Service Learning

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Service Learning

• Suzanne S. Prevost, RN, PhD
• MTSU School of Nursing

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What is Service Learning? (MTSU Definition)

• A student centered teaching method that involves
  academic instruction in partnership with MTSU and
  the larger community.
• The primary focus of service-learning is to
  enhance critical and reflective thinking and
  civic responsibility.
• Service-learning programs involve students in
  organized community partnerships that address
  local needs while developing their academic
  skills and sense of civic responsibility and
  community.

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Service-Learning as a Pedagogy

• Unites the 3 goals of the MTSU Academic Master
  Plan
• enhancement of academic quality,
• enhancement of student-centered learning, and
• development of community partnerships.

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Serving
Teaching
Service Learning
Learning
Reflecting
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Characteristics of Service Learning

• Academic objectives are achieved through
  community service
• Students reflect on their service and learning
  experiences through listening, reading, and
  writing
• It fosters the development of "intangibles
• Personal values, social awareness,
  self-confidence, social responsibility, empathy
  and caring for others
• It is based on a reciprocal relationship
• Service reinforces and strengthens the learning
• Learning reinforces and strengthens the service.
• Credit is awarded for college-level learning, not
  for a requisite number of service hours.

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Health Benefits

• Several studies have documented health benefits
  of voluntary service
• Heightened sense of well-being
• Increased energy
• Decreased insomnia
• Reductions in pain
• Cardiovascular health (reduction of blood
  pressure, improved circulation, reduced coronary
  spasms)
• Greater sense of relaxation
• Speedier recovery from surgery
• Source Luks, A.,  Payne, P. (1991). The Healing
  Power of Doing Good. New York Fawcett Columbine.

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Service Learning vs. Community Service

• Community needs dictate the service being
  provided.
• Service-learning uses community service as the
  vehicle for attaining academic goals and
  objectives.
• Service-learning fills a community need, by using
  it as a foundation to examine ourselves, our
  society, and our future.
• It tracks specific pre-established learning
  objectives (as well as intangible objectives).
• Goal - to empower students and those being
  served.

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Related Terms

• Experiential Learning aka EXL learning
  processes that take place outside the traditional
  classroom, using a learn-by-doing approach
• Desired Outcomes
• Experienced-based knowledge for work in the
  discipline
• Organizational problem-solving skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Personal development as individuals

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Related Terms

• Active Learning situations where students learn
  by doing, rather than sitting or listening
• Cooperative Learning Students work in groups to
  solve problems or complete projects
• Problem-Based Learning Teacher poses a
  real-world problem for student resolution.
  Students usually work in groups teacher acts as
  a facilitator

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Examples of Service Learning Initiatives at MTSU

• In English 3520 (Professional Writing) students
  practice writing and designing skills by working
  with a variety of campus organizations. Students
  have created
• Flyers to advertise a Greenway cleanup
• Informational labels for Recycle Rutherford
• Brochures and web-design projects for
• Center for Economic Education
• Tennessee Environmental Educators Association
• Solar Bike Race Team
• Departments of Nursing, Aerospace, English, and
  Biology.

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• Community Health and Obstetrics Nursing Students
  participate in organized health screenings
  preventative health measures with underserved
  population, such as
• Screening programs for diabetes, depression, and
  hypertension
• Healthy Eating Healthy Snacks at the Boys and
  Girls Club
• Blood pressure screenings and smoking cessation
  programs at the Salvation Army Room at the Inn
  Shelters
• Scoliosis screenings in middle schools
• Health Education Updates for MTSU health
  services bulletin boards

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Social Work Practice Students

• Partnered with the South Maney Avenue Community
  Development Coalition to develop
• An organizational assessment
• A strategic plan for the organization
• A plan for dealing with changes being implemented
  by the city.

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• Experimental Physical Science, PSCI 4030,
  students
• Spend 6 hrs in a classroom with a mentor/teacher
• Keep a reflective journal of the experience
• Observe 2 hrs of science teaching
• Provide 3 hours of teaching hands-on activities
• 2 hours team-teaching and 1 hour solo
• Reflect on what they learned about teaching and
  what they learned about themselves

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Health Care Issues Trends (online elective
for RNs and generic nsg. students)

• Related Course Objectives
• Students will
• Use diverse resources to become informed and
  politically active health care providers.
• Integrate ethical principles and respect for
  cultural differences as critical components of
  health care delivery.

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• Assignment
• To provide students with hands-on experience
  providing a service, or furthering a cause, that
  is aligned with current healthcare issues and
  trends, as well as the students individual areas
  of interest.
• Each student will spend a minimum of 4 hrs
  providing volunteer community service to the
  agency or political campaign of their choice.
• A list of service options is provided by the
  instructor.
• Students may select an agency from the list, OR
  select a similar agency/campaign of their choice,
  with the instructors approval.
• Students will meet with the agency contact
  person, at least one week prior to the preferred
  start date, to negotiate mutually agreeable dates
  and times of service.
• After negotiating the plan for date(s), time, and
  location of service students must email this
  information to the course instructor.

