Learning through Service: Community Service-Learning in Canada

1. Learning through Service:Community Service-Learning in Canada An Overview of Principles and Practices Cheryl Rose – Executive Director Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning

2. Presentation Overview • Defining community service-learning (CSL) • History of development in Canada • CSL in practice • Examples of Canadian programs • Making the case for CSL

3. Defining Community Service-Learning • Still evolving • Various definitions and labels (service learning, service-learning, community-based education) • Encourages experimentation, discovery and local adaptation • Even within an evolving vocabulary, there exists a set of common concepts and a generally accepted approach

4. What is Community Service-Learning? Service-learning is a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students work with others through a process of applying what they are learning to community problems and, at the same time, reflecting upon their experience as they seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves. Eyler & Giles, 1999

5. Key Elements from the Definition • Experiential Education – cycles of action and reflection • Working with Others – partnerships and collaboration • Community Problems – ASSETS, issues, questions • Objectives for the Community/Benefits to Students – intentionally reciprocal in nature

6. Distinctions Among Service Programs Recipient Beneficiary Provider Service Focus Learning SERVICE LEARNING COMMUNITY SERVICE FIELD EDUCATION VOLUNTEERISM INTERNSHIP

7. CSL in Practice Principles of Good Practice for Combining Service and Learning • An effective program engages people in responsible and challenging actions for the common good. • An effective program provides structured opportunities for people to reflect critically on their service. • An effective program articulates clear service and learning goals for everyone involved.

8. Principles - continued • An effective program allows for those with needs to define those needs. • An effective program clarifies the responsibilities of each person and organization involved. • An effective program matches service providers and service needs through a process that recognizes changing circumstances. • An effective program expects genuine, active, and sustained organizational commitment.

9. Principles - continued • An effective program includes training, supervision, monitoring, support, recognition, and evaluation to meet service and learning goals. • An effective program insures that the time commitment for service and learning is flexible, appropriate, and in the best interests of all involved. • An effective program is committed to program participation by and with diverse populations. Honnet, E.P., and S.J. Poulen. (1989)

10. CSL is NOT: • An episodic volunteer program • An add-on to an existing school or college curriculum • Logging a set number of community service hours in order to graduate • Compensatory service assigned as a form of punishment by the courts or by school administrators • Only for high school or college students • One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community National Commission on Service-Learning (U.S.)

11. Historical Overview: Important Milestones in Canada • 1999 - St. Francis Xavier University, funded by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation to expand their service-learning program: course-based and co-curricular immersion • 2001- first meeting of Canadian institutions of higher learning who were practicing and/or interested in service-learning; catalyst for a grassroots network of professional Canadian CSL colleagues

12. Canadian Overview: continued • 2002 – meeting at the University of Guelph: Edward Zlotkowski as invited speaker; a national CSL listserv was established • 2003 – meeting at the University of British Columbia: Barbara Holland and Sherrill Gellman as invited speakers; joined by Tony Chambers from the U.S. National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good; formed a steering committee with specific goals to create an association to promote and support CSL in Canada

13. Canadian Overview: continued • 2004 – meeting at the University of Ottawa: Joel Westheimer as invited speaker; the Steering Committee presented, draft documents regarding a name, vision, and mission; met with federal funding bodies to introduce the concept of community service-learning • July 2004 – steering committee contacted by the J.W. McConnell Foundation

14. Canadian Overview continued • September 2004 – McConnell announces its national University-Based Community Service-Learning Program • November 2004 – McConnell funds the establishment of the Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning • January 2005 – McConnell announces successful recipients of funds through its national University-Based CSL program

15. Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning OUR GOALS • PROMOTION of community service-learning • EDUCATION and support for CSL practitioners • NETWORKS – locally, regionally and nationally • RESEARCH on CSL in Canada

16. Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning (CACSL) • Regional workshops across Canada for faculty, staff, students and community organizations in Spring 2005 – generously funded by the McConnell Foundation and an additional private Canadian foundation • Comprehensive research into CSL in Canada through the creation of a CACSL Fellowship in June 2005, funded by the Max Bell Foundation • Discussing collaboration with the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, on a joint national conference to take place in 2006

