead of just dull lines in the workbook.

Basing the knowledge and content that students need to know in a real-world setting is an incredibly powerful way to generate legitimate interest.  As the author of one recent report noted , “students find personal meaning when service-learning exposes them to encounters that influence their future educational or career goals.”

Filling a need in the community at the same time makes service learning a win-win situation.

How is Service Learning Different?

Service learning is similar in many ways to Project-Based Learning .  Both models of teaching are anchored around real-world issues, and both aim to empower students by letting them collaborate and find solutions instead of just memorizing facts.

Service learning, however, has a slightly more defined scope.  Projects for Project-Based Learning can be centered around a wide array of topics, problems, or challenges.  With service learning, however, any projects completed by students will be directly related to improving the community.

On the other hand, this doesn’t mean that service learning is just community service with a new name.  In order for service learning to be academically enriching, teachers need to tie their students’ efforts back to the standards of learning their students are working to achieve.

This means creating the unit with specific, academic learning as the end-goal, rather than just hoping students enjoy the time they spend doing public works.

How Can Teachers Make Service Learning Effective?

Getting the most out of a service learning unit involves some careful planning on the teacher’s end.  When done with intention and forethought, though, these units of study can be some of the most rewarding experiences you enjoy with your students all year!

Check out the steps below to get an idea of how some educators go about structuring their service learning units to make them as beneficial as possible.

The first step to making service learning a reality lies in generating ideas about what your community needs.  Is pollution or litter an issue in your hometown?  Are local charities in need of assistance, funding, or extra manpower?  Is there an outdoor area around your school that you might turn into a nature trail or reading nook?

Depending on their ages, students can join in at any stage of the brainstorming process.  Younger students might choose topics presented by the teacher, while older students could conduct research on their own using news sites (think GetEPIC or Newsela ) to find issues they think are important.

Allowing your students to vote on the cause they most support is a meaningful way to add value to your service learning unit.  Even if the project your class ends up pursuing isn’t unanimously voted in, by allowing every member of the class to have a voice you send a powerful message of respect for each student’s ideas.

Make Connections

Once you have several good ideas on the table, it’s time to start connecting them to what you’re responsible for teaching your students.  How can you connect each project to grade-level skills and content?

Many projects and ideas lend themselves naturally to reading, writing, and research, so begin thinking about how you will intentionally weave these skills into the unit.

Adding in math, science, history, or civics standards can also enrich your service learning unit.  The only limit here is creativity, so think outside the box as you make the connections between filling a need in your community to helping your students learn new material.

Get the Ball Rolling

Once you’ve landed on a meaningful project and determined how you’ll incorporate grade-level skills, it’s time to get going!  An easy way to get everyone on the same page is by letting students start backward, by looking at the final rubric you’ll use to evaluate their service learning.

Go over each step in your community service project, and make sure students understand how the process is linked to what they’re learning in class.  Give students plenty of time to ask questions – at the beginning, and throughout the unit.

Whether you plan to have your students work in groups, in partnerships, or independently, it’s important to factor in time for communication as your service learning unit plays out.  Check in frequently to make sure everyone is staying on track and adhering to the guidelines you’ve set out.

Evaluate with Care

Throughout your service learning unit, it’s important to provide your students with thoughtful feedback.  Stick to your rubric while still making sure to commend every student who is working hard to improve the community.

Since service learning has an academic component, it’s important not to rely solely on the “A for effort” model.  Instead, make sure your students have upheld the rigorous standards you’ve set out, and carefully guide them back to the path to success if they seem to be straying.  Remember: they’re not just passive volunteers, but active learners solving a problem in their world!

Evaluating their work, either by team or individual student, is an essential piece to keeping a service learning unit focused and productive.

Let Students Reflect On Their Work

Teacher evaluations are important, but student-led critiques also play an important role in service learning units.  As your unit comes to a close, allow students to conference either with you or with one another to think back on what went well and what they might change in future projects.

Reflection can also take place in a celebratory way.  Letting students share their hard work outside the classroom can be an excellent way to help them really appreciate the impact of their new knowledge and all they’ve accomplished.

Whether it’s a schoolwide event, a website to be shared, or a display or performance at a community center or park, getting your students out there to share what they’ve achieved can really drive home how meaningful their work has been!

Where Does Service Learning Fit In?

One of the things I love about service learning is how adaptable it is for different grade levels and subject areas.  That said, this type of unit is especially well-suited to civics classrooms, as these standards of learning are typically centered around community to begin with.

That’s not to say, however, that service learning can’t be a wonderful way to tackle other subjects too!  Since reading and research are important steps to completing any project, Language Arts standards are a natural fit for most projects, regardless of grade level or student ability.

Projects based around environmental issues like water conservation or pollution tend to align well with science standards.  Meanwhile, preserving local institutions or lending a hand with local governments can be a great way to connect to history content.

Wherever your service learning takes place and whatever academic standards it includes, teachers should take steps to ensure that it’s an impactful experience for all of their students.

By scaffolding expectations for students with special needs and providing necessary accommodations for those who might face language barriers, teachers can keep every member of the class engaged and empowered in meaningful community work and learning.

Does Service Learning Really Work?

When done correctly, service learning can be even more effective than traditional classroom models.  Students access the concepts, knowledge, and skills that they need to know by actively stepping in and helping their communities.  This gives what they’re learning a great deal more “sticking power.”

After all, it’s easy to tell kids that they can change the world.  It’s much more powerful to actually let them do it.

Other Useful Resources

• What is Adaptive Learning?
• What is Just in Time Learning?
• What is Microlearning?
• What is Problem Based Learning?
• What is Project Based Learning?

Have any questions about Service Learning? Let us know by commenting below.

What is Problem-Based Learning? A Complete Guide for Educators

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What is Service-Learning?

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When searching for definitions of service-learning in the literature or on the web, you will find hundreds of definitions. However, most definitions include many of the same components.

A brief, simple definition of service-learning: “Service, combined with learning, adds value to each and transforms both.” (Honnet & Poulsen, 1989, p.1)

SOURCE'S Preferred Definition of Service-Learning

From Community-Campus Partnership for Health (CCPH): Service-learning is a structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and reflection. Students engaged in service-learning provide community service in response to community-identified concerns and learn about the context in which service is provided, the connection between their service and their academic coursework, and their roles as citizens.

