Community Engagement and Service Learning Guidelines for Higher Education
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Community Engagement and Service Learning Guidelines for Higher Education
Summary This document provides guidelines for imple- menting Service Learning in higher education with hands-on course ideas. The appendix contains policy recommendations. Promoting the nexus of migrants through active citizenShip (NEXUS) Project ref: 2019-1-ES01-KA203-065861 Authors Ana Skledar Matijević, Institute for the Development of Education Teresa Tomašević, Malmö University Lasse Lindhagen, Malmö University Jasenka Begić (Nexus Consortium 2019-2020) Designer Tara Drev, Knowledge Innovation Centre Published by KIC - Knowledge Innovation Centre This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
SUMMARY 5 INTRODUCTION 7 About the Nexus project 8 About using Service Learning to enhance civic engagement 8 About defining and reaching our target group 9 About these guidelines 10 PART I 11 LITERATURE REVIEW Definition of Service Learning 12 Early definitions and the development of the concept in the US 12 The contemporary concept – the civic aspect of Service Learning 13 International service learning 14 Examples of good practice 15 PART II 17 SERVICE LEARNING IN PRACTICE Education and social responsibility – the relation of community engagement and Service Learning 18 Principles of Service Learning 19 Objectives, benefits and challenges of Service Learning implementation 19 SERVICE LEARNING STAKEHOLDERS 20 1. Choosing the partners 22 2. Assigning the roles: students, teachers, external partners 23 SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAMME 24 1. The concept of the course 24 2. Curriculum development 25 3. SL course syllabus 26 REFLECTION AND CRITICAL THINKING IN SERVICE LEARNING 27 ASSESSING SERVICE LEARNING 29
PART III 30 A SERVICE LEARNING COURSE IDEA Examples of good practice – using Service Learning in foreign language classes 32 Implementing service learning in the curriculum - case study 33 OPTION 1 – no changes to an existing syllabus 34 OPTION 2 – a new Service Learning course 38 OPTION 3 – an add-on Service Learning course 41 FINAL REMARKS 45 REFERENCES 47 APPENDIX: POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS 50
SUMMARY 5
SUMMARY
The objective of these guidelines is to pro- picture of the benefits of being involved in a
mote innovative ways in which HEIs can sup- Service Learning initiative. The most common
port and work with wider communities by challenges are also discussed, but the focus
enabling civic engagement within a diverse is on discussing and describing the roles of
student group, specifically focusing on Ser- the stakeholders: the students, the HEIs and
vice Learning (SL). the external partners. The third part con-
nects Service Learning to second language
Service Learning as an educational method learning courses, having in mind that in order
and as an integral activity of community en- to reach the target group of students with a
gagement explicitly promotes cooperation migration-related background within HEIs,
between the academic community and the such courses are available at most HEIs. Ex-
civil sector, putting students and community amples from syllabi that are appropriate for
engagement at the core of the learning ex- Service Learning are described and a con-
perience. It also contributes to the achieve- crete example of a possible way forward is
ment of the third mission of the university, presented.
which directly facilitates the development of
the social responsibility of students and oth- At the end, policy recommendations for im-
er members of the academic community in plementing Service Learning in Higher Edu-
solving specific societal problems. cation are appended to this document.
There are many definitions of Service Learn-
ing since the concept has evolved over time
and since there are numerous ways it can be
implemented in different contexts. The Eu-
ropean Association for Service Learning in
Higher Education (EASLHE) defines Service
Learning as ”an educational approach that
enhances students’ civic engagement, brings
them closer to different social realities while
allowing them to work in a real environment.
It involves structured and graded student
placements in organisations in response to
the needs of the community and is differ-
ent from volunteering because it is part of
mandatory coursework.“ (EASLHE, 2021). This
is the definition of Service Learning we have
chosen to use in this project because it in-
cludes all the key elements of contemporary
Service Learning.
The guidelines are divided into three parts.
The first part is a brief literature review that
defines Service Learning and gives some
background to its historical development.
Part II provides a more practical and concrete
6INTRODUCTION
7INTRODUCTION
About the Nexus project and diverse background, focusing on Civ-
The NEXUS project is an ERASMUS+ project ic education micro-learning units. Secondly,
(2019-1-ES01-KA203-065861), running from a knowledge-sharing platform (building on
2019 to 2022, focusing on empowering stu- open educational resources and practices)
dents (especially migrants) to exercise their for civic educators will be developed ac-
rights, uphold human values, and contribute companied by an inventory of digital tools
constructively to the society around them for Open Democracy and a handbook for ed-
and the global community in general. ucators on civic education for a digital age.
Finally, and connected to these guidelines,
The countries in the EU are representative NEXUS will focus on cultural diversity and mi-
and participatory democracies and as such gration within higher education institutions
it is crucial that citizens are engaged in order (HEIs), and how to enhance student civic
to be an active part of society (Motti-Stefan- engagement by integrating Service Learning
idi et al., 2018). The Eurobarometer from 2013 elements into second language courses, i. e.
shows statistics that young people in EU are teaching the language of the receiving coun-
losing trust in EU-institutions, are becoming try.