17. CACSL • Ongoing exploration of funding to support CSL programs, research and resource development – proposal(s) to be presented in September 2005 • Creation of shared platform for collecting Canadian data on outcomes of our university and college CSL programs – to contribute to research and program development – planned for launch in 2006 • Ongoing consultations in person, telephone, email

18. Steps: Partnerships and Design • Building partnership between university and community – conversations about environments, goals, resources, assets, needs and identifying potential • Course or Program Design – integrating into existing courses/programs and/or designing new offerings • Service Placement Design – in collaboration with community organizations to meet needs and build on strengths • Evaluation Design – for each of the partners in CSL initiatives: learning, development, service, teaching, partnerships

19. Community/Campus Partnerships Necessary to Successful Partnerships: • Established infrastructure to support a CSL program • Administrative buy-in and support at university • History of town/gown relationship • Trust and accountability • Clear goals and expectations Furco, 2004

20. Course Design PRINCIPLES • Academic credit is for learning, not for service • Do not compromise academic rigor • Set learning goals for students • Establish base criteria for service placements • Provide mechanisms to maximize learning from service (experiential education models) • Provide supports for students to learn “how to learn” from their service experiences • Move instructional role to one of facilitation and guidance • Maximize the community engagement orientation of the course Howard, 1993

21. Suggestions for Course Design • Relate the learning objectives of the service component to the overall course objectives • Identify the partnerships and projects that could facilitate the service-related objectives • Consider how the partnerships/projects would benefit the larger community • Identify best format for service component (e.g., mandatory, elective, short-term, long-term, extra credit)

22. Course Design - continued • Review traditional workload of course and make any required adjustments to integrate service component (learning that can be covered through the experience that are currently covered in some other manner) • Identify strategies to assist students to prepare for service placements in community (e.g., ethics in helping situations, experiential education models) • Incorporate strategies for intentional reflection on experience as related to course (e.g., journals, group discussions, whether face to face or electronic, presentations, papers)

23. Course Design - continued • Explore the integration of appropriate civic/social issues (e.g., professional responsibility, discipline specific contributions to public good, peace and justice issues, diversity/stereotypes, public policy) • From learning objectives, identify indicators and plan assessment strategies • Consider how your community partner could be of educational assistance, and how they might be compensated for the time and expertise they are able to contribute. Zlotkowski (handout)

24. Service-Placement Design • Consider both traditional and new opportunities to involve support through service – be creative! • Staff or faculty member and organization staff work together to design an appropriate service placement • Organization staff to provide orientation, ongoing supervision, evaluation of benefits to community. • Consider opportunities that can be flexible to realities of student schedules and course timeframes

25. Placement design - continued • Consider organization’s realities. (e.g., time, space, supervisory capabilities, schedules, priorities) • Service placement should relate to the learning goals of the course – all should be informed of these goals. • Accept that not all potential partnerships are good fits – be open to exploring possibilities together and assessing whether or not, considering various factors, this would be a mutually beneficial partnership.

26. Evaluation • Meeting Community Needs (surveys, interviews, focus groups) • Student Learning (journals, written assignments, demonstrating theoretical and experiential integration) • Teaching Environment (course evaluations, faculty surveys, identifying research opportunities) • Citizen Leadership Development (pre and post surveys, leadership skills inventories, Social Change Model of Leadership Development)

27. Some Programs Across Canada University of British Columbia THE LEARNING EXCHANGE

28. UBC: The Learning Exchange • The Learning Exchange Trek Program provides opportunities for UBC students, staff and alumni to do community service in a variety of schools, non-profit organizations, and community centers in inner-city neighborhoods of Vancouver. The program gives participants real-life experience in the community while raising their awareness of health, social, economic and political issues. • The Trek Program offers UBC’s human resources to community organizations to enhance existing programs, as well as work towards developing new ones. • For information about the program email: trek.program@ubc.ca. • http://www.learningexchange.ubc.ca/trek_program.html

29. Some Programs Across Canada University of Guelph PROJECT SERVE CANADA

30. Guelph: Project Serve Canada • annual program in February, during Reading Week • enables students from the University of Guelph to connect with peers from other Canadian universities • significantly serve in collaboratively designed four day volunteer placements in one or more of our national communities • integrated learning opportunities/reflection activities • raises awareness in the students on critical social issues • encourages the development of a lifelong sense of responsible citizenship • http://www.studentlife.uoguelph.ca/citizenleader/explore/projectserve.cfm

