Learning through Service:Community Service-Learning in Canada

An Overview of Principles and Practices Cheryl Rose – Executive DirectorCanadian Association for Community Service-Learning

Presentation Overview

Defining community service-learning (CSL)

History of development in Canada

CSL in practice

Examples of Canadian programs

Making the case for CSL

Defining Community Service-Learning

Still evolving

Various definitions and labels (service learning, service-learning, community-based education)

Encourages experimentation, discovery and local adaptation

Even within an evolving vocabulary, there exists a set of common concepts and a generally accepted approach

What is Community Service-Learning?

Service-learning is a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students work with others through a process of applying what they are learning to community problems and, at the same time, reflecting upon their experience as they seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves.

Eyler & Giles, 1999

Key Elements from the Definition

Experiential Education – cycles of action and reflection

Working with Others – partnerships and collaboration

Community Problems – ASSETS, issues, questions

Objectives for the Community/Benefits to Students – intentionally reciprocal in nature

Distinctions Among Service Programs

Recipient Beneficiary ProviderService Focus Learning

SERVICE LEARNING

COMMUNITY SERVICE FIELD EDUCATION

VOLUNTEERISM INTERNSHIP

CSL in Practice

Principles of Good Practice for Combining Service and Learning

An effective program engages people in responsible and challenging actions for the common good.

An effective program provides structured opportunities for people to reflect critically on their service.

An effective program articulates clear service and learning goals for everyone involved.

Principles - continued

An effective program allows for those with needs to define those needs.

An effective program clarifies the responsibilities of each person and organization involved.

An effective program matches service providers and service needs through a process that recognizes changing circumstances.

An effective program expects genuine, active, and sustained organizational commitment.

Principles - continued

An effective program includes training, supervision, monitoring, support, recognition, and evaluation to meet service and learning goals.

An effective program insures that the time commitment for service and learning is flexible, appropriate, and in the best interests of all involved.

An effective program is committed to program participation by and with diverse populations.

Honnet, E.P., and S.J. Poulen. (1989)

CSL is NOT:

An episodic volunteer program An add-on to an existing school or college curriculum 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

National Commission on Service-Learning (U.S.)

Historical Overview: Important Milestones in Canada

• 1999 - St. Francis Xavier University, funded by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation to expand their service-learning program: course-based and co-curricular immersion

• 2001- first meeting of Canadian institutions of higher learning who were practicing and/or interested in service-learning; catalyst for a grassroots network of professional Canadian CSL colleagues

Canadian Overview: continued

2002 – meeting at the University of Guelph: Edward Zlotkowski as invited speaker; a national CSL listserv was established

2003 – meeting at the University of British Columbia: Barbara Holland and Sherrill Gellman as invited speakers; joined by Tony Chambers from the U.S. National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good; formed a steering committee with specific goals to create an association to promote and support CSL in Canada

Canadian Overview: continued

2004 – meeting at the University of Ottawa: Joel Westheimer as invited speaker; the Steering Committee presented, draft documents regarding a name, vision, and mission; met with federal funding bodies to introduce the concept of community service-learning

July 2004 – steering committee contacted by the J.W. McConnell Foundation

Canadian Overview continued

September 2004 – McConnell announces its national University-Based Community Service-Learning Program

November 2004 – McConnell funds the establishment of the Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning

January 2005 – McConnell announces successful recipients of funds through its national University-Based CSL program

Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning

OUR GOALS

PROMOTION of community service-learning

EDUCATION and support for CSL practitioners

NETWORKS – locally, regionally and nationally

RESEARCH on CSL in Canada

Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning (CACSL)

Regional workshops across Canada for faculty, staff,

students and community organizations in Spring 2005 – generously funded by the McConnell Foundation and an additional private Canadian foundation

Comprehensive research into CSL in Canada through the creation of a CACSL Fellowship in June 2005, funded by the Max Bell Foundation

Discussing collaboration with the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, on a joint national conference to take place in 2006

CACSL

Ongoing exploration of funding to support CSL programs, research and resource development – proposal(s) to be presented in September 2005