less interested in voting because of the feel-
ing that their votes will make no difference About using Service Learning to enhance
and that they are unaware of the democratic civic engagement
processes within EU (European Youth: Partic- The objective of these guidelines is to pro-
ipation in Democratic Life, 2013). Other stud- mote innovative ways in which HEIs can sup-
ies show that young people are somewhat port and work with wider communities by
more engaged in non-governmental organi- enabling civic engagement within a diverse
sations than in traditional political parties and student group, specifically focusing on Ser-
that they are using more digital tools, such as vice Learning (SL) that will be thoroughly in-
social media, when they interact and engage troduced in the next section of these guide-
(Motti-Stefanidi et al., 2018). Even if there are lines.
significant differences among countries, the
trend is still clear that young people are be- Service Learning fits well into the third mis-
coming increasingly detached and that there sion of HEIs. The third mission can be de-
is a need for enhanced engagement among scribed as the development of activities that
young people in the EU. Newly arrived mi- will link a HEI to its surrounding environment.
grants are especially vulnerable to feeling This puts the HEI in the position of being a
detachment since they generally risk lacking significant stakeholder in both contribut-
social identity, sense of belonging and social ing to economic and cultural growth as well
engagement (Mansouri et al., 2016). as becoming an active part of meeting the
changing societal needs.
NEXUS aims at innovating the civic educa-
tional process resulting in increased partic- Thus, HEIs are becoming increasingly involved
ipation of students in their communities. To in teaching and researching community en-
accomplish this, three interconnected and gagement in a broader sense and connecting
aligned intellectual outputs have been spec- both to real world problems and needs.
ified. Firstly, a MOOC on Civic education will
be developed for students with a migrant
8It is fair to say that teaching, learning and re- This will also help HEIs to reach their full po-
search, when connected to third mission ini- tential as valuable actors in their local com-
tiatives, are driving HEIs to become increas- munities, not only for students and staff but
ingly more visible as stakeholders for change also for those needing change to those not
and thereby create a positive impact on the directly involved in teaching or research.
community. Students themselves require
quality and purposeful study programmes in Service Learning as an educational method
line with both the labour market and current and as an integral activity of community en-
social trends. At the same time, the teaching gagement is crucial for the NEXUS project
processes require the introduction of new, because it explicitly promotes cooperation
innovative and inclusive methods of working, between the academic community and the
teaching and learning, those that involve the civil sector, putting students and community
integration of local, regional and global prob- engagement at the core of the learning ex-
lems in the curriculum. In the broader per- perience. It also contributes to the achieve-
spective, it is necessary to ensure a strong ment of the third mission of the university,
connection, i. e. cooperation, collaboration which directly facilitates the development of
and knowledge exchange between universi- the social responsibility of students and oth-
ties and local communities, as well as a joint er members of the academic community in
response to challenges. solving specific societal problems.
Even if community engagement is becom- About defining and reaching our target
ing more and more visible in various forms group
of visionary documents it is still at an ear- The purpose of NEXUS is to primarily reach
ly, peripheral phase in many European HEIs, newly arrived migrant students and promote
and the central challenge is in placing it at their civic engagement. In order to reach this
the heart of HEIs´ life. Service Learning can group within HEIs, these guidelines will give
be one way for HEIs to work better together examples of designing Service Learning mod-
with the local community to meet its socie- ules connected to second language learning
tal needs and harness the power of HEIs’ di- courses offered at HEIs. These courses usu-
verse knowledge bases to drive a sustainable ally contain elements of culture and society
and inclusive Europe. By developing com- of the receiving country that will lend them-
munity engagement, HEIs need to integrate selves to Service Learning initiatives. By ad-
changes in their portfolios of activities and dressing these types of courses, we will spe-
pedagogies. They must build their capacity cifically reach students that are new to the
for community engagement, and one way of receiving country and that will benefit from
doing so is to embed it in curriculum design taking part in a Service Learning module. Un-
and syllabus so it can be assessed within the regarding how long students are planning to
course structure. In doing so, students will remain in the receiving country, the Service
both gain awareness of different types of so- Learning experience will build a sense of how
cietal needs and get first-hand experience of the receiving community is organised and
engaging in the community and addressing how civic engagement contributes to solving
these needs. societal challenges.
9About these guidelines
These guidelines have been designed to be
used as both inspiration and a template for
HEIs that wish to design their own Service
Learning module within a second language
learning course at a HEI.
The guidelines are divided into three parts.
The first part is a brief literature review that
defines Service Learning and gives some
background to its historical development.
Part II provides a more practical and concrete
picture of the benefits of being involved in a
Service Learning initiative. The most common
challenges are also discussed, but the focus
is discussing and describing the roles of the
students, the HEIs and the external partners.
The third part connects Service Learning to
second language learning courses in the re-
ceiving country. Examples from syllabi that
are appropriate for Service Learning are de-
scribed and a concrete example of a possi-
ble way forward is presented.
10PART I
LITERATURE REVIEW
11Definition of Service Learning Early definitions and the development of
There are many definitions of Service Learn- the concept in the US
ing since the concept has evolved over time The United States has a long tradition of Ser-
and since there are numerous ways it can be vice Learning, which has evolved through
implemented in different contexts. time, and which has served as a source of in-
spiration for European practices.
