Service Learning

Origin and Definition

Hilosky, Moore, and Reynolds* trace the origin of service learning back to George Bush, Sr.'s "points of light" program and Clinton's National Community and Service Trust Act of 1993 that gave future collegians $5,000 in tuition credits and more as compensation for a year of community service. More broadly, service learning is part of the movement in higher education for linking academic principles and content with experiential learning. More simply, "service learning programs integrate academic and professional skill development with service to the community" (143).

Since learning is the goal, the experience is basically raw data that requires reflection, which is often accomplished through writing or presentations. Ideally, everyone involved has some say in shaping the activity. Benefits of service learning include increased attendance and possibly development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, particularly students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Harcum College's Study

In a six-week summer program, disadvantaged rising freshmen cooperated in writing 16 brochures on community health issues, one topic per student. Health Career Opportunity Program staff put the student and community contact together; students can present the results of their interviews and fact-finding at a community forum and pass out 100 brochures that bear coupons for community health services.

Brochures are created during workshops conducted by teachers of science, technical reading, and math in a sort of partnership or collaboration, which takes considerable flexibility from teachers and students.

	A library research workshop facilitated students' computerized literature search through which students learned a search strategy and got more familiar with computers.
	A whole language approach aided students in writing a series of six paragraphs--definition, symptoms, treatment, known research, prevention, testing and relevant clinics. After boiling down the paragraphs to brochure blurbs, students designed a cover with graphic and slogan in an attractive format.
	Students found technical articles and worked with the technical reading instructor to decipher them.
	Working collaboratively, students tackled individual chapters of a pre-chemistry textbook to map the text, section by section.
	Writing workshops linked studies of definition, process, and description with the brochure writing task.
	Paragraphs were shared for peer editing and revision.

Informed by a study done by P. R. Reynolds, When Basic Writers Write About Literature: Self-Expression or Destruction (Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, 1995), these disadvantaged students were encouraged to revise without penalty to their grades; they thereby gained confidence for academic writing.

Science and math study were informed by the "Inquiry-Oriented Instructional." The science lab teacher set up the labs so that students would make observations that could be discussed in the science class, e.g. making blood smears and classifying blood cells microscopically to prepare students for discussing blood disorders with which they could identify. So student research, perhaps experience, and laboratory observation came together.

Math fit in with such topics as serial dilution with reviews of fractions, decimals, percentages, algebra, trig, and interpretation of word problems that served the brochure writing and prepared students for college study.

Rehearsing poster board sessions allowed for critiques of students' speaking attributes.

Assessment

The science teacher used "One-Minute Papers" on the clearest and muddiest points. In addition, a survey completed by all students affirmed that they made more effort during the summer study than during high school. Pre- and post-tests with the Stanford Test of Academic Skills and writing samples. Most of these students entered the summer program unready for college level work, particularly in chemistry. After the program, half or more of these students showed readiness for college-level work.

One concern from this study is that without such programs, "a majority of disadvantaged high school graduates are entering college underprepared and at high risk of dropping out" (146).

Conclusions

"The service-learning approach enhances retention and thrives in a student-centered environment that includes" partnering with students, modeling respect, recognizing students for responsible and good work in a nonthreatening atmosphere with classroom assessment to help focus on current learning.

* Alexandra Hilosky, Mark E. Moore, and Patricia Reynolds, "Service Learning," College Teaching 47.4 (Fall 2000):143-147.

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