Service-learning differs from traditional clinical education in the health professions in that:

• Service-learning strives to achieve a balance between service and learning objectives - in service-learning, partners must negotiate the differences in their needs and ex-pectations.
• Service-learning places an emphasis on addressing community concerns and broad determinants of health
• In service-learning, there is the integral involvement of community partners - service-learning involves a principle-centered partnership between communities and health professions schools.
• Service-learning emphasizes reciprocal learning - In service-learning, traditional definitions of "faculty," "teacher" and "learner" are intentionally blurred. We all learn from each other.
• Service-learning emphasizes reflective practice - In service-learning, reflection facilitates the connection between practice and theory and fosters critical thinking.
• Service-learning places an emphasis on developing citizenship skills and achieving social change - many factors influence health and quality of life. The provision of health services is not often the most important factor. In service-learning, students place their roles as health professionals and citizens in a larger societal context.

(Citation: Seifer SD. (1998). Service-learning: Community-campus partnerships for health professions education. Academic Medicine, 73(3):273-277.)

Important Elements of Service-Learning

From the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse:

• A form of experiential education
• Addresses human and community issues and needs
• Learning occurs through active participation in  thoughtfully organized service
• Includes  structured reflection  linking experience to learning
• Coordinated in true collaboration with the community
• Links to curriculum and/or co-curriculum but must include structured time for reflection
• Leads to acquisition of new skills, knowledge, leadership and a sense of caring and social responsibility

Types of Service-Learning

Co-curricular service-learning.

Students engage in thoughtfully planned service that meets a community-identified need.  Meaningful, structured reflection on the needs of the community, service and its impact on personal values is an important aspect of cultivating an effective service-learning experience.

Academic Service-Learning

Anchored in a specific course, faculty and students work to meet a community need and advance their understanding of course content.  Structured reflection is integrated into the curriculum to foster connections between their service, the curriculum of the class, and its impact on their personal values and community engagement.

What Service-Learning is Not

• An add-on to an existing curriculum
• An episodic volunteer program
• Logging a set number of community service hours in order to graduate
• Compensatory service assigned as a form of punishment by the courts or by school administrators
• Only for high school or college students
• One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community

Community-Campus Partnerships for Health

Service Learning.  http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/servicelearningres.html Honnet, E.P., & Poulsen, S. (1989).  Principles of good practice in combining service and learning.  Wingspread Special Report. 

Racine WI:  The Johnson Foundation.National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

Service-Learning Is…  http://www.servicelearning.org/what_is_service-learning/service-learning_is/index.php#rsrcs

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Designing critical reflection for service-learning

One of the primary components that distinguishes service and volunteerism from service-learning (also known as community-engaged learning) is critical reflection. Intentionally designed reflection that evokes critical thinking about the service (or other applied or engaged experience) can help learners avoid thinking simplistically and reinforcing stereotypes, and can help them learn about course content and how they learn. During a food distribution event I (Lori) participated in, my students noticed a participant selectively choosing items from the line and leaving some behind. Initially, my students assumed that the person didn’t need as much food since they declined certain items. However, through a group critical reflection session after the event, we reflected together. The students explored alternative interpretations; such as the person trying to avoid wasting food or simply having personal food preferences or food allergies. This reflective process fostered empathy and strengthened the connection between my students and the individuals receiving the food assistance.

In this latest entry of the What is Service-Learning? blog series, we discuss the opportunities provided by critical reflection to enhance learning. We describe a popular, research-grounded model of critical reflection that can be applied in any curricular or co-curricular context and across disciplines to guide and structure reflection in service-learning (or any other experiential learning process). Lastly, we share important considerations for designing critical reflection to make visible some of the various approaches to designing reflection. 

What is critical reflection?

One of the founders of experiential learning, John Dewey, emphasized that while experience provides a foundation for learning, it is actually making meaning of (reflecting on) the experience that generates learning, not the experience itself. When we think about integrating service-learning into a course, then, it is not sufficient to simply incorporate service experiences and assume students will learn from them. It is essential to thoughtfully design critical reflection that is woven through these experiences, both so that meaningful learning occurs and so that the full range of relationships and outcomes deepen over time. Specifically, it’s important to use reflection to connect service experiences to the various learning goals. Those goals might include academic learning goals (e.g., course concepts, disciplinary perspectives), civic learning goals (e.g., power, systems), personal growth goals (e.g., communication, values) generally associated with service-learning (See the What is Service-Learning blog in this series).

As you design reflection in your course (or other context), one of the first things to think about is how to surface and push aside the baggage often associated with the term reflection. In our culture and in many disciplines (and in the past experience of many of our students), “reflection” evokes writing in a diary and keeping it hidden, spending time off task on “fluff,” thinking only about yourself and your feelings, summarizing what you are doing (like an activity log), and/or looking backwards. That baggage is not helpful, and can even get in the way, if we are to use the process to generate learning and improve practice. Dewey said that reflection involves thinking about what we know, why it matters, and why we think we know it. Service-learning scholars have defined it as making meaning of experiences in light of learning goals. Framed this way, reflection is about taking multiple perspectives, about looking for evidence and counter-evidence for our knowledge claims, about building our capacities for critical thinking, and about making and deepening connections between our own ideas and experiences and those of others. As I (Patti) explain it: “Critical reflection puts lenses (i.e., prompts) between the learner and the experience so that they see the presence, or sometimes the absence, of the stuff we want to learn about and then push, push, push their thinking about it to a new and actionable level.” Using the adjective “critical” can help everyone involved to think about and use the process not as “touchy feely” or “soft” but rather in terms of its necessary connection to critical thinking and to the fundamental question-posing, power analysis, and systems thinking associated with critical theory.

How can I structure critical reflection?

Once we know what learning we are after – “we” here meaning instructors, of course, but also potentially community members and students, all of whom can work together to determine the learning goals of any particular service-learning activity – we can develop reflection prompts and processes accordingly. It is helpful to have a structure to guide yourself and your learners through the meaning making process. We explain the DEAL Model of Critical Reflection in detail as it is widely used within the field of service-learning and lends itself to making close connections between learning goals and experience. However, there are other reflection models you might want to check out (e.g., What? So What? Now What? ; The ORID Group Reflection Process ; The ABCs of Reflection ).

Ash and Clayton (2009) suggest that critical reflection is a designed process of guiding learners through prompted inquiry that “ generates learning (articulating questions, confronting bias, examining causality, contrasting theory with practice, pointing to systemic issues), deepens learning (challenging simplistic conclusions, inviting alternative perspectives, asking “why” iteratively), and documents learning (producing tangible expressions of new understandings for evaluation)” (p. 27). Their DEAL Model walks learners through three steps: D escribe, E xamine, A rticulate L earning.

• D escribe: Prompts in the describe step solicit objective observations and details – as if the person reflecting were a fly on the wall, noting the “what” / “who” / “when” / “where” / “how” of the experience.
• E xamine: The examine step prompts meaning making specifically in terms of learning goals or objectives such as academic content, civic learning, or personal growth.
•   A rticulate L earning:The final step, articulate learning , supports learners in further (metacognitively) developing their learning (including its sources and significance) and setting goals related to ideas considered in the examine phase, thus generating actionable learning to improve thinking, partnerships, and practice.

