Frequently Asked Questions from the Community
What is service-learning?
How does service-learning differ from volunteerism or internships?
What can I expect from a service-learning course?
What can my agency do to encourage a positive service-learning partnership?
What’s the advantage of having a class work with us?
How can I help the students reflect on their experiences?
What should I do if I have a project I’d like to pursue?
What is service-learning?
The concept of service-learning is a simple one: students will help provide a service for your organization as part of an academic course. By combining theory from an academic component and practice from real-life experience, service-learning fosters a broader understanding of not only the curriculum, but also of the students themselves and their place in the community. A successful service-learning class includes these elements.
- The service is clearly connected to the academic component
- The service meets a genuine community need as the organization defines that need
- The reciprocal relationship between the university and the community organization makes you a significant and valued partner in the education of the students
- Time for students to reflect on their experiences is an important part of the course requirements
How does service-learning differ from volunteerism or internships?
A service-learning course aims to fully integrate service with learning, while volunteering has little or no connection to formal coursework. Also, service-learning examines the service experience in the context of on-going learning, whereas internships apply what has been learned earlier.
What can I expect from a service-learning course?
In most cases a service-learning course is either project-based or direct service-based. In a course with a project-based service-learning component, students put to use skills learned in a course by working collectively or on smaller teams to meet the capacity-building needs of an agency, which may or may not involve actually interacting with the clients of that agency. In project-based service-learning students demonstrate skill mastery. A course structured around direct service-learning typically asks that students complete a pre-determined number of hours interacting directly with clients of that agency (e.g. tutoring in an after-school program, serving lunch at a community kitchen). These texts of real world experience are then brought back to the class to be discussed along with other course texts and topics.
What can my agency do to encourage a positive service-learning partnership?
- Review and utilize the Memorandum of Understanding.
- Review the instructor’s course syllabus.
- Communicate with your faculty partner. Clarify and discuss how the general goals of the course and assignments can complement your agency.
- Orient students to your agency, as well as inform staff of your agency’s service-learning partnership.
- Help facilitate student’s understanding of how their service—whether it be filing or creating a brochure—helps to fulfill the mission of your organization.
- Communicate. Let the course instructor or COPSL staff know of challenges you encounter.
What is the advantage of having a class work with us?
Working with a service-learning class can be of benefit to your agency if you have a need that requires some special skills or research, or if you are in need of assistance in a volunteer-like capacity. Ideally, working with a service-learning class encourages your agency to envision projects larger and more in-depth than you might otherwise have the time resources to meet. Furthermore, your agency will be providing valuable educational opportunities to IU students outside of the classroom, as well as forming new relationships and support for your agency. Please keep in mind that service-learning partnerships do take time and energy on the part of the agency, the students and the instructors. The most successful service-learning partnerships involve a reciprocal relationship between the agency and service-learning students and their instructors.
How can I help the students reflect on their experiences?
Service-learning is most effective when students’ service is closely connected to their course work. As an agency you can engage students in conversations about what they are thinking and learning from their experience, as well as help them understand the context in which they are serving. Students may also benefit from your participation in course orientation, feedback and discussion on campus.
What should I do if I have a project I would like to pursue?
If you think your agency may have a need that could be incorporated into a service-learning course, please contact COPSL by phone at (812)-856-6011 or via email at copsl@indiana.edu. You can look through current courses and past projects to find examples of partnerships [Click Here ]. You may also look through our Community Partners to see local agencies that work with service-learners through the ACE program [Click Here]. Our staff will discuss with you your agency’s needs and how to best match you with instructors and professors teaching courses that would be a good fit. For one-time service events or volunteer needs, you may want to contact the IU Volunteer Students Bureau at (812)-855-8290 or contact the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network at volunteer@bloomington.in.gov.
