Planning for a Service-Learning Class

Syllabus Revision Elements

Potential service-learning elements to consider:

• Service hours: Usually 10-30, more if it's a service-learning lab.

• Critical reflection possibilities

  • Journals - Required?  Frequency?  Targeted questions or open-ended?  Evaluation criteria and method?

  • Paper - Required?  Purpose (issue analysis, personal reflection, connecting service to theory)?

  • Reflection sessions - Times/dates?  Frequency?  Structured session/activity or as part of normal class discussion?

Community Partner/Service Parameters

This information helps us investigate appropriate community matches for your students.

• What is/are the specific learning objective(s) of your course that you want to relate to the service-learning experience?

• Do you want students exposed to certain issues, populations and tasks?

• Do you already have service site ideas or leads you want us to pursue?

• How many total hours of service are you requiring?

• Is the service required or optional?

• Approximately how many agency options would you like to offer the students?  (Students prefer more options; however, some instructors limit options for reasons of group cohesion, lecture examples, agency relationship manageability, etc.)

• Do you have a preference for students to work in pairs, groups or solo?

• Would you like to invite community partners to present in your class to introduce their agency, the service and relate it to your learning objectives?

• Do you have special concerns or class parameters the service-learning staff (or community partners) should know about?

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