(See example DEAL-based and other critical reflection activities on Patti’s website). DEAL has associated feedback tools and rubrics, grounded in Critical Thinking Standards and Bloom’s Taxonomy.

What should I consider when designing critical reflection?

Using DEAL or another model as your guide, critical reflection can be designed in a variety of ways to generate learning in different contexts. Here, we list some considerations or choice points regarding the design of critical reflection. As you develop reflection activities, keep in mind that one of the principles of best practice is to incorporate reflection at multiple points, weaving multiple activities of different types together. An interactive approach that builds upon previous experiences and reflections is a great overall strategy.

• Reflection can take various forms: written (e.g., guided journals, essays), oral (e.g., team discussion), audiovisual (e.g, digital stories), embodied (e.g., movement based), artistic (e.g., drawing), etc. It might be done in person or online. Consider a mixture for different learning styles.
• Reflection can be individual or collaborative; best may be a mix of both. Collaborative reflection might involve other students (peers enrolled in the class; student reflection facilitators), community members, service-learning staff, and, of course, you.
• Reflection should occur before, during/throughout, and after service experiences. Before an experience, students can be asked to think about their assumptions and expectations going into it as well as its purposes; and they can be primed to be on the lookout for academic content as they go through the experience. Reflection during an experience might take the form of pausing a group during an activity to process together; it can serve to call attention to particular dynamics or interactions while there is still time to modify them for greater learning or impact. (See Schön’s (1983) work on reflection-in-action). Reflection after an experience can hark back to ideas explored before and during (e.g., challenges to assumptions, fulfillment of purposes) and can push on similarities and differences between, for example, theory as it emerged in experience and in readings or other content sources.
• Reflection can be short and frequent (e.g., activities in class, weekly journal entries, posting online) and/or in-depth and comprehensive (e.g., written and revised essays that may incorporate research, digital stories that synthesize the thinking and learning across multiple prior reflection activities).
• Reflection can be integrated into the course’s overall assessment process. Just like any other type of learning process, the quality of reflection and its resultant learning and action can be deepened with feedback and opportunities for revision (formative assessment). Feedback might come from peers, community members, and/or instructors; particularly useful is feedback focused on the quality of reasoning that can help build critical thinking and other metacognitive capacities. And just like any other type of student product that is intended to provide evidence of learning, reflection products can be graded (summative assessment). Rubrics exist and can be developed to make evaluative criteria visible and to generate grades. (See a feedback tool and rubric , both focused on critical thinking, on Patti’s website).

The most important takeaway underlying the design of high-quality critical reflection in service-learning is intentional alignment between the learning outcomes we are after, the reflection prompts used to generate that learning, the feedback used to deepen it, and the rubrics used to assess/grade.

Teaching and learning through critical reflection in service-learning is often counter-normative (in other words, unlike the processes we are all more used to). It is crucial that we and our students get on the same page about what it is and isn’t and build our capacities to engage meaningfully with it. I (Patti) will never forget the distressed student in the back of the classroom, imploring “Patti, just give us the answer!” That is how she had been taught that learning happens: people with knowledge give it to those who don’t have it. Teaching and learning through critical reflection in service-learning is most decidedly not that. It is, rather, a process of co-generating knowledge through making one’s own meaning and supporting others in doing the same. While we focus here on student reflection, it’s important to note that everyone who participates in service-learning and civic engagement partnerships can – and, we think, should – critically reflect on and learn through these experiences. We encourage you to reflect critically on your own experiences – in both communities and classrooms, on your own and alongside your students and community partners – so as to enhance your own learning and growth.

Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009). Generating, deepening, and documenting learning: The power of critical reflection for applied learning. Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 1(1) , 25-48. https://www.missouriwestern.edu/appliedlearning/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2018/11/JALHE-1.pdf

Kniffin, L. E. (2023, September 6). What is service-learning? [Blog post]. The Loop. Staley School of Leadership Studies, Kansas State University. https://blogs.k-state.edu/leadership/2023/09/06/what-is-service-learning/

Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books.

Stokamer, S. T., & Clayton, P. H. (2017, February 22). Civic learning. [Blog Post]. Center for Engaged Learning, Elon University. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/civic-learning/

The ORID Group Reflection Process ( n.d.) The Ohio State University. https://u.osu.edu/reslifedialogue/how-to-dialogue-helpful-readings/the-orid-group-reflection-process/

Use the “What? So What? Now What?” model: A great example of reflective questioning. (n.d.) MTa Learning. https://www.experientiallearning.org/blog/what-so-what-now-what-reflection-model-and-reflection-questions/?v=7516fd43adaa

Welch. M. (1999). The ABCs of Reflection: A template for students and instructors to implement written reflection in service-learning. Evaluation/Reflection , 16. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slceeval/16

About the authors

Patti H. Clayton, Ph.D. is an independent consultant (PHC Ventures, www.curricularengagement.com) with 25 years of experience as a practitioner-scholar and educational developer in community-campus engagement and experiential learning in higher education. She serves as a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Community and Economic Engagement at UNC Greensboro and as Practitioner-Scholar-in-Residence with NC Campus Engagement. Patti has worked with over 150 colleges, universities, and higher education organizations in the US, Canada, Ireland, England, and Singapore. Much of her scholarship through the years has focused on critical reflection and assessment of learning, democratic civic engagement, and transformational partnerships. For her own community engagement, she collaborates with human service and animal service organizations on building partnerships and changing systems to advance the inclusivity of companion animals in justice work related to housing and food security.

Lori E. Kniffin, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of leadership at Fort Hays State University. She teaches a variety of courses including undergraduate and graduate courses through in-person and virtual modalities. Her teaching and research interests include collective leadership development, civic leadership, service-learning and community engagement, and qualitative research methods, and critical leadership studies. Prior to her time at FHSU, Lori served as a community engagement professional at UNC Greensboro and was named the 2019 Civic Engagement Professional of the Year by North Carolina Campus Compact. She was also an administrator and instructor for Kansas State University in the Staley School of Leadership from 2010-2016.

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Service Learning Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best service learning topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 good essay topics on service learning, 🔎 simple & easy service learning essay titles.