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Service Opportunity Suggestions Partial List
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Reflective Summary

• Students write a formal report documenting their
  service learning experience, including
• Name and location of the organization
• A description of the issues this organization
  addresses, that would be relevant, or of
  interest, to nurses
• Dates and times that they worked with the
  organization
• Who they worked with, including title/position,
  phone or email address
• A description of the work they did for the
  organization
• What they learned from the experience
• How this will be relevant or useful in their
  nursing career
• Recommendations regarding future student
  experiences with this organization

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Excerpts Student Activities Reflections

• Activity Outpatient Clinic for Trauma Burn
  Patients
• My experience included wound dressings
  assessments, patient teaching evaluation,
  follow up, and assistance to the staff.
• This experience was a real eye opener for me.
  My usual job is caring for patients in the ICU.
  To see a patient, that at one point was nearly
  dead, walk in and be completely recovered is so
  rewarding. Although Ive completed my assignment,
  Im going back later this week. I had such a
  good time and learned so much 4 hours wasnt
  enough. Those of you that work in ICU will
  understand. Its a beautiful thing when a
  patient makes a full recovery.

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Excerpts Student Activities Reflections

• Activity - Christmas campaign to bring gifts to
  all children in the Davidson County foster care
  system.
• I left this experience knowing that so many
  children would have something to smile about on
  Christmas Day. I have always had the desire to
  become a foster parent. This experience just
  enhanced that desire and has motivated be to
  become more involved with this organization.
  While it may be some time before I can actually
  take in a foster child, Ive found many others
  ways to help and make a difference until then.

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Excerpts Student Activities Reflections

• Activity Local Chapter of American Lung
  Association
• Open Airways for Schools - an educational program
  for children age 8-11 with asthma currently
  providing sessions to several private schools.
• Fund raising - planning and procuring donations
  for a silent auction then helped host the
  event served on a committee to plan a Golf
  Scramble during May and will work the full event.
• Political activism or advocacy joined the
  listserv re impending legislation on tobacco and
  clean air issues. Sending letters to
  legislators.
• I was aware of the ALA but did not have direct
  knowledge of what they do. I feel empowered by
  participating in the advocacy programs and by
  helping raise funds. Im making important
  contributions by helping teach asthma students
  and their peers.

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Excerpts Student Activities Reflections

• Activity - Chattanooga Cares AIDS Resource Center
  
• 4 hr volunteer training, then became a Peer
  Educator and conducted presentations collected
  money for the Tree of Light which provides AIDS
  clients with holiday gifts spent a day assisting
  with office work helped plan a fundraising Gala
  and attended it.
• My uncle died of AIDS and I have always wanted
  to make a difference. HIV is an epidemic that is
  spreading silently and I want to educate the
  community about it. My top goal is to go to other
  countries and setup outreach clinics in areas
  such as Kenya and help decrease the number of
  deaths related to AIDS. I think this opportunity
  to volunteer with Chattanooga Cares will widen my
  horizons help me gain the knowledge I need to
  pursue my goal.

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Excerpts Student Activities Reflections

• Activity Local United Way Affiliate
• Attended several meetings to help plan a Golf
  Tournament Fundraiser. Contacted thirty previous
  gold and silver sponsors. This assignment took
  about 8 hours. It was exciting to get checks for
  100 (gold sponsors) and 50 (silver sponsors) in
  the mail.
• As a result of her success, was invited to serve
  on their board.
• Students who choose to work with this agency
  will find it very rewarding. The board members
  are very supportive and appreciative of the help.
  There is a great amount of work to be done and
  not enough workers to do the job. Tremendous
  impact can be made on the community when people
  unite for a cause. Hence the slogan Together it
  works for all of us.

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Excerpts Student Activities Reflections

• Activity Assisted a Republican Party candidate
• This was a bit disheartening. Although his
  views aligned with mine and he was very adept at
  defending his views, I felt that Mr.
  lacked people skills. When people talked to
  him, he didnt pay attention. To me, listening
  to the people is the job of a politician because
  a politician has to be the voice of the people.
  
• For Future Students - I would tell them that it
  is very exciting and interesting to volunteer
  during election season. It was educational and
  fun, I got to meet influential people and I was
  able to help the candidate I support. As college
  students we are not always able to give
  monetarily to campaigns, but we can volunteer
  some of our time to help show our support.

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Outcomes

• Most students chose their own agencies vs. the
  recommended agencies which made it more
  meaningful to them
• Most students worked more than the required 4
  hrs.
• Approx. 40 of the participants signed on as
  continuing or permanent volunteers with their
  chosen agencies
• Common Themes in their reflections a greater
  appreciation for the value of Community Service
  agencies, and greater empathy for the people
  served
• Though this was only 15 of the course grade,
  students found this assignment to be one of the
  most meaningful elements of the course.

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• Service-learning holds up a mirror for us to see
  ourselves, a microscope for us to examine our
  society, and binoculars for us to see what lies
  ahead. Source Unknown.
• "Experience is not what happens to a man it is
  what a man does with what happened to him."
  Aldous Huxley