Community-Based

Service Learning
What is service learning?
• A method of teaching, learning and sharing that
connects service experiences with learning.
• Increases personal, social and intellectual
growth.
• Enhances citizenship skills to be a successful
educator in a multicultural setting.
Community service example
• AmeriCorps members tutor K-12 students in
after-school programs.
Service learning example
• AmeriCorps members tutor K-12 students in
after-school programs;
• Analyze teaching methods and
successes/challenges in tutoring;
• Research and devise improved teaching
methods;
• Share these methods with fellow AmeriCorps
members to improve service outcomes.
Common characteristics of authentic
service learning
• Positive, meaningful and real to the participants.
• Cooperative rather than competitive experiences;
promotes teamwork and citizenship.
• Addresses complex problems in complex settings
rather than simplified problems in isolation.
• Engages problem-solving in the specific context of
service activities and community challenges, rather
than generalized or abstract concepts from a
textbook.
• Promotes deeper learning.
Benefits of service learning
• Gain access to the range of supports and opportunities
needed to become increasingly healthy, caring, and
responsible individuals.
• Cultivate community and community involvement.
• Increase sense of self-efficacy as you learn that you can
impact real social challenges, problems and needs.
• Enhance problem-solving skills, ability to work in teams and
planning.
• Enhance civic engagement attitudes, skills and behaviors.
Many leaders in public service today speak about how they
were nurtured, inspired and shaped by their experiences in
community service or volunteering.
More benefits of service learning
• Participants (YOU) are more likely to stay engaged when
they feel their participation is meaningful and they can
make useful contributions through service and social action.
• Service-learning gives an intentional strategy for addressing
goals for learning and personal development through civic
engagement and community service.
• Service-learning can cultivate connections between the
organization, schools and other community groups.
• Service-learning can increase program staff and volunteers'
level of engagement, leadership capacity and satisfaction
with their service.
Benefits for service recipients, communities
and society
• Meets real needs and priorities for individuals and
communities, as volunteers bring new energy,
capacity and creative ideas to their service.
• Community residents have opportunities to build
positive relationships with volunteers.
• Community-based service learning does not receive
the kind of public attention that service learning
receives in education. Yet it offers significant
benefits to society and to participating institutions.
Service learning reflection
• Reflection is an important part of service learning.
• Knowledge is created through the transformation
of your experience.
• Reflection on your service is how we achieve this
“transformation.” (New “ah-ha!” moments.)
• Reflection promotes personal development by
enhancing your self-awareness, sense of
community, sense of your own capacities and
ability to learn from your service.
Principles for effective reflection
• Links service objectives to civic reflection and
Member trainings.
• Reflection is:
▫ guided and purposeful.
▫ regular and consistent.
▫ connected to service.
▫ well-defined.
▫ fostering civic responsibility.
▫ encouraging us to question and redefine our
previously held beliefs.
Questions?
Thanks to…
• Our generous funders:
▫ Ohio Community Service Council
▫ Corporation for National & Community Service
▫ The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland
▫ The Cleveland Foundation
▫ Key Bank Foundation
▫ Underwritten by Charter One Foundation