• Economic Development of Dubai and Service Learning The purpose of this project is to analyze the role of the services provided by the Department of Economic Development of Dubai in the community’s development with the focus on interviewing the persons who participate […]
• Social Work and Human Service-Learning Experience The skills I acquired in class could be put to assessment, and points of improvement could be identified. While there are many skills a social worker should possess, I was able to use and assess […]
• Academic Service Learning for Teacher Preparation In part, this method is based on the premise that these people should take an active part in the life of the community in order to understand the various challenges, to which students and their […]
• A Strategic Plan to Involve School-Family-Community Partnerships via Service Learning The process makes students responsible citizens who actively contribute to the needs of the community through the practical application of their formal instructions. The interaction of the students, members of the community and the educators […]
• Research Process of Service Learning It enables students to review what they did, learned and the effects of learning on his or her capacity to perform in future.
• Service Learning Strategy: Process and Outcomes They help the students in appreciating some of the activities that take place in the community as they learn. Through the linking of issues taught in the classroom with participation in the community, students get […]
• Should Service Learning Be A Requirement For College Graduation? This paper addresses the impact that service learning has on the students and the community to gauge whether it would be viable to make it a requirement for learning or not.
• The Importance of Service Learning for Students: Self-Reflection
• Using Service Learning and Project-Based Learning as a Conceptual Framework
• How Service Learning Can Be Utilized Throughout Your
• Leveraging Community-Based Service Learning Experiences
• Reflections From Inside a Service Learning Partnership in a California Juvenile Hall
• Building Effective Service Learning Programs in Local Communities
• How Academic Service Learning Informs Practice of Pre-service Teachers
• Service Learning Within the Walls of an Orphanage
• Does the Service Learning Experience Help Students Promote the Character of Servant
• Service Learning and the Homeless Center
• The Experience and Importance of an Effective Community Service Learning
• The Principles for Success in Service Learning
• Pros and Cons of Service Learning
• Embedding Social Innovation and Service Learning in Higher Education’s
• Our Schools Need Community Service Learning Programs
• Benefits of Service Learning Programs
• Animal Rights: Service Learning Requirement
• Enhancing Undergraduate Geographic Education With Service Learning
• Cross-Cultural Communication: Applying Concepts to Service Learning
• Service Learning With the Veterans Administration
• Compare and Contrast Volunteerism, Community Engagement, and Service Learning
• Community Service Learning Project at College
• Learning With Older Adults Through Intergenerational Service Learning
• Developing Leadership Skills Through Service Learning Courses
• Service Learning and Integration Within Community
• Integrating Community Service Learning to Ladderized Curriculum in Bsce
• Native American Service Learning Opportunities
• Service Learning and Nursing Education
• The Difference Between Service Learning and Volunteerism
• The Positive Relationship Between Communication and Service Learning
• Experience and Pluralist Pedagogy: Service Learning as a Means and an End
• How Service Learning Enriches the Learning Experience
• Nontraditional Approach for Interprofessional Service Learning in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
• Factors That Affect Service Learning Teams
• Service Learning for Improving Academic Success in Students
• Nonprofit Financial Assessment in Research Service Learning
• The Importance of Critical Perspectives on Service Learning in Higher Education
• Community Service Learning: Pedagogy at the Interface of Poverty, Inequality, and Privilege
• Bridging Generation Gaps Through Service Learning
• The Difference Between Service Learning and Community Service
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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18 Service Learning Examples

Service learning is a type of experiential learning activity where students apply academic concepts to practical situations that involve addressing community needs. The last component of this definition (addressing community needs) is key.

This component is what distinguishes service learning from other pedagogical approaches such as performance-based or project-based learning.

Service Learning Definition

Definitions of service learning usually emphasize a combination of academic outcomes, benefit to the community, and developing a sense of civic responsibility.

One of the key service learning theorists is Robert Bringle. Here are two definitions he provides (with colleagues):

• “students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.” (Bringle & Hatcher, 1996, p. 222)
• “Service learning classes engage students in service activities that simultaneously pursue two goals: (a) benefit to community stakeholders (e.g., agency, clients, neighborhood 4 residents) and (b) academic learning outcomes.” (Bringle, Phillips, & Hudson, 2004, p. 5)

For a newer definition, we can turn to Capella-Peris and colleagues:

• “to a teaching methodology that seeks to develop academic competencies and increase reflection while providing a community service to meet social needs.” (Capella-Peris, Gil-Gómez & Chiva-Bartoll, 2020, p. 102)

Service Learning Examples

• Voter registration: Students in a political science class volunteer to help with voter registration targeting the elderly that also involves conducting interviews and surveys assessing their needs and opinions regarding various political issues.
• Books in schools: Students pair up with local charities and churches to run a campaign to improve the school library’s book offerings.
• Rural community service: Nursing majors hold health fairs in rural areas to disseminate information regarding healthy habits and perform basic health checks for attendees.
• Recycling programs: Mechanical engineering students use recyclable materials to construct playgrounds in inner cities and analyze the physics of each piece of equipment.
• Migrant support: IT majors teach courses to immigrants on web design and e-commerce as part of group projects assessing the functionality of various web design software programs.
• Supporting budding businesses: Business majors work with local small businesses on strategic planning, marketing, and hiring practices to improve revenue. The students create portfolios documenting their experiences.
• Websites for businesses: A group of digital marketing students are asked to connect with local businesses to help them to develop a web presence and consistent brand image.
• Addressing local tax changes: An accounting class works with local businesses to help them implement standard accounting principles and understand the local tax code.  
• Working with local children: Anthropology students conduct a participant observation study in local orphanages as helpers to document the children’s narratives and produce short films.
• Missionary work: A faith-based university sends its students to a third-world country to help single mothers apply for micro-finance loans and start their own businesses. Students create video documentaries that detail each stage in the service-learning process.
• Upskilling locals: Communication majors conduct a pre- post-design study on the effectiveness of training the unemployed on interview techniques and presentation skills.
• Charity work: Students in an International Studies course work in teams to write and submit a grant for the charitable cause of their choosing.   
• Local waterway management: Biology students study local waterways and identify strategies to improve the biodiversity in the area.
• Urban farming: Students develop an urban farm on the rooftops of local buildings in order to supply fresh food to local impoverished families.
• Local town hall: Students from an event management course organize a local town hall for political candidates to meet with locals and address their concerns.
• Bike to work day: To encourage green transit, students start a bike to work campaign, culminating in one day where an additional 1000 people use the local bikeways to get to work.
• Animal housing: Students run a campaign to support pet adoption by not only encouraging adoption, but implementing regular support for the new owners so the animals transition to a happy new life.
• Traffic management: Students from an advanced math course conduct a study of the traffic light pattern at a particularly busy bottleneck and find a way to improve the pattern to minimize congestion. They bring the report to the local council to consider.

Real-Life Service Learning Case Studies

1. urban farming.

Poor nutrition and food insecurity in many countries is a situation that can be addressed in a variety of ways. According to a report by the BBC , the UN estimates that approximately 900 million tons of food is wasted every year. 

There are a multitude of factors at work which create this catastrophe. However, there are also many solutions. For example, students in a university agriculture course could work with local communities to design and implement urban farms.