Eyler and Giles define Service Learning as “a
form of experiential education where learning The term “Service Learning” was coined in
occurs through a cycle of action and reflec- 1967 in the United States and was derived
tion as students work with others through a from the work of Robert Sigmon and Wil-
process of applying what they are learning to liam Ramsey who explored the concept
community problems, and at the same time, developed by John Dewey in his works on
reflecting upon their experience as they seek the philosophy of education How We Think
to achieve real objectives for the community (1933) and Experience and Education (1938).
and deeper understanding for themselves” According to Speck and Hoppe (2004), the
(Eyler and Giles, 1999). connection of education and community
was emphasised by philosophers through-
According to Vogelsgang and Astin (2000) out history, from Plato and Aristotle to Locke,
Service Learning is a “powerful form of ped- Kant and Rousseau and Dewey’s philosophy
agogy because it provides a means of linking of engaged education can be perceived as a
the academic with the practical”. It provides continuation of this line of thought.
an opportunity for students to step outside
of the classroom and put into practice the According to Bringle, Phillips and Hud-
theory they have been learning about. At the son (2004), Dewey defined four conditions
same time, it emphasises cooperation, re- necessary for implementing inquiry-based
sponsibility and democratic principles and learning: “(a) generate interest in the learner;
connects higher education with the commu- (b) be intrinsically worthwhile to the learner;
nity by responding to its needs. (c) present problems that awaken new curi-
osity and create a demand for information;
The European Association for Service Learn- and (d) cover a considerable time span and
ing in Higher Education (EASLHE) defines be capable of fostering development over
Service Learning as ”an educational approach time” (Bringle, Phillips and Hudson, 2004).
that enhances students’ civic engagement,
brings them closer to different social reali- According to Giles and Eyler, (1994), since
ties while allowing them to work in a real en- Dewey, “the efforts in this field have focused
vironment. It involves structured and graded more on principles of good practice in com-
student placements in organisations in re- bining service and learning and in developing
sponse to the needs of the community and is a common, agreed upon definition”. During
different from volunteering because it is part the 1990s, following a twenty-five-year long
of mandatory coursework.“ (EASLHE, 2021). period of searching for a definition, the basic
This is the definition of Service Learning we principles and the Service Learning frame-
have chosen to use in this project because it work in the United States have been deter-
includes all the key elements of contempo- mined.
rary Service Learning.
12According to Furco (1996), Service Learning According to Bringle, Clayton and Price
includes activities ranging from volunteering (2012) civic engagement refers to “teaching,
in community service projects to field stud- research, and/or service that is both in and
ies and internship programs. The National with the community […] and includes Service
Society for Experiential Education empha- Learning and participatory action research”.
sises that intentional learning goals need to Instead of student placements common in
be achieved through the Service Learning Service Learning, partnerships with actors
experience (Furco, 1996), while Giles and Ey- from the community are encouraged which
ler emphasise the importance of “linking Ser- include a “mutually-beneficial collabora-
vice Learning to the mission and philosophy tion, in which all persons contribute knowl-
of higher education” (Giles and Eyler, 1994). edge, skills, and experience in determining
the issues to be addressed, the questions to
The definition agreed upon during the 1990s be asked, the problems to be resolved, the
is the one by Bringle and Hatcher (1995), strategies to be used, the outcomes that are
which argues that “service-learning [is] a considered desirable, and the indicators of
course-based, credit-bearing, educational success” (Bringle, Clayton and Price, 2012).
experience in which students (a) participate Such an approach ensures further develop-
in an organised service activity that meets ment of HEI’s civic engagement and public
identified community needs and (b) reflect service, and the authors have developed a
on the service activity in such a way as to structural framework for relationships identi-
gain further understanding of course con- fying five key stakeholders of Service Learn-
tent, a broader appreciation of the discipline, ing and community engagement: Students,
and an enhanced sense of civic responsibili- Organisations in the community, Faculty, Ad-
ty” (Bringle and Hatcher, 1995, p. 112). ministrators on the campus, Residents in the
community (SOFAR).
The contemporary concept – the civic as-
pect of Service Learning Zlotowski also stresses the importance of a
From the 2000s on the civic aspect of Ser- “coordinated partnership between the cam-
vice Learning was further explored. Accord- pus and the community, with the instructor
ing to Saltmarsh (2005), higher education tailoring the service experience to the edu-
should include “civic learning” and students cational agenda and community representa-
should be equipped with “the knowledge, tives ensuring that the students’ community
skills, and values necessary to participate as service is consistent with their goals” (Zlo-
engaged, democratic citizens” (Saltmarsh, tkowski, 1999). Zlotowski also believes that
2005) in order to successfully participate in the following three points are crucial for suc-
the democratic processes. cessful implementation of Service Learning:
“1. integrating Service Learning programs into
Butin states that Service Learning can “en- the central mission and goals of the schools
hance student outcomes (cognitive, affec- and agencies where they are based; 2. estab-
tive, and ethical), foster a more active citi- lishing a balance of power between educa-
zenry, promote a scholarship of engagement tional and community partners; 3. wedding
among teachers and institutions, support a reflection to experience.” (Zlotowski, 1995).
more equitable society” (Butin, 2003), there-
fore also emphasises the civic aspect of Ser-
vice Learning.
13This is in line with the goals of Service Learn- to research with civic responsibility and so-
ing defined by Bringle, Phillips and Hudson cial justice.
