Benefits of Academic Service Learning and Community Challenge

According to recent national studies and research, students’ academic learning, civic values, efficacy, and interpersonal development show substantial growth when enrolled in classes that incorporate service-learning into the curriculum. (Astin and Sax, 1998; Eyler, Giles and Braxton, 1997).

Research indicates that students learn most effectively by hands-on experience, discussion, and teaching others. Faculty can better facilitate student learning by using service-learning in the classroom. (Kolb, 1984; The Learning Pyramid, National Training Lab, Bethel, ME).

For more information relating to studies concerning the effectiveness of service-learning, as well as other useful information, visit the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse website at www.servicelearning.org. In addition, the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning (Fall 1994 to the present) is available in Student Involvement.

The Multiple Beneficiaries of service-learning

Service-learning offers benefits that impact students, faculty, and the community by enriching the experience of everyone involved. Professional development or experiential education focuses on the student’s benefit. Community service focuses on the community’s benefit.

Student Benefits

• Enriches student learning of course material and "brings books to life and life to books."
• Engages students in active learning that demonstrates the relevance and importance of academic work for their life experience and career choices.
• Increases awareness of current societal issues as they relate to academic areas of interest.
• Broadens perspectives of diversity issues and enhances critical thinking skills.
• Improves interpersonal skills that are increasingly viewed as important skills in achieving success in professional and personal areas.
• Develops civic responsibility through active community involvement.
• Increases relevance of academic skills through hands-on use of those skills and knowledge.
• Accommodates different learning styles.
• Increased sense of self-efficacy, analytical skills, and social development.
• Provides valuable and competitive career guidance and experience.
• Facilitates opportunities for meaningful involvement with the local community.

Faculty and Institution Benefits

• Fosters inspiration and invigoration of teaching methods.
• Increases student contact through greater emphasis on student-centered teaching.
• Develops a new perspective on learning and increased understanding of how learning occurs.
• Connects the community with curriculum and fosters awareness of current societal issues as they relate to academic areas of interest.
• Identifies areas of research and publication related to current trends and issues.
• Supports the faculty role in the institution’s mission by providing opportunities to combine instruction and research with community issues.
• Enriches and enlivens teaching and learning.
• Builds reciprocal partnerships with the local community.
• Creates new areas for research and scholarship and increases opportunities for professional recognition and reward.
• Extends campus resources into the community and reinforces the value of the scholarship of engagement.
• Supports the institutional mission.

Community Benefits

• Provides substantial human resources to meet education, human, safety and environmental needs of local communities.
• Allows the energy and enthusiasm of college students to contribute to meeting needs.
• Fosters an ethic of service and civic participation in students who will be tomorrow’s volunteers and civic leaders.
• Creates potential for additional partnerships and collaboration with the campus.

For more information about service-learning, contact the Student Involvement Service-Learning & Volunteer Services Team at 472-2454.