These farms could be located on abandoned lots, rooftops, or in smaller areas around households that could fit a vertical garden. There are more places than you can possibly imagine to grow food in urban areas .

It’s one thing to read about how to install a vertical garden, but it is a completely different learning experience to actually put one on a wall and make it work.

2. Put Some Blue in Your Green School

High school students in an AP Environmental Science course help schools use their water resources more efficiently. They work to raise awareness regarding the importance of water conservation and demonstrate water management practices.

First, the students analyze the water use practices of their own school. They conduct detailed measurements and create the necessary graphs that will allow a pre- post-program comparison.

Then they enact behavioral and structural changes that allow their school to conserve water more efficiently. Once the program has demonstrated results, it can be applied to other schools in the community or even at the state level.  

To learn more about this program, click here .

3. Discarded Books Library

Students in an education course collaborate with local garbage collectors to create a library for the poor. The students learned about this type of project on the news and decided to pursue a similar endeavor.

They find a permanent location in the inner city to create the library. The local government agrees to fund the daily operation of the library, paying for electricity and basic upkeep of the facility.

As part of their course requirements, each student volunteers to work in the library a certain number of hours per month and conduct literacy classes for local children.

The classes are video recorded and then shared in class for analysis and discussion regarding the teaching techniques learned in class.

4. Environmental Service Learning

Undergraduate students in introductory science courses at Indiana University and Purdue University engage in a service-learning program involving environmental stewardship.

What is environmental stewardship ? It basically means students do things to help restore land or improve the ecology of a specific area. For example: restoring wetland and floodplain ecosystems, native plant installation, invasive exotic plant species eradication, or hill slope stabilization.

Work days are in partnership with local community members. As the webpage about this program explains, this service-learning:

“… provides the students with an opportunity to directly experience many of the topics discussed in their courses as well as to observe how communities can work together to solve environmental problems.”

It is more than just volunteerism because the work is performed in the context of classroom study and directly connected to 9 learning goals in the course.

5. Growing Voters by CIRCLE

We all know what a circle is, but this acronym stands for something wholly more substantial: Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement by Tufts University.

The Growing Voters report presents a research-based framework for how institutions can facilitate the development of the next generation of voters in the U.S.

It provides actionable recommendations for educators, community leaders and policy makers on ways to:

“…close voting gaps, expand the electorate, and support a more equitable and representative American democracy” .

This is a perfect example of how students and higher education can engage in learning-based endeavors that also serve a greater public good.

Service-learning is all about taking students out of the classroom and into the real world to address a need in society. It strives to achieve more than just providing assistance in a community because students must perform the service in the context of their academic studies.

This can involve writing papers that detail the experience in the field and tying those experiences to classroom concepts. Or, students may choose to produce a mini-documentary that can be shared on social media and possibly inspire others to action.

The possibilities are endless, from increasing voter registration numbers to repairing the ecology of nearby wetlands. These types of endeavors are being enacted by universities around the world, instilling a sense of responsibility in students that may impact their way of thinking long into the future. That is of course, the goal.

Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (1996). Implementing service learning in higher education.  The Journal of Higher Education ,  67 (2), 221-239.

Bringle, R. G., Phillips, M. A., & Hudson, M. (2004). The measure of service learning.  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .

Capella-Peris, C., Gil-Gómez, J., & Chiva-Bartoll, Ò. (2020). Innovative analysis of service-learning effects in physical education: A mixed-methods approach.  Journal of Teaching in Physical Education ,  39 (1), 102-110.

Furco, A. (2002). Is service-learning really better than community service? A study of high school service. In A. Furco & S. H. Billig (Eds.), Advances in service-learning research: Vol.1. Service-learning: The essence of the pedagogy (pp. 23–50). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers.

Furco, A. and Billig, S.H., (2002) Service-Learning: The Essence of the Pedagogy . Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

Toole, J., & Toole, P. (1995). Reflection as a tool for turning service experiences into learning experiences. Evaluation/Reflection, 63 . https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slceeval/63

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Social-Emotional Learning (Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is Educational Psychology?
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is IQ? (Intelligence Quotient)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University

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The Teacher's Guide to Service Learning [+ 5 Examples]

Written by Laney Kennedy

Teachers 🧑‍🏫

Help inspire your students to love learning math with Prodigy's online learning platform.

• Teaching Strategies
• The definition of service learning
• How service learning compares to other forms of community service
• The benefits of service learning
• An outline of what service learning looks like when used
• 5 service learning examples you can use in your classroom

Involving your students in community service can feel like an impossible task when you already have endless piles of curriculum to cover during the school year.

But what if you could accomplish both of these at the same time?

You’ve probably heard of service learning, a form of experiential education widely implemented in elementary classrooms right through to high schools and higher education. Maybe you’ve even wanted to use it in your classroom, but aren’t exactly sure what it is or how to go about it.

When done properly, service learning is a fantastic form of experiential learning the whole class can enjoy. Including service learning projects in your curriculum encourages students to learn about relevant issues, get involved in community service and engage with academic content — all at the same time!

Let’s start with the basics.

What is service learning?

According to the National Youth Leadership Council , it’s "a philosophy, pedagogy, and model for community development that is used as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.”

In simpler terms, service learning is an educational method that combines academic goals with community service projects . Lessons about relevant community issues are combined with existing course content to optimize the academic experience.

At the same time, students gain hands-on experience doing service projects to tackle community issues and make positive changes.

The beauty of service learning is that something real and concrete is occurring. Learning takes on a new dimension. When students are engaged intellectually and emotionally with a topic, they can light up with a revelation or make a connection between two previously separate ideas. What they’ve learned in school suddenly matters and engages their minds and their hearts. Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.  Author of  The Complete Guide to Service Learning

Teachers can provide real-world examples of the curriculum they’re teaching. Students are given a fresh perspective on what they’re learning and can apply it to the projects they work on.

Entire classrooms make positive changes to the community, and everyone reaps the rewards.

How is service learning different from community service?

It’s great to get children involved in community service as soon as possible, but service learning adds an extra layer to make it even more beneficial for students.

Service learning is a more student-centered approach than other forms of community service, such as volunteering. The focus is on student experiences, and the entire service project is designed around providing as much education as possible every step of the way.

Most kinds of community service help the community more than the person providing it, but the benefit is reciprocal with service learning. Students and members of the community can both be equally satisfied.

What are the benefits of service learning?

Sure, it sounds good, but at this point you may be wondering, “can this really benefit my students?”

The simple answer: yes, it can! There are many proven benefits of adding service learning to your curriculum. Research from the University of South Alabama found that around 80% of students who took part in a service learning project found the experience “highly beneficial.” These students saw improvements in their communication skills, self-awareness and knowledge of community needs, making it an effective service-learning strategy.