(2004), which include “(a) benefit to com-
munity stakeholders (e.g., agency, clients, According to Butin, “service learning is highly
neighbourhood 4 residents) and (b) academ- amenable to a cultural perspective”. (Butin,
ic learning outcomes” (Bringle, Phillips and 2003). It is seen as an ideal medium for civ-
Hudson, 2004). Although Service Learning in il engagement, democratic renewal and for
itself does not necessarily provide learning, enhancing “individuals’ sense of communi-
they emphasise the importance of combin- ty and belongingness to something greater
ing theory and practice in order to achieve than themselves” (Barber, 1992; Lisman, 1998,
the goals of socially responsive knowledge in Butin, 2003). It encourages and increas-
according to Altman: “(1) to educate students es “tolerance of diversity, to gain a greater
in the problems of society; (2) to let have awareness of societal concerns, to develop a
them experience and understand first-hand stronger moral and ethical sense, and to en-
social issues in their community; and, most courage volunteerism and civic engagement”
important, (3) give students the experiences (Coles, 1993, in Butin 2003) and is therefore a
and skills to act on social problems. (Altman, very applicable practice in international con-
1996, pp. 375-376).” (in Bringle, Phillips and text.
Hudson, 2004).
Since migrations do involve the international
In addition to this, “well-designed reflection component of education, Butin’s perception
activities should (a) intentionally link the ser- of Service Learning is very applicable, espe-
vice experience to course-based learning cially since it emphasises that Service Learn-
objectives, (b) be structured, (c) occur regu- ing on the macro level “is an ideal means by
larly, (d) allow feedback and assessment, and which to support and extend civil engage-
(e) include the clarification of values” (Bringle ment, to foster a democratic renewal and
and Hatcher, 1999; Hatcher and Bringle, 1997). to enhance individuals’ sense of communi-
ty and belongingness to something greater
International Service Learning than themselves” (Barber, 1992; Lisman, 1998
International Service Learning (ISL) combines in Butin, 2003).
academic instruction and community-based
service in an international context, and ac- This makes Service Learning as defined above
cording to Crabtree (2008), it should sup- a good approach and a teaching method
port a civic mission and, as he puts it, “the which can help remove barriers which refu-
objectives of SL include active, collaborative, gee students are faced with. Accordingly, it
applied, and experiential learning; develop- can also have positive effects on other stu-
ment of cross-cultural, global, and diversity dents with migration-related backgrounds.
awareness and skills; critical reflection; in-
creased university-community collaboration
on social problems; and the formation of an
informed and engaged citizenry” (Crabtree,
2008). Besides the cross-cultural experience
which ISL provides, it also creates a context
for “participatory, action, and feminist ap-
proaches to community-based research”
(Crabtree, 2008) and an opportunity to link
14EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE
The examples of good practice indicate that Service Learning can be implemented in nu-
merous different fields and that Service Learning activities can be adapted to various con-
texts. The examples listed here are only an illustration of European HEIs’ Service Learning
experience gathered by EASLHE.
Example 1
Babes-Bolyai University, Romania
Connecting students with the needs of shelter animals through S-L
Undergraduate students of Psychology participated in Service Learning activities within the course on
Animal Psychology. The partner institutions are local NGOs managing animal shelters.
The students’ Service Learning project included working at the shelter (taking care of the animals but
also promoting adoptions and participating in disseminating information within sterilisation campaigns
and fundraising events. The also included activities aimed at improving their understanding of dog and
cat body language, resulting in better understanding the elements of animal welfare and the benefits
of human-animal interactions.
The students’ activities were prepared and evaluated during the Animal Psychology seminars.
Source: EASLHE
Example 2
Nottingham Trent University, UK
Criminology in the Real World
Undergraduate students of Criminology participated in sixteen Service Learning projects. The partner
institutions ranged from women’s centres and athletic clubs to prisons and probation services.
The students’ Service Learning projects included activities such as working with a local prison to un-
derstand the impacts of Covid 19 on prisoner rehabilitation, working with a local athletics club to re-
search how to provide support for the at risk youth during the pandemic, or working with the local
authorities to understand crime displacement during the pandemic.
Source: EASLHE
15Example 3
Ruhr University Bochum, Germany:
Learning through the Assumption of Social Responsibility: Social Inequality, Poverty and Housing
Undergraduate students of Geography participated in a year-long Service Learning project focused on
community-based research. Three teams of students developed research and service ideas for communi-
ty partners. Thereby the students developed skills such as time management, project management, team
work, and self-discipline while at the same time they strengthening their research competences in the area
of human geography. The partner organisations came from the local communities in the towns of Essen and
Bochum.
Source: EASLHE
Example 4
The University of Limerick, Ireland
Limerick Inside Out
The Service Learning module included 6-8 hours over a 15-week semester and was worth 6 ECTS credits.
The community service consisted of international students working with civic groups in addressing the
needs of refugees and asylum seekers recently arrived in the Limerick area. Besides participating in activi-
ties aimed at enhancing the end-users lives, the students also conducted a needs analysis and prepared a
report for the city and county council.
Reflection activities included practical reflective activities focused on student participation and contri-
bution to the community project, which comprised 40% of the final grade. The remaining 60% of the final
grade was comprised of a reflective essay, postcards, posters and a community project.
Source: EASLHE
Example 5
IES Abroad, Italy
S-L 395 Social Action Seminar
Service Learning is integrated into an interdisciplinary seminar which includes students’ community service.
The Municipality of Milan is the partner and offers a variety of activities in which students can participate
related to the migration crisis at the local government level. Students with an advanced level of Italian lan-
guage knowledge can shadow their mentors, help them with their cases by assisting the migrants, from both
an administrative and human perspective. Students with Italian language skills at beginner level can partic-
ipate in mentoring activities for teens. Reflection activities take place during the interdisciplinary seminar
with a focus on the impact of immigration on Italian society.
Source: EASLHE
16PART II
SERVICE LEARNING
IN PRACTICE
17Education and social responsibility – the them to better understand and adopt the
relation of community engagement and theory acquired through a particular course.
