Eric Review: Service Learning in the Community College

Abstract

After presenting a comprehensive definition of service learning in postsecondary education, the author reviews the literature on service learning at community colleges. In addition to discussing national initiatives to promote service learning experiences for students, this review provides examples of service learning programs and summarizes best practices for starting and managing such programs based on case studies in the literature. The results of recent program evaluation efforts are discussed, and the author defines current research needs to determine how service learning affects students.

A Democracy, If We Can Keep It: Democratic Engagement Policy in Higher Education

“…Higher education is prepared and aligned to build civic engagement programming to effectively meet this goal. As attention towards service grew in the 1990s, Kozeracki (2000) writes of the increased attention towards service learning which was spurred by President Bush implementing the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and President Clinton's signing the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. Both of these acts address the nation's focus on an ethic of service and a focus on integrating students in community service and volunteer activities, as well as the incorporation of service learning into the curriculum.…”

“…These examples provide support for the longstanding link between citizenship and the university, despite different approaches and political thought. As noted in the introduction, service has long been a component of the tripartite mission of higher education, yet it has also been the component most often set aside as colleges focus on academics and research (Kozeracki, 2000). Service is defined individually by each institution and integrated into the college's mission in unique ways.…”

“…Service learning is often the "next step" towards civic engagement beyond simple community service hours, and this activity usually involves some type of reflection on the activity and learning objectives are often in place. Service learning typically addresses two types of activities: community service as an extracurricular activity and experiential education, most often through practicums or internships (Kozeracki, 2000). The difference between service learning and experiential learning is vague and unclear with many using the terms interchangeably.…”

“…The national need for global, civically engaged, contributing, active citizens calls for an effective analysis of civic engagement through the examination of literature surrounding the issue, including information which leads to informed decision-making about institutional liability issues in regards to civic engagement activities. Although service, as a general or even an undefined concept, has long been acknowledged as one leg of the tripartite missions of higher education, it was during the 1990s that service learning and civic engagement became a clearly designated and defined part of the curriculum (Kozeracki, 2000). As a fairly recent, formal phenomenon surrounded by uncertainty, evaluating the founding intent, the current environment and presenting recommendations for improvement is important to the success of the students, the community and the nation, and is a topic worthy of discussion for historical, social, economic, and political reasons.…”

Assessment of the personal and professional attributes of educators who utilize service-learning

“…The political sphere is shaping the present histoiy of servicelearning. In 1990, former President Bush signed the National and Community Sendee Act of 1990 in an attempt to create an ethic of service across the nation (Kozeracki, 2000). In 1993,…”