Creation of shared platform for collecting Canadian data on outcomes of our university and college CSL programs – to contribute to research and program development – planned for launch in 2006

Ongoing consultations in person, telephone, email

Steps: Partnerships and Design

Building partnership between university and community – conversations about environments, goals, resources, assets, needs and identifying potential

Course or Program Design – integrating into existing courses/programs and/or designing new offerings

Service Placement Design – in collaboration with community organizations to meet needs and build on strengths

Evaluation Design – for each of the partners in CSL initiatives: learning, development, service, teaching, partnerships

Community/Campus Partnerships

Necessary to Successful Partnerships:

Established infrastructure to support a CSL program

Administrative buy-in and support at university

History of town/gown relationship

Trust and accountability

Clear goals and expectationsFurco, 2004

Course Design

PRINCIPLES Academic credit is for learning, not for service Do not compromise academic rigor Set learning goals for students Establish base criteria for service placements Provide mechanisms to maximize learning from service

(experiential education models) Provide supports for students to learn “how to learn”

from their service experiences Move instructional role to one of facilitation and

guidance Maximize the community engagement orientation of the

course Howard, 1993

Suggestions for Course Design

Relate the learning objectives of the service component to the overall course objectives

Identify the partnerships and projects that could facilitate the service-related objectives

Consider how the partnerships/projects would benefit the larger community

Identify best format for service component (e.g., mandatory, elective, short-term, long-term, extra credit)

Course Design - continued

Review traditional workload of course and make any required adjustments to integrate service component (learning that can be covered through the experience that are currently covered in some other manner)

Identify strategies to assist students to prepare for service placements in community (e.g., ethics in helping situations, experiential education models)

Incorporate strategies for intentional reflection on experience as related to course (e.g., journals, group discussions, whether face to face or electronic, presentations, papers)

Course Design - continued

Explore the integration of appropriate civic/social issues (e.g., professional responsibility, discipline specific contributions to public good, peace and justice issues, diversity/stereotypes, public policy)

From learning objectives, identify indicators and plan assessment strategies

Consider how your community partner could be of educational assistance, and how they might be compensated for the time and expertise they are able to contribute. Zlotkowski (handout)

Service-Placement Design

Consider both traditional and new opportunities to involve support through service – be creative!

Staff or faculty member and organization staff work together to design an appropriate service placement

Organization staff to provide orientation, ongoing supervision, evaluation of benefits to community.

Consider opportunities that can be flexible to realities of student schedules and course timeframes

Placement design - continued

Consider organization’s realities. (e.g., time, space, supervisory capabilities, schedules, priorities)

Service placement should relate to the learning goals of the course – all should be informed of these goals.

Accept that not all potential partnerships are good fits – be open to exploring possibilities together and assessing whether or not, considering various factors, this would be a mutually beneficial partnership.

Evaluation

Meeting Community Needs (surveys, interviews, focus groups)

Student Learning (journals, written assignments, demonstrating theoretical and experiential integration)

Teaching Environment (course evaluations, faculty surveys, identifying research opportunities)

Citizen Leadership Development (pre and post surveys, leadership skills inventories, Social Change Model of Leadership Development)

Some Programs Across Canada

University of British ColumbiaTHE LEARNING EXCHANGE

UBC: The Learning Exchange

The Learning Exchange Trek Program provides opportunities for UBC students, staff and alumni to do community service in a variety of schools, non-profit organizations, and community centers in inner-city neighborhoods of Vancouver. The program gives participants real-life experience in the community while raising their awareness of health, social, economic and political issues.

The Trek Program offers UBC’s human resources to community organizations to enhance existing programs, as well as work towards developing new ones.