Service Learning There are many ways in which students can
If we understand Service Learning as a meth- be engaged. However, it is highly important to
od which aims to enrich the process of ac- distinguish SL from student work placements
quiring knowledge through critical reflection or internships, as well as from volunteer work.
on the complex causes of social problems Volunteering is focused on the common
and mutual cooperation of different stake- good, but it lacks a clear connection with the
holders on a joint project (Mikelić Preradović, academic curriculum, and very often it does
2009), it is an innovative teaching meth- not even exist. Student work placements or
od because it changes the learning and the internships can be related to the curriculum,
teaching experience – for both students but they do not necessarily include the com-
and the teaching staff. At the very core of ponent of social responsibility, civic engage-
the method is the idea of the connection ment and the needs of the community.
between the university and the society, the
transfer of knowledge that enriches all the Service Learning diagram
parties involved and the fact that higher ed- According to Fresno State University, Service
ucation receives the opportunity – actively Learning can be presented by the diagram
and positively – to influence the environment below, which shows the position of Service
around itself (Begić et al., 2019). SL presents Learning at the overlap of academic learning,
a micro-level within community engagement practical experience and civic engagement,
that ultimately stands for a larger set of pol- student practice, student volunteering and
icies, strategies and activities within an edu- civic education.
cational institution. Student practice
In SL, the learning component and the com-
munity service component should form a
rounded picture centred on the engagement
of students who work on a project that re- Academic Practical
sponds to a real, and clearly defined current learning experience
problem, and which draws basic knowledge SL
from the course. Therefore, for the imple-
mentation of the method the following is cru-
ice /
rv g
cial: SL program must be linked to education,
se erin
Ci awa rst
Civic
vic re an
ity te
un
engagement
un un
it must be based on the curriculum, and it
ed nes din
de
m ol
uc s & g
m tv
at
must be oriented towards achieving well-be-
co den
ion
,
u
St
ing in a community. In short, SL improves the
acquisition of knowledge, and the learning
contributes to community service. It is im-
portant that the assessment of the course is Figure 1: Service Learning Diagram, source: http://www.fres-
nostate.edu/csm/arc/service-learning.html
based on the learning outcomes and not on
the work results (Preradović, 2009).
Students’ engagement in partner organisa-
tions helps them to become acquainted with
the real opportunities in society and enables
18Principles of Service Learning Objectives, benefits and challenges of Ser-
According to Begić et al. (2019), for a SL vice Learning implementation
program to be successful, three principles The innovativeness of the SL method lies in
should observed: the fact that, when implemented properly, it
directly affects all involved stakeholders; it
• Reality: student engagement should be challenges the established patterns, beliefs
based on real, identified and previous- and assumptions of stakeholders in the edu-
ly researched problems, challenges and cational process (Begić, 2019).
needs of a community.
• Reciprocity: all the parties involved Therefore, the benefits of SL should equally
should benefit from the exchange of affect students, the university, and the com-
knowledge – the students, the teach- munity. The students receive an insight into
ers/higher education institution and the many ways to apply their academic knowl-
community. edge and see how it can positively affect the
• Reflection: a revision of the connection selected community. On the other hand, the
between engagement and educational teachers are given a more detailed insight
content must be ensured into the talents and the abilities of students,
which are not always easily recognisable in
Students become equal stakeholders in the the “traditional” educational environment. Fi-
learning and teaching process and are fo- nally, the chosen community is given the op-
cused on proactive and critical thinking. Si- portunity to be reconnected with the knowl-
multaneously, they become involved in so- edge within the education system.
cial, community and business processes
because they are collaborating with organi- Ensuring a system in which learning and
sations outside the education system which teaching go beyond their established frame-
can ultimately provide them with various work is not an easy task. SL stresses that the
contacts or their first employment. Also, this students should use the knowledge gained in
is in line with the principles of the Bologna the classroom to improve their environment.
process because it responds to the problem and learn from the process. The implementa-
of acquiring theoretical knowledge without tion of SL programs requires careful planning
practical experience that corresponds to and careful allocation of time and energy. In
specific social problems (EACEA, 2020). the equation of daily obligations and tradi-
tional teaching, this can become very chal-
A key component of SL is integration. All ac- lenging for the involved stakeholders (Begić
tivities that students choose and conduct et al., 2019).
must be implemented so that they review,
identify, illustrate, validate, expand or ques- In order to clearly present the objectives, the
tion the teaching materials and the knowl- advantages and the challenges of SL as de-
edge that an academic course provides scribed by Begić et al. (2019), the following
(Preradović, 2009). table has been prepared:
19Objectives, benefits and challenges of Service Learning
Objectives Benefits Challenges
Students
Improve their learning Understanding theoretical Collision of courses and
through the combination of knowledge in a real context. planned activities with
theory and social engage- other obligations.
ment. Critical thinking and
creativity development in Lack of time for implement-
Learn about teamwork in dealing with real societal ing all the activities in one
which caring for the team problems. semester.
and the community is a
prerequisite. Development of self-es- Fear of taking over addi-
teem, a sense of responsi- tional, unknown responsi-
“Soft” and “hard” skills are bility and teamwork skills. bilities.
equally targeted.
Clearer articulation of the Fear of working in an un-
Experience different knowl- detected problem and known environment with
edge, social and business the needs of the chosen unknown associates.
challenges. community.
