Service-learning combines community service with academic course content. Educators have discovered that a student involved in his/her community can better critically analyze course content when it is "brought to life" through their service experience. Service-learning is more then an effective method of teaching. It is designed to address real needs that have been identified by our service-learning community partners. In this way, service-learning simultaneously promotes service and education to all parties involved.
Students involved in service-learning projects are often required to fulfill a specific number of hours of service that is interactive each week, or throughout the duration of a four-month semester. This means that the service-learning student would be involved consistently in service to your community agency or school for the duration of their service-learning course.
Working with a Service-Learning Student
Working with Willamette University students involved in service-learning will be different from working with other volunteers.
A service-learning student:
- Will want to participate in an interactive service experience.
- Will need an orientation to the community agency or school.
- May or may not have previous volunteer or service experience.
- Will have a minimum number of service hours to complete.
- Appreciates flexibility, but needs the expectations of the agency or school to be clearly stated at the beginning of his/her service experience.
- Will look for ways to apply classroom theories to his/her observations in the community and vice versa.
- Will be eager to learn the goals and objectives of the agency or school in addition to learning new tasks that serve a community need.
- Is not graded on his/her work in the community, but on his/her ability to connect their service experience to course objectives through written assignments or class presentations.
- May need an evaluation completed by you at the end of the semester.