Service Learning
"Service learning is education in action." John Glenn
Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates community service into the curriculum. Students conduct meaningful community services related to their courses. Learning is strengthened as students apply what they are learning to real-life needs or problems in the community and reflect upon those experiences. Service learning is beneficial to both the recipient and the provider of service. Students involved in service learning develop a deeper sense of civic responsibility, and communities are strengthened by the contributions of the providers. Locally, 88 community agencies and schools have experienced the impact of our service learning efforts during the past five years. Service learning supports the college's mission and helps fulfill our commitment to build a better future for all.
Service learning was introduced to
College
of
Education
students in 1999 through the launching of a program called Partners in Community Service. Since then, service learning has become a vital component of multiple undergraduate and graduate courses, including the teacher education core courses. Prior to internship, teacher education students participate in a minimum of 50 clock hours of service learning experiences linked to 12 semester hours of teacher education core coursework. These core courses, commonly referred to as Block I and Block II, place students in community-based settings and after-school programs in which they have opportunities to work with at-risk students and students with exceptionalities.
Block I focuses on helping students become aware of socio-cultural factors, individual differences, and exceptionalities of learners. In addition, Block I emphasizes specific diversity objectives including communication with students with differing cultural backgrounds, abilities, and values. Block I service learning places students at community-based sites such as the Boys and Girls Club and Auburn Daycare. Block II service learning is another integral component of teacher education core courses. Block II objectives address the cognitive, psychosocial, and moral aspects of human development. These services learning initiatives present an integrated approach to effective instructional planning based on the individual needs of students as well as contextual factors. Most Block II service learning sites are after-school programs. All sites provide students opportunities to work with children of varying age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, and ability.
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