Logistic challenges (trans-
Learn about civic engage- Accepting social diversity port, time management,
ment and active citizen- and reducing stereotypes. unforeseen costs).
ship.
Learning about project Poor interpersonal relation-
Develop critical thinking management. ships and team organisa-
and academic literacy. tion.
Making contacts and pre-
paring future collaborations Unequal participation of
with various organisations all the team members in
and persons who have the implementation of the
different professional activities.
interests.
Inability to connect so-
A possibility of employment cially useful work with the
and/or as self-employment. outcomes of the academic
course.
A low number of ECTS cred-
its can be demotivating.
HEIs
Improve the teaching pro- Expanding the teacher’s Lack of control over the
cess by fusing theory and role. knowledge acquisition
community engagement. process.
Developing innovative
Develop a permanent sys- teaching methods. Lack of control over all
tem for course improve- aspects of organising and
ment. Expanding the academic implementing student
field of expertise and creat- activities.
Enrich the offer of courses ing new knowledge.
and learning outcomes. Lack of appropriate student
Raising awareness of the assessment.
Create opportunities for impact and the application
cooperation between the of academic knowledge in Lack of time to work with all
education system and the the community in order to the students and address
community. meet its needs. the challenges they face.
Motivate students for Understanding and struc- Observing SL as a “supple-
greater commitment and turing institution’s own ment” to the course, and
active participation in the social responsibilities. not its integral part.
educational process.
20Objectives, benefits and challenges of Service Learning
Objectives Benefits Challenges
HEIs
Prepare students for “real” Exchanging knowledge with
life and for active citizen- the community which can
ship. impact the development of
new courses and projects.
Encourage students to
think about their future Recognizing different tal-
career and their role in the ents and student abilities.
society.
Creating a positive image
Build a positive image of of the institution in the
a socially responsible and community.
community engaged edu-
cational institution
External partner
Solve the problems and A possibility to work with Lack of time for preparing,
meet the needs of the volunteers (students). training, working with, and
selected community/social supervising all the students.
groups/end users. A possibility to improve an
organisation’s influence and Insufficient understanding
Create an environment in its processes. of the benefits SL provides.
which the local community
is an active participant in A possibility to build a wid- Difficulties in recruiting stu-
education. er (business) network. dents for several reasons:
location, timeline, type of
Create an environment in A possibility to solve engagement.
which the community has problems in the community
access to academic knowl- through the exchange of Difficulties in defining en-
edge as well as high-level (academic) knowledge. gagement and SL activities
information. that are clearly linked to
A possibility to receive and the course learning out-
Create an environment in give new knowledge, infor- comes.
which knowledge sharing is mation and perspectives.
solution-oriented and deals
with existing problems. Detecting new opportuni-
ties and space for action.
Create an environment in
which the community has A possibility to influence
greater access to higher students, their professional
education. and personal development.
A possibility to create new
business and social op-
portunities for themselves,
their users and the commu-
nity.
Table 1. Objectives, benefits and challenges of Service Learning
21SERVICE LEARNING STAKEHOLDERS According to Mikelić Preradović in her book
There are two steps to be taken before the Learning for the knowledge society: theory
SL programme begins, both are a prerequi- and practice of service learning (2009), in
site for its successful implementation: first which she provides a plethora of practical
appropriate partners should be chosen, and tips, this type of partner is called a “social
then roles should be carefully assigned. partner”, and this term includes non-profit
and non-governmental organisations, public
1. Choosing the partners institutions, educational institutions, and so-
Selecting the appropriate partner organisa- cial welfare institutions.
tion is crucial for successfully implement- Choosing the external partner can be done in
ing an SL programme. The knowledge gained three ways:
during the course should be channelled into
a meaningful activity important for a partic- • the teachers and students choose the
ular study field. Unlike volunteering or pro- partners jointly,
fessional work placement, “SL is not oriented • students select the partners inde-
towards a market economy but towards a set pendently,
of organisations that connect people with • teachers select the partners inde-
the government and the private sector, i. e. pendently.
act in space between the state, the market
and the citizens, in the civil society” (Mikelić According to Mikelić Preradović (2009), be-
Preradović 2009). fore choosing the appropriate partner, the
following questions should be answered:
Questions before choosing external partners
Questions about the organisation Questions about the student
(external partner) engagement
In what area of expertise does the selected organisation Will working in the selected organisation ensure at least a
operate? partial positive effect on the target group of the organisation?
What are its goals, mission, structure, and history? Does the selected organisation require certain skills and
particular student knowledge?
How many users does it have?
Will the students be provided with the mentoring program,
What is the public image of the selected organisation? evaluation, feedback?
Does the organisation have experience in similar projects? Will students have one or more mentors?
How does the organisation meet the needs of the What are the expectations of the organisation, what is the
community? type of student engagement required?
Where is the organisation located and what are its working What are the needs of the community that we can define, and
hours? what are the ones the organisation is trying to address?
Does the partner have the necessary knowledge and capacity
to work with the students?
Table 2. Questions before choosing external partners
22According to Begić et al (2019), it is import- Failure is a great risk in the implementation
ant to collect information about the poten- of SL programmes, and it can be caused by
tial partners in a timely manner, in order to insufficient preparation, planning and com-
match the number of students with the num- munication between the team members. The
ber of selected organisations and to avoid learning experience differs, depending on the
large teams, to make sure that students are chosen topic, on the engagement of the cho-
truly involved in SL activities, to agree on an sen partner and the dynamics between the
organised monitoring system with the part- students.
ners in order to monitor the progress of the
engagement before, during and after the Remember:
end of the semester, by all the stakeholders: It is crucial that the teacher builds an envi-
the students, the teachers, and the external ronment in which students will act collabo-
partners. ratively, with a clear division of tasks and re-
sponsibilities.