31. Some Programs Across Canada TRENT CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION in collaboration with Trent University

32. Trent Centre for Community Based Education • Community-Based Education Program accepts and helps develop proposals from community organizations in the region • matches Trent University students with the organizations to help meet those needs. • research, planning or community development projects, assist students to gain practical experience in their field of study while helping to solve current challenges in our community • http://www.trentu.ca/tccbe/index.htm

33. Some Programs Across Canada St. Francis Xavier University COURSE BASED AND IMMERSION SERVICE-LEARNING

34. St. FX: Course Based CSL Course Based CSL - Examples • BIOL 252 Anatomy and Physiology II • BSAD 322 Managerial Accounting II • BSAD 457 Community Enterprise Development • BSAD 492 Research Project for Majors • HKIN 385 Adapted Physical Education • HKIN 395 Physical Activity and Sport for •                   Individuals with Disabilities • HKIN 426 Health Education • HNU 362   Clinical Nutrition II • HNU 455   Food Service: Management and •                   Quantity Production • HNU 493   Senior Thesis (Honours) • IDS 305      Immersion Service Learning

35. St. FX: Immersion CSL • involves faculty leading groups of students traveling during Reading Week to communities such as inner-city settings or rural areas in developing countries • faculty leaders and students participate in service projects determined by a local partner agency • campus preparation involves readings, meetings and discussion groups • cultural tours, presentations and discussions about community efforts to meet social, health, educational and economic needs • students broaden their understanding, interpret their immediate experiences and reflect upon the role of community organizations in providing for the needs of the community members • upon return, students are required to present on their experiences to the campus community • http://www.stfx.ca/academic/servicelearning/description/

36. Why Community Service-Learning? Positive Outcomes of Note: Students • Improved academic performance, especially writing skills • Values development • Career choice direction • Commitment to service post-graduation

37. Why Community Service-Learning? Positive Outcomes of Note: Faculty • Valuable relationships with community partners • New, more active pedagogy • Generate new research opportunities • Personal satisfaction in making a difference

38. Why Community Service-Learning? Positive Outcomes of Note: Community Groups • Receiving service not otherwise available • Gained new insights into their own operations • Saw themselves as educators • Learned from students and valued their relationships

39. Why Community Service-Learning? Positive Outcomes of Note: Institution • Developed role in community • Capacity to attract funding • Enhanced image and visibility in community • Avenue for putting the institution’s Mission into action

40. ….and yet we wonder…. • Is CSL worth it? • Does CSL actually work? • Can CSL really reach those goals? • Why bother?

41. ….the common good…. “ Service learning shifts attention away from an exclusive preoccupation with education as private gain and seeks to balance that concern with a focus on the common good.” Edward Zlotkowski

42. ….castles in the air….. “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations beneath them.” Henry David Thoreau

43. …a foundation for the future…. “Community service learning has the potential to re-engage students and academic institutions, in their communities. An integrated national focus on community service-learning will offer opportunities to develop citizens and leaders in the generation of young Canadians that is now coming of age. CSL can not only help them to understand the depth and breadth of critical social issues but develop a strong commitment to work collaboratively, to recognize community strengths and to solve community problems.” -from a working paper in progress by the Canadian Association for Community Service-Learning

44. References Eyler , J and Giles, Jr., D. Where’s the Learning in Service Learning? San Francisco:Jossey-Bass:1999. Furco, A., et al. Building Partnerships with College Campuses: Community Perspectives. Council of Independent Colleges: 2004 Honnet, E.P., and S.J. Poulen. Principles of Good Practice for Combining Service and Learning, a Wingspread Special Report. Racine, WI: The Johnson Foundation, Inc: 1989. Howard, J., Ed.Praxis I: A Faculty Casebook on Community Service. Ann Arbor, MI. Office of Community Service Learning: 1993. Jacoby, B. and Associates. Service-Learning in Higher Education: Concepts and Practices. Jossey-Bass:1996.