In another study , service learning programs improved the grade-point averages of students 76% of the time. Students in the program were more engaged, punctual and interested in course content.

In addition to the above findings, service learning can:

• Help students make connections between different academic subjects by using an  interdisciplinary teaching  approach
• Encourage students to positively contribute to their communities, while also aligning to class curriculum
• Improve learning outcomes, attendance rates and class engagement
• Increase awareness of community needs and local or global issues
• Improve problem-solving ability, including in real-life skills
• Boost levels of self-esteem, empathy and responsibility
• Reduce the risk of behavioral problems in the classroom
• Allow for a hands-on learning experience
• Promote mutual respect and kindness
• Strengthen classroom communication
• Deepen critical thinking skills

The ideas and examples of service-learning provided below will help you bring it to your classroom and see many of these benefits come to life for your students.

What does service learning look like?

An effective service-learning experience follows a specific format so education can occur throughout the entire process. Creating a detailed plan for each step of the way will make it easy to introduce your program and keep students engaged, while meeting basic standards to ensure success.

The general guidelines for a service-learning course or program include:

• Preparation —  This is the stage where you prepare yourself and your students to take on their service project. You can start by deciding on a project to tackle, figuring out how to tie it in with your curriculum, and forming community partnerships with local organizations your class can work with. Then you can teach your students about the community issue to prepare them for action. Make sure you choose a project that is  relevant to your community. Tip: Give your students a voice during this stage to keep them interested. For example, you can have the class vote on which community issue they want to support or on individual roles within the project.
• Action —  This is the hands-on component where the class gets to use what they’ve learned and apply it to a real service project. Students will now directly help community partners and those affected by the issue with actual community service work.
• Reflection —  This stage lets students reflect on their service project, consider what they learned from it, and apply their learnings to the curriculum. Reflection is encouraged during every step, but this stage allows for a more in-depth process where students can consider what they’ve learned and how they feel about the service they provided.

Example of a reflection worksheet for younger grades. Image source: Scholastic

• Demonstration —  Students can show what they’ve learned about the issue to their class, school or community. This is an opportunity to raise awareness of the issue and what others can do to help.
• Celebration   —  Students can congratulate themselves and each other for their hard work and positive contributions.

There are a number of things you can do with your students throughout the program. Below are some ideas you can use for each stage of your service learning plan.

Preparation: Students can learn about the issue they are going to tackle using:

• Class and small group discussions
• Visual brainstorming sessions
• Web-based research
• News clippings
• Infographics

Action: Students can serve their communities by taking part in:

• Various service projects (cleaning, building, gardening etc.)
• Awareness campaigns
• Research projects
• Tutoring sessions
• Fundraisers
• Field trips

Reflection: Students can reflect on their experiences with:

• Visual art submissions
• Group discussions
• Poems or songs
• Journal entries

Demonstration: Students can demonstrate what they’ve learned about the issue by creating:

• Final presentations
• Books or portfolios
• Graphs or charts

Celebration: Students can celebrate their hard work and success by:

• Making thank-you cards or gifts for peers and community partners
• Being recognized at the next school assembly or on social media
• Discussing the impact their efforts have made
• Having a class pizza party

The possibilities are endless when making a service learning plan, so feel free to get as creative as you like. Just remember: a successful service learning program allows for cooperative learning and encourages constant communication and reflection.

Possibly the most important part of your plan is choosing an actual service project to take on. Get inspired by the examples below.

Five service learning examples for your classroom

When picking your service learning project, be sure to focus on an issue that’s relevant to your community members. It’s also important to ensure that necessary material can be embedded into your student learning.

Below are five examples of projects you can use in your class , including some ideas for literature to accompany your lessons. Use them as a guide when designing your own plan.

1) Issue: literacy

Action : Collect books to donate to low income schools or (for older grades) tutor younger students to read. Partner with a local community organization that supports literacy in youth. Local libraries are often great starting points for community engagement in literacy.

Preparation : Teach learners about the importance of literacy and the implications of low literacy rates for the individual and the community.

Books you can use :

• Read Me a Book  by Barbara Reid
• The Library Card  by Jerry Spinelli

2) Issue: animal welfare

Action: Collect pet food and toys for animals at your local humane society, then take a class trip to deliver the items and visit the animals.

Preparation : Teach students about shelters, adoption, rehabilitation and how to prevent animal cruelty. Ask them to brainstorm what providing meaningful service to animals could involve.

• Can I Be Your Dog ? By Troy Cummings
• Saving Winslow  by Sharon Creech

This picture book is written in letters from Arfy the dog, hoping he will persuade someone to adopt him. Great for younger grades to help them understand the importance of pet adoption.

3) Issue: poverty and hunger

Action : Hold a canned food drive or collect items to make care packages for the homeless. Enroll your class into helping a local organization that works to combat poverty.

Preparation : Teach students about hunger and poverty in their community and its negative effects on child development and health. Talk about what others can do to help.

• Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen  by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
• Maddi’s Fridge  by Lois Brandt

4) Issue: the environment

Action : Work to improve recycling efforts at school. Educate staff and students about what can and can’t be recycled. Make quick reference posters. Collect bins from classrooms.

Preparation : Talk about advocacy on environmental issues and their relationship with civic responsibility. Discuss the impact waste has on the earth and ways you can help the environment through actions and advocacy. Teach students the importance of “reduce, reuse, recycle,” why recycling is effective and how it benefits the environment. Motivate them on how young people can help shape the future for the better.

Books you can use:

• The Wartville Wizard  by Don Madden
• Me and Marvin Gardens  by A. S. King

This book tells the story of Obe Devlin, a boy who makes an unlikely friendship after his land is taken over by developers. It includes a heartwarming tale while bringing attention to environmental issues. Good for middle grades.

5) Issue: diversity and inclusion

Action : Have the class plan and host a “celebrate diversity” day at school, to educate each other on different cultures or groups that face adversities like those with disabilities. Encourage students to embrace differences among their class. Partner with a local organization that promotes diversity and inclusion.  

Preparation: Teach students about inequality. Define and explain the importance of diversity and tolerance. Explore ways students can support diversity in their everyday lives or through service activities.

• All Are Welcome  by Alexandra Penfold
• Fish in a Tree  by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Final thoughts on service learning

No matter what project you choose, service learning is a great way to accomplish academic goals, promote teamwork and communication and contribute to a positive school culture by inspiring students to give back.

You now have the necessary tools to bring service learning to your class. Use these ideas to plan a service learning program tailored to your curriculum, and enjoy the awesome results.

Create or log in to your teacher account on Prodigy  – a fun and engaging game-based learning platform that assesses student progress and performance as they play. Aligned with curricula across the English-speaking world, it’s been used by more than  a million teachers  and  100 million students .