2. Assigning the roles: students, teachers,
external partners
The level of cooperation between all the key
stakeholders, their patience and openness
to accept criticism, especially when Service
Learning is implemented for the first time, is
of key importance.
An overview of stakeholder roles
Students HE institutions External partner
Gather information about Define the learning out- Define the problems and
the chosen external part- comes. social needs in the com-
ner. munity.
Include the SL method in
Become acquainted with the course syllabus. Mentor and evaluate the
other team members. students’ work.
Monitor the quality of all
Clearly define achievable the goals and activities, as Monitor the students’
goals and activities. well as the academic as- progress.
pect of the tasks and their
Participate actively and quality. Do the logistics planning
equally in the defined in collaboration with the
activities. Encourage critical thinking. teacher and the students:
Implement student assess- the choice of place, time
Communicate regularly ment procedures. and the manner of project
with other team members, development.
the teacher and the exter- Sign agreements with the
nal partner. partners regarding.
Regularly work on their SL Review and evaluate SL
journals. journals
Table 3. An overview of stakeholder roles
23Remember: The students’ Service Learning assignments
According to Begić et al (2019), here is a list and experience should relate to the learn-
of tips for teachers for a successful imple- ing outcomes of the course where the ped-
mentation of SL: agogical method is implemented. Also, they
should address the chosen social problem
• Plan ahead – the semester is short. and include equal supervision and mentoring
• Develop feasible tasks and activities. by both the teachers and the selected part-
• Use clear and effective communication. ner organisations. Since the initial planning
• Clearly indicate the stakeholders’ re- is always the biggest challenge, Begić et al
sponsibilities. (2019) advise that the process be collabora-
• Express gratitude and appreciate other tive, within which the students, the teachers
people’s work. and the community jointly choose a prob-
• Ask the students what their interests are. lem, plan the implementation and define the
• Respect your students and associates. method of reporting of the project in a col-
• Give and gladly receive constructive crit- laborative manner. This approach will ensure
icism. equal involvement of all the stakeholders in
• Involve all students equally. the implementation of activities.
• Use the students’ talents.
• Be aware that everyone has limited time. 1. The concept of the course
• Help students understand the impor- According to Mikelić Preradović (2019), a
tance of their engagement. good way to start with introducing SL is in-
• Encourage students to be proactive and cluding it in an already existing course, and
creative and to develop new ideas. then gradually improve it, depending on the
• Do not assume anything, especially about academic goals and the students’ result.
the stakeholders’ needs and expecta- There are several possibilities for organising a
tions. course with an SL component:
SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAMME
The planning of a Service Learning pro-
gramme is carried out through several stag-
es, starting from defining the concept of the
course, through developing the curriculum
and the course syllabus.
Service Learning in different course types
Course type Description Example
SL as an obligatory part of a Requires all students to engage Geology students organise work-
certain course in SL activities. It is mandatory shops about earthquakes, their
to write a SL journal, essay, or an effects and methods of protection
analytical article for the general population.
24Service Learning in different course types
Course type Description Example
SL as an elective part of a Provides an alternative to the A group of economics or law
certain course “traditional” way of learning and students advise senior members
teaching. Ensures the right to of the community on legal and
choose, but results in different financial literacy
learning experience if some stu-
dents do not select SL.
Students who do not participate in
the SL project may get the impres-
sion that it is less demanding.
SL in course clusters Connects the learning outcomes Students of nutrition, design and
of two or three courses in different sociology conduct a campaign
studies and disciplines. focused on teenagers about the
importance of proper nutrition
Encourages cooperation, interdis-
ciplinarity and multidisciplinary
between higher education insti-
tutions.
Integrates knowledge from differ-
ent disciplines.
Final thesis project for A more complex project depending
undergraduate or graduate on the academic field.
studies
Demonstrates the skill of applying
and understanding the SL method.
Integrates higher level knowledge
and prepares students for future
careers.
Higher level of critical thinking in
collaboration with the teacher and
the chosen partner.
Table 4. Service Learning in different course types
2. Curriculum development Indirect socially beneficial activities include
Depending on the learning objectives of each students working on a project in a selected
course, students can be engaged in a wide organisation, but do not have direct contact
variety of types of projects. According to with the organisation’s end users. An exam-
Delve and Mintz (1990), types of activities ple of such an activity: research activities,
may vary depending on the chosen topic, designing promotional material, writing proj-
tasks and needs of the chosen partner: ect applications etc.
Direct socially beneficial activities are those The curriculum should connect learning out-
that students conduct by working with the comes with community service activities,
end users of a selected organisation. Ex- encourage cooperation, interdisciplinarity
amples of such activities are: future prima- and multidisciplinarity. Whether choosing
ry school teachers and high school teachers a new course or improving an existing one,
work on teaching children with disabilities, before developing a curriculum, according to
sociology and medicine students work with Mikelić Preradović (2009) it is important is to
senior citizens, nutrition students work in the answer the following questions:
public kitchen, etc.
25Questions regarding the students’ and teachers’ role
Questions related to the Questions related to the
students’ role: teacher’s role:
How many students will be included in the course and work What are the reasons and needs for introducing SL in the
on projects? course? Which are the most important and which are the
least important reasons?