For information about the program email: trek.program@ubc.ca.

http://www.learningexchange.ubc.ca/trek_program.html

Some Programs Across Canada

University of GuelphPROJECT SERVE CANADA

Guelph: Project Serve Canada

annual program in February, during Reading Week enables students from the University of Guelph to

connect with peers from other Canadian universities significantly serve in collaboratively designed four day

volunteer placements in one or more of our national communities

integrated learning opportunities/reflection activities raises awareness in the students on critical social

issues encourages the development of a lifelong sense of

responsible citizenship http://www.studentlife.uoguelph.ca/citizenleader/

explore/projectserve.cfm

Some Programs Across Canada

TRENT CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION in collaboration with Trent University

Trent Centre for Community Based Education

Community-Based Education Program accepts and helps develop proposals from community organizations in the region

matches Trent University students with the organizations to help meet those needs.

research, planning or community development projects, assist students to gain practical experience in their field of study while helping to solve current challenges in our community

http://www.trentu.ca/tccbe/index.htm

Some Programs Across Canada

St. Francis Xavier UniversityCOURSE BASED AND IMMERSION SERVICE-LEARNING

St. FX: Course Based CSL

Course Based CSL - Examples BIOL 252 Anatomy and Physiology II BSAD 322 Managerial Accounting II BSAD 457 Community Enterprise Development BSAD 492 Research Project for Majors HKIN 385 Adapted Physical Education HKIN 395 Physical Activity and Sport for                   Individuals with Disabilities HKIN 426 Health Education HNU 362   Clinical Nutrition II HNU 455   Food Service: Management and                   Quantity Production HNU 493   Senior Thesis (Honours) IDS 305      Immersion Service Learning

St. FX: Immersion CSL

involves faculty leading groups of students traveling during Reading Week to communities such as inner-city settings or rural areas in developing countries

faculty leaders and students participate in service projects determined by a local partner agency

campus preparation involves readings, meetings and discussion groups

cultural tours, presentations and discussions about community efforts to meet social, health, educational and economic needs

students broaden their understanding, interpret their immediate experiences and reflect upon the role of community organizations in providing for the needs of the community members

upon return, students are required to present on their experiences to the campus community

http://www.stfx.ca/academic/servicelearning/description/

Why Community Service-Learning?

Positive Outcomes of Note: Students

Improved academic performance, especially writing skills

Values development

Career choice direction

Commitment to service post-graduation

Why Community Service-Learning?

Positive Outcomes of Note: Faculty

Valuable relationships with community partners

New, more active pedagogy

Generate new research opportunities

Personal satisfaction in making a difference

Why Community Service-Learning?

Positive Outcomes of Note: Community Groups

Receiving service not otherwise available

Gained new insights into their own operations

Saw themselves as educators

Learned from students and valued their relationships

Why Community Service-Learning?

Positive Outcomes of Note: Institution

Developed role in community

Capacity to attract funding

Enhanced image and visibility in community

Avenue for putting the institution’s Mission into action

….and yet we wonder….

Is CSL worth it?

Does CSL actually work?

Can CSL really reach those goals?

Why bother?

….the common good….

“ Service learning shifts attention away from an exclusive preoccupation with education as private gain and seeks to balance that concern with a focus on the common good.”

Edward Zlotkowski

….castles in the air…..

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations beneath them.”

Henry David Thoreau

…a foundation for the future….

“Community service learning has the potential to re-

engage students and academic institutions, in their communities. An integrated national focus on community service-learning will offer opportunities to develop citizens and leaders in the generation of young Canadians that is now coming of age. CSL can not only help them to understand the depth and breadth of critical social issues but develop a strong commitment to work collaboratively, to recognize community strengths and to solve community problems.”

-from a working paper in progress by the Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning

References

Eyler , J and Giles, Jr., D. Where’s the Learning in Service Learning? San Francisco:Jossey-Bass:1999.

Furco, A., et al. Building Partnerships with College Campuses: Community Perspectives. Council of Independent Colleges: 2004

Honnet, E.P., and S.J. Poulen. Principles of Good Practice for Combining Service and Learning, a Wingspread Special Report. Racine, WI: The Johnson Foundation, Inc: 1989.

Howard, J., Ed.Praxis I: A Faculty Casebook on Community Service. Ann Arbor, MI. Office of Community Service Learning: 1993.

Jacoby, B. and Associates. Service-Learning in Higher Education: Concepts and Practices. Jossey-Bass:1996.