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write a great community service essay.

College Admissions , Extracurriculars

Are you applying to a college or a scholarship that requires a community service essay? Do you know how to write an essay that will impress readers and clearly show the impact your work had on yourself and others?

Read on to learn step-by-step instructions for writing a great community service essay that will help you stand out and be memorable.

What Is a Community Service Essay? Why Do You Need One?

A community service essay is an essay that describes the volunteer work you did and the impact it had on you and your community. Community service essays can vary widely depending on specific requirements listed in the application, but, in general, they describe the work you did, why you found the work important, and how it benefited people around you.

Community service essays are typically needed for two reasons:

#1: To Apply to College

• Some colleges require students to write community service essays as part of their application or to be eligible for certain scholarships.
• You may also choose to highlight your community service work in your personal statement.

#2: To Apply for Scholarships

• Some scholarships are specifically awarded to students with exceptional community service experiences, and many use community service essays to help choose scholarship recipients.
• Green Mountain College offers one of the most famous of these scholarships. Their "Make a Difference Scholarship" offers full tuition, room, and board to students who have demonstrated a significant, positive impact through their community service

Getting Started With Your Essay

In the following sections, I'll go over each step of how to plan and write your essay. I'll also include sample excerpts for you to look through so you can get a better idea of what readers are looking for when they review your essay.

Step 1: Know the Essay Requirements

Before your start writing a single word, you should be familiar with the essay prompt. Each college or scholarship will have different requirements for their essay, so make sure you read these carefully and understand them.

Specific things to pay attention to include:

• Length requirement
• Application deadline
• The main purpose or focus of the essay
• If the essay should follow a specific structure

Below are three real community service essay prompts. Read through them and notice how much they vary in terms of length, detail, and what information the writer should include.

From the Equitable Excellence Scholarship:

"Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words."

From the Laura W. Bush Traveling Scholarship:

"Essay (up to 500 words, double spaced) explaining your interest in being considered for the award and how your proposed project reflects or is related to both UNESCO's mandate and U.S. interests in promoting peace by sharing advances in education, science, culture, and communications."

From the LULAC National Scholarship Fund:

"Please type or print an essay of 300 words (maximum) on how your academic studies will contribute to your personal & professional goals. In addition, please discuss any community service or extracurricular activities you have been involved in that relate to your goals."

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas

Even after you understand what the essay should be about, it can still be difficult to begin writing. Answer the following questions to help brainstorm essay ideas. You may be able to incorporate your answers into your essay.

• What community service activity that you've participated in has meant the most to you?
• What is your favorite memory from performing community service?
• Why did you decide to begin community service?
• What made you decide to volunteer where you did?
• How has your community service changed you?
• How has your community service helped others?
• How has your community service affected your plans for the future?

You don't need to answer all the questions, but if you find you have a lot of ideas for one of two of them, those may be things you want to include in your essay.

Writing Your Essay

How you structure your essay will depend on the requirements of the scholarship or school you are applying to. You may give an overview of all the work you did as a volunteer, or highlight a particularly memorable experience. You may focus on your personal growth or how your community benefited.

Regardless of the specific structure requested, follow the guidelines below to make sure your community service essay is memorable and clearly shows the impact of your work.

Samples of mediocre and excellent essays are included below to give you a better idea of how you should draft your own essay.

Step 1: Hook Your Reader In

You want the person reading your essay to be interested, so your first sentence should hook them in and entice them to read more. A good way to do this is to start in the middle of the action. Your first sentence could describe you helping build a house, releasing a rescued animal back to the wild, watching a student you tutored read a book on their own, or something else that quickly gets the reader interested. This will help set your essay apart and make it more memorable.

Compare these two opening sentences:

"I have volunteered at the Wishbone Pet Shelter for three years."

"The moment I saw the starving, mud-splattered puppy brought into the shelter with its tail between its legs, I knew I'd do whatever I could to save it."

The first sentence is a very general, bland statement. The majority of community service essays probably begin a lot like it, but it gives the reader little information and does nothing to draw them in. On the other hand, the second sentence begins immediately with action and helps persuade the reader to keep reading so they can learn what happened to the dog.

Step 2: Discuss the Work You Did

Once you've hooked your reader in with your first sentence, tell them about your community service experiences. State where you work, when you began working, how much time you've spent there, and what your main duties include. This will help the reader quickly put the rest of the essay in context and understand the basics of your community service work.

Not including basic details about your community service could leave your reader confused.

Step 3: Include Specific Details

It's the details of your community service that make your experience unique and memorable, so go into the specifics of what you did.

For example, don't just say you volunteered at a nursing home; talk about reading Mrs. Johnson her favorite book, watching Mr. Scott win at bingo, and seeing the residents play games with their grandchildren at the family day you organized. Try to include specific activities, moments, and people in your essay. Having details like these let the readers really understand what work you did and how it differs from other volunteer experiences.

Compare these two passages:

"For my volunteer work, I tutored children at a local elementary school. I helped them improve their math skills and become more confident students."

"As a volunteer at York Elementary School, I worked one-on-one with second and third graders who struggled with their math skills, particularly addition, subtraction, and fractions. As part of my work, I would create practice problems and quizzes and try to connect math to the students' interests. One of my favorite memories was when Sara, a student I had been working with for several weeks, told me that she enjoyed the math problems I had created about a girl buying and selling horses so much that she asked to help me create math problems for other students."

The first passage only gives basic information about the work done by the volunteer; there is very little detail included, and no evidence is given to support her claims. How did she help students improve their math skills? How did she know they were becoming more confident?

The second passage is much more detailed. It recounts a specific story and explains more fully what kind of work the volunteer did, as well as a specific instance of a student becoming more confident with her math skills. Providing more detail in your essay helps support your claims as well as make your essay more memorable and unique.

Step 4: Show Your Personality

It would be very hard to get a scholarship or place at a school if none of your readers felt like they knew much about you after finishing your essay, so make sure that your essay shows your personality. The way to do this is to state your personal strengths, then provide examples to support your claims. Take some time to think about which parts of your personality you would like your essay to highlight, then write about specific examples to show this.

• If you want to show that you're a motivated leader, describe a time when you organized an event or supervised other volunteers.
• If you want to show your teamwork skills, write about a time you helped a group of people work together better.
• If you want to show that you're a compassionate animal lover, write about taking care of neglected shelter animals and helping each of them find homes.

Step 5: State What You Accomplished

After you have described your community service and given specific examples of your work, you want to begin to wrap your essay up by stating your accomplishments. What was the impact of your community service? Did you build a house for a family to move into? Help students improve their reading skills? Clean up a local park? Make sure the impact of your work is clear; don't be worried about bragging here.

