JUST FOR FACULTY
Why include service-learning in the traditional curriculum?
Service-Learning is a strategic goal for East Tennessee State University
with plans for increasing the number of courses with service-learning
components. It also serves as a factor in performance funding for
ETSU. Service-Learning is a way to address the growing level of interest
and sense of urgency about community and public service issues. Service-Learning
can promote connections between student’s learning in the classroom
and the applications of that learning in the real world. Service-Learning
links education, work/community and personal development. Service-Learning
is a way to meet the mission of East Tennessee State University.
How to incorporate service-learning into your course
1) To qualify as service-learning an activity must meet the following
criteria at ETSU:
? The student’s efforts must help other individuals, groups or
communities achieve goals or meet needs which to date have not been adequately
addressed. Serving others must be a central, planned aim of the activity.
Service to others cannot be a secondary benefit of an activity designed
chiefly to help students practice vocational skills or gain work experience.
? The activity must engage students in conscious reflection about what
they learned from the activity. Students must present the results of their
reflection to the instructor and/or others involved in the service-learning
activity.
? Service-Learning activities must require at least 10 hours of work per
term, not including time spent in reflection on the activity.
? All parties in the service-learning activity must formally negotiate
their responsibilities and expected benefits prior to the start of the
service-learning activity. Results of this agreement must be documented
in writing. If a service-learning activity will occur within a for-credit
course, it must appear on the course syllabus.
? The activity must be registered with the Center for Community
Engagement, Learning & Leadership.
2) Optional elements of service-learning:
? Service-Learning will most often occur off campus and serve people
who are not ETSU students or employees. However, service-learning may
occur on campus or provide special services to ETSU students or employees.
? Service-Learning may be done for academic credit or as noncredit, volunteer
work.
? Service-learning will most often be unpaid, except for compensated expenses.
However, receiving minimal pay for an activity does not exclude it from
service-learning status, if the activity meets criteria under item 1.
? Service-learning will most often occur in governmental or non-profit
settings. It may occur in for profit settings, if it meets criteria under
item 1.
3) Ordinarily, these community-based learning experiences will not count as service-learning:
? Student teaching
? Clinical experience in the health professions
? Student internships and cooperative education assignments
? Fraternity and sorority service projects
? Work done primarily to benefit ETSU student organizations
? Religious evangelism
? Military service
? Work done on behalf of political parties or candidates
? Work done primarily to create new businesses or increase the profitability
of existing businesses, except where there are significant benefits for
community development
? Activities in which the sole or primary task is fund raising for non-profit
organizations
If you are unsure, please contact us at CELLinfo@etsu.edu
4) ETSU asks that all service-learning courses be registered with the Office of Service-Learning. The Forms link will transport you to the page where you can print and complete a copy of the service-learning course registration form. Please send the completed form to the Office of Service-Learning P.O. Box 70618 or fax 439-4386 before the semester begins. Tracking students, courses, as well as course evaluations and assessment are key roles assigned to the Office of Service-Learning.
How can the Office of Service-Learning assist faculty?
? Develop relevant site placements for the course
? Provide paperwork to document service-learning (student application,
waiver of liability/release hold harmless agreement, agency site contract,
service hours log, agency evaluation of student)
? Inform students about the service-learning process and placement sites
? Placement of students
? Monitor and maintain service-learning forms
? Provide updates on students progress and completion of hours
? Conduct site visits
? Evaluate the service-learning program
? Consultation on developing service-learning course components (syllabi
revision, reflection, etc.)
? Resource Library – we maintain a collection of books, articles,
journals, simulation activities, tool kits, etc.)
The Office of Service-Learning is part of the Center for Community
Engagement, Learning & Leadership. It is located on the 1st floor of the D.P. Culp University
Center, phone 439-5675.
Resources
National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE)
www.nsee.org
Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning
www.umich.edu/~ocsl/OCSL_Press/
Corporation for National Service
www.cns.gov
Tennessee Commission for National & Community Service
www.state.tn.us/finance/rds/tcncs.htm
Institute for Global Education & ServiceLearning
www.philau.edu/Institute
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
www.servicelearning.org
Community Service Programs
http://www.inform.umd.edu/CampusInfo/Departments/commute/CSP/ServiceL…/resources.htm
101 Ideas For Combining Service & Learning
www.fiu.edu/~time4chg/Library/ideas.html