Will all students work on one project, or will you organise more
small projects for different groups? What changes does the teacher want regarding the students?
Are the objectives of SL aligned with the needs and interests Which student competencies and knowledge does the teach-
of students and to what extent? er want to see developed?
Will students be divided into teams? What learning outcomes should SL achieve?
What knowledge, skills and interests do students need to What will you consider a socially useful activity in the context
show before starting the course to successfully acquire of the course?
knowledge?
Will a socially useful activity be a central or a peripheral
Are there students who you do not recommend for participat- activity in the course?
ing in the SL project?
To what extent does the success of the course depend on the
Will all students have an equal workload? success of student engagement?
Will the chosen activities present an equal, or at least similar, Before the project starts, will the teacher check its feasibil-
intellectual challenge to all the students involved? ity, time management, material resources and professional
relevance?
Are students clearly informed about their roles and responsi-
bilities, are they prepared well enough? Is the teacher willing to provide additional support and train-
ing?
What are the main activities to be carried out?
How will the supervision of the student work be carried out?
How will the SL component be evaluated?
Will an external partner be selected in cooperation with the
students?
How will the teacher integrate the SL component in the cur-
riculum for the other students who do not participate in the
project to benefit from it?
Will other teachers be involved in the project?
Does the course meet the needs of a for-profit or a non-profit
partner, or both?
Is it better to implement the project as a part of the course or
should the whole course be devoted to SL?
Table 5. Questions regarding the students’ and teachers’ role
3. SL course syllabus • The instrument for assessing the experi-
After developing and/or adjusting the curric- ence of the SL as well as what, when and
ulum, it is necessary to adjust the syllabus of how will students be evaluated during the
the selected course. According to Heffernan semester is clearly described
(2001), the basic elements that each SL syl- • The roles and responsibilities of students
labus of should contain, regardless of the ac- in the project are described in detail
ademic field, is: • It is specified how students should
demonstrate what they have learned on
• Community service activity is included the project
in the course as one of the goals of the • The process of critical reflection and
course analysis is described
26• Course tasks that connect community According to Mikelić Preradović (2009), the
service activity with the course content following critical thinking activities can be in-
are presented cluded:
• Expectations related to the public dis-
semination of student papers are de- • Group discussion
scribed • Journal
• Analytical article
Therefore, there are three stages which need • Service Learning map
to be included: the initial stage - setting the • Presentation
goals and preparing the students; the action • Critical study of the subject literature
stage - community service activity (ideally • Case study
15 to 20 hours) and the final stage – critical • Index cards
reflection. • Student online forum or an e-mail dis-
cussion
REFLECTION AND CRITICAL THINKING IN • An essay type exam
SERVICE LEARNING • Whatever the chosen format may be,
Critical thinking and reflection are the key critical reflections can be implemented
to successfully mastering the SL method. It at three points: before, during and after
includes methods such as a journal, discus- the community service activity by an-
sion, listening and reading about mutual ex- swering a number of questions which can
periences, analysis and critically connecting serve as guidelines for both teachers and
student experience with the course objec- students.
tives and study programme. Depending on
the selected topic, the dynamics among stu-
dents and other factors, students can decide
for themselves on how they want to report
on the progress of their projects (Mikelić Pre-
radović, 2009).
Questions for critical reflection
1. Before the start of the course: What are your expectations from the implementation of SL?
What challenges do you expect in the implementation of the
project?
What specific social problems does your project seek to
solve?
What social needs does the project seek to meet?
Can you list the causes of these needs and problems?
2. During the implementation: What did you do this week that had a good or bad effect on
others in the community?
As a result of your project implementation, does your under-
standing of the chosen community change?
Upon completion of the project, how can you continue to con-
tribute to the solution of the selected problem?
How can you educate others or raise awareness about the
selected issues?
27Questions for critical reflection
2. During the implementation: What is the most positive thing that has happened in the
implementation of your activities this week?
What are the most difficult parts of the project, why and how
do you solve them?
Which part of the project are you most satisfied with and
why?
3. During and/or at the end of the semester: What did you learn from the success or disappointments
associated with working on the project?
During the implementation, was there a problem/situation
that you want to discuss with the mentor or teacher?
What course concepts do you understand better because of
this experience?
How is the SL experience related to your long-term goals?
Are the project results in line with expectations? If not, is it
necessary to modify expectations or the whole project?
Are there any recognizable leaders in your team? Who would
that be?
What is your biggest contribution to the project and the
community?
Did you miss something in the planning, what?
What did you learn from the success or disappointments
associated with working on the project?
During the implementation, was there a problem/situation
that you want to discuss with the mentor or teacher?
What course concepts do you understand better because of
this experience?
How is the SL experience related to your long-term goals?
Are the project results in line with expectations? If not, is it
necessary to modify expectations or the whole project?
Are there any recognizable leaders in your team? Who would
that be?
What is your biggest contribution to the project and the
community?
Did you miss something in the planning, what?
What knowledge and skills should you further develop in order
for your project to succeed?
What have you learned so far?
In what way and to what extent have you managed to con-
tribute to solving the problems in the community that your
project deals with?
Do you see any other needs in the community that your next
project could address?
Table 6. Questions for critical reflection
The critical thinking and reflection stage On the other hand, teachers get a chance to
gives students the opportunity to document evaluate their knowledge.
and discuss the knowledge acquired through
community service.
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