If you can include specific numbers, that will also strengthen your essay. Saying "I delivered meals to 24 home-bound senior citizens" is a stronger example than just saying "I delivered meals to lots of senior citizens."

Also be sure to explain why your work matters. Why is what you did important? Did it provide more parks for kids to play in? Help students get better grades? Give people medical care who would otherwise not have gotten it? This is an important part of your essay, so make sure to go into enough detail that your readers will know exactly what you accomplished and how it helped your community.

"My biggest accomplishment during my community service was helping to organize a family event at the retirement home. The children and grandchildren of many residents attended, and they all enjoyed playing games and watching movies together."

"The community service accomplishment that I'm most proud of is the work I did to help organize the First Annual Family Fun Day at the retirement home. My job was to design and organize fun activities that senior citizens and their younger relatives could enjoy. The event lasted eight hours and included ten different games, two performances, and a movie screening with popcorn. Almost 200 residents and family members attended throughout the day. This event was important because it provided an opportunity for senior citizens to connect with their family members in a way they aren't often able to. It also made the retirement home seem more fun and enjoyable to children, and we have seen an increase in the number of kids coming to visit their grandparents since the event."

The second passage is stronger for a variety of reasons. First, it goes into much more detail about the work the volunteer did. The first passage only states that she helped "organize a family event." That really doesn't tell readers much about her work or what her responsibilities were. The second passage is much clearer; her job was to "design and organize fun activities."

The second passage also explains the event in more depth. A family day can be many things; remember that your readers are likely not familiar with what you're talking about, so details help them get a clearer picture.

Lastly, the second passage makes the importance of the event clear: it helped residents connect with younger family members, and it helped retirement homes seem less intimidating to children, so now some residents see their grand kids more often.

Step 6: Discuss What You Learned

One of the final things to include in your essay should be the impact that your community service had on you. You can discuss skills you learned, such as carpentry, public speaking, animal care, or another skill.

You can also talk about how you changed personally. Are you more patient now? More understanding of others? Do you have a better idea of the type of career you want? Go into depth about this, but be honest. Don't say your community service changed your life if it didn't because trite statements won't impress readers.

In order to support your statements, provide more examples. If you say you're more patient now, how do you know this? Do you get less frustrated while playing with your younger siblings? Are you more willing to help group partners who are struggling with their part of the work? You've probably noticed by now that including specific examples and details is one of the best ways to create a strong and believable essay .

"As a result of my community service, I learned a lot about building houses and became a more mature person."

"As a result of my community service, I gained hands-on experience in construction. I learned how to read blueprints, use a hammer and nails, and begin constructing the foundation of a two-bedroom house. Working on the house could be challenging at times, but it taught me to appreciate the value of hard work and be more willing to pitch in when I see someone needs help. My dad has just started building a shed in our backyard, and I offered to help him with it because I know from my community service how much work it is. I also appreciate my own house more, and I know how lucky I am to have a roof over my head."

The second passage is more impressive and memorable because it describes the skills the writer learned in more detail and recounts a specific story that supports her claim that her community service changed her and made her more helpful.

Step 7: Finish Strong

Just as you started your essay in a way that would grab readers' attention, you want to finish your essay on a strong note as well. A good way to end your essay is to state again the impact your work had on you, your community, or both. Reiterate how you changed as a result of your community service, why you found the work important, or how it helped others.

Compare these two concluding statements:

"In conclusion, I learned a lot from my community service at my local museum, and I hope to keep volunteering and learning more about history."

"To conclude, volunteering at my city's American History Museum has been a great experience. By leading tours and participating in special events, I became better at public speaking and am now more comfortable starting conversations with people. In return, I was able to get more community members interested in history and our local museum. My interest in history has deepened, and I look forward to studying the subject in college and hopefully continuing my volunteer work at my university's own museum."

The second passage takes each point made in the first passage and expands upon it. In a few sentences, the second passage is able to clearly convey what work the volunteer did, how she changed, and how her volunteer work benefited her community.

The author of the second passage also ends her essay discussing her future and how she'd like to continue her community service, which is a good way to wrap things up because it shows your readers that you are committed to community service for the long-term.

What's Next?

Are you applying to a community service scholarship or thinking about it? We have a complete list of all the community service scholarships available to help get your search started!

Do you need a community service letter as well? We have a step-by-step guide that will tell you how to get a great reference letter from your community service supervisor.

Thinking about doing community service abroad? Before you sign up, read our guide on some of the hazards of international volunteer trips and how to know if it's the right choice for you.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Title: retrieval-augmented generation with knowledge graphs for customer service question answering.

Abstract: In customer service technical support, swiftly and accurately retrieving relevant past issues is critical for efficiently resolving customer inquiries. The conventional retrieval methods in retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for large language models (LLMs) treat a large corpus of past issue tracking tickets as plain text, ignoring the crucial intra-issue structure and inter-issue relations, which limits performance. We introduce a novel customer service question-answering method that amalgamates RAG with a knowledge graph (KG). Our method constructs a KG from historical issues for use in retrieval, retaining the intra-issue structure and inter-issue relations. During the question-answering phase, our method parses consumer queries and retrieves related sub-graphs from the KG to generate answers. This integration of a KG not only improves retrieval accuracy by preserving customer service structure information but also enhances answering quality by mitigating the effects of text segmentation. Empirical assessments on our benchmark datasets, utilizing key retrieval (MRR, Recall@K, NDCG@K) and text generation (BLEU, ROUGE, METEOR) metrics, reveal that our method outperforms the baseline by 77.6% in MRR and by 0.32 in BLEU. Our method has been deployed within LinkedIn's customer service team for approximately six months and has reduced the median per-issue resolution time by 28.6%.

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40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

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Metallurgicheskii Zavod Electrostal AO (Russia)

In 1993 "Elektrostal" was transformed into an open joint stock company. The factory occupies a leading position among the manufacturers of high quality steel. The plant is a producer of high-temperature nickel alloys in a wide variety. It has a unique set of metallurgical equipment: open induction and arc furnaces, furnace steel processing unit, vacuum induction, vacuum- arc furnaces and others. The factory has implemented and certified quality management system ISO 9000, received international certificates for all products. Elektrostal today is a major supplier in Russia starting blanks for the production of blades, discs and rolls for gas turbine engines. Among them are companies in the aerospace industry, defense plants, and energy complex, automotive, mechanical engineering and instrument-making plants.

Headquarters Ulitsa Zheleznodorozhnaya, 1 Elektrostal; Moscow Oblast; Postal Code: 144002

Contact Details: Purchase the Metallurgicheskii Zavod Electrostal AO report to view the information.

Website: http://elsteel.ru

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