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Diane Hall

 

 

Using Service Learning to Create Agents of Change

Diane Hall, Ed.D., Professor of Psychology, Bay Path University

For over a decade I have implemented service learning in my undergraduate courses and continued to be inspired year after year by the positive impact on the students and the agencies served. As I read through end of the semester reflection papers and scholarly application papers, I consistently hear about students gaining confidence; developing skills; making career choices; being impacted by the people they worked with; gaining opportunities such as internships or employment; and—as important—gaining an awareness of social issues. It is this awareness that sometimes inspires the students, causing them to question the system and take action. The feedback from the agencies served has been positive, which sets the stage for sustainable collaborations. If service learning is well structured the students will provide a valuable service for the agency and fulfill a community need. The goal should always be to create a win-win situation for everyone involved.   

It can be difficult to know where to start when implementing service learning. In each case there may be unique considerations ranging from institutional approval, transportation issues, safety concerns, skill evaluation, supervision, background checks, or adequate space. Know there will be a learning curve and embrace the challenges, successes, and opportunities for improvement. Consult with administration and other faculty who have worked on community projects early in the creation process. They can be an excellent resource and provide guidance.

It is especially important to know your audience. Who are the students in your class? Are they mixed majors or same majors? Same or different grade levels? This can make a difference in your approach. For courses comprised of various majors I have had students mentor youth in the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters; volunteer at a food shelter; conduct a book drive for at-risk youth; feed the homeless on the street; work with refugees learning English; or volunteer in an after school program. These sites can accept volunteers with different skills. In contrast, courses for forensic psychology majors—where all the students are at the same grade level and have had the same foundational work—engage in activities specifically related to their major such as participating in a book club with incarcerated youth and working in the criminal justice system. These sites require a specific set of skills and knowledge. It is also important to incorporate appropriate assignments that help students process and reflect upon the importance of their experience and synthesize what they have learned in the classroom and in their community experience.

Service learning exposes students to people, situations, and contexts that might be new to them. Their preconceived ideas and perceptions are often challenged and they begin to see things differently. This is when I begin to hear their dialogue change and conversations take on a higher level of understanding, when I begin to see their understanding for the need for change, and their desire to take action.

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