This is Hitomis Title

1
 
What is Service Learning?
 
   
A philosophy and pedagogy through which students
provide meaningful service to a community that
meets real needs defined by members of that
community. This exchange is characterized by
reciprocity, through which all parties are
affected by the experience.   Service-learning
reflects the belief that education must be linked
to social responsibility and that the most
effective learning is active and connected to
experience in some meaningful way.
2
 
Intergenerational Service Learning
 
   

• Innovative method of teaching and learning
• Mutually beneficial, structured and planned
  activities, tasks or initiatives that are ongoing
• Meaningful interactions between students and
  older adults that result in the development of a
  relationship
• Service experience is integrated into academic
  curricula
• Association for Gerontology in Higher Education
  (AGHE) and Generations Together

3
 
Issues affecting Older Immigrants
 
   

• family responsibilities, especially caring for
  grandchildren
• cultural and linguistic isolation within families
  and communities
• reluctance to venture far from home, beyond the
  familiar sights of their immediate surroundings
• lack of transportation and/or language literacy
  skills to use public transportation

4
 
Issues affecting Older Immigrants
 
   

• physical limitations such as memory loss, poor
  vision, impaired hearing and mobility and other
  health issues
• depression and other forms of mental illness
  caused or exacerbated by their migration
  experience
• lack of formal education or experience in
  structured classroom settings

5
 
Issues affecting Older Immigrants
 
   

• limited native language literacy
• difficulty keeping up with the pace of
  instruction in overcrowded ESL/citizenship
  classes
• financial insecurity
• self-doubt

6
Project SHINE

• Project SHINE is a national service-learning
  initiative that builds partnerships among
  community colleges, universities and
  community-based organizations to benefit older
  immigrants, refugees and college students.

7
Project Goals

• Increase the language/literacy skills and
  knowledge of U.S. history and civics of immigrant
  or refugee learners over age 50
• Improve the ability of limited English speaking
  elders to exercise their rights and perform their
  responsibilities as community members
• Increase students understanding of diverse
  cultures, sense of social responsibility,
  knowledge of U.S. history and civics
• Promote cross-cultural and intergenerational
  understanding within diverse communities
• Enhance faculty knowledge about service learning
  best practices.

8
Project SHINE mobilizes college students to
provide language, literacy, and citizenship
tutoring to elderly immigrants and refugees.
Students serve as coaches in existing
ESL/citizenship classes or as tutors in community
centers, temples, churches, senior housing, and
ethnic organizations.
9
Disciplines Incorporating SHINE
Anthropology Allied Health Education English ESL
(English as a Second Language) Ethnic
Studies Foreign Language Gerontology
Health Sciences History Political
Science Psychology Religious Studies Sociology Soc
ial Work Womens Studies
10
 
Participating Institutions
 
Philadelphia, PA Temple University Honolulu,
HI Chaminade University Kapiolani Community
College University of Hawaii at Manoa Orange
County, CA California State University,
Fullerton  
 San Francisco, CA City College of San
Francisco San Francisco State University San
Jose, CA San Jose City College San Jose State
University Northridge, CA California State
University, Northridge  
11
Participating Institutions
Georgia Emory University Atlanta Georgia
Perimeter College - Clarkston Minneapolis/St.
Paul, MN Metropolitan State University Minneapolis
Community and Technical College  
New York Hamilton College Clinton Utica College
Utica North Carolina The University of North
Carolina Chapel Hill El Paso, TX University of
Texas at El Paso
12
Student Roles/Responsibilities

• Participate in a two-part training
• Prepare lessons and provide 20 hours of coaching
  or tutoring
• one-on-one or in small groups
• Notify SHINE staff and community partners in
  advance
• if unable to attend a lesson
• Participate in project evaluation

13
Faculty Roles/Responsibilities

• Integrate SHINE service into course content
• Facilitate ongoing reflection/connection between
• service and course content
• Hold students accountable for their commitment
• to provide service through SHINE
• Participate in project evaluation

14
Community Partner Roles/Responsibilities

• Match students with older learners who want/need
• assistance with language/literacy/citizenship
  preparation
• Supervise students on-site and communicate with
  SHINE
• staff if any problems arise
• Provide language assistance if possible
• Assist students with academic assignments if
  possible/
• appropriate
• Participate in courses as guest speakers if
  possible/appropriate
• Participate in project evaluation

15
Learner Roles/Responsibilities

• Provide a window into another language, culture,
  community
• immigrant experience
• Intergenerational mentoring
• Share interesting, unexpected skills and
  knowledge
• (e.g. Tai Chi, Russian cooking)
• Build bridges within/across cultures
• Serve as role models for life-long learning
• Dispel stereotypes about age/culture

16
SHINE Staff Roles/Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain community partnerships
• Orient, train and place students at community
  sites
• Maintain communication with students, faculty and
  community
• partners
• Provide on-going support of students and faculty
  including
• online and print resources
• Assist students with academic assignments when
  appropriate
• Arrange for and/or participate in courses as
  guest speakers
• when appropriate

17
Results 1997 - 2005
Older Immigrants and Refugees Served 19,650
Community Partners Providing Sites for
Service 180 College Students Providing
Service Through SHINE 5500 Total Hours of
Service 98,250 Courses Incorporating SHINE
as a Service-Learning Option 670 Institutions
of Higher Education that have Participated in
SHINE 25
18
Impacts of Project SHINE on Students

• Civic Outcomes
• Increased contact with people from different
  backgrounds
• Greater understanding of immigrants challenges
• Greater likelihood of volunteering

Being able to communicate with and learn about
people who are of a different culture and age
helped me break out of my narrow view of the
world and have first hand experience with people
that I might not meet under a normal
circumstance. - Project SHINE student
19
Impacts of Project SHINE on Students

• Affective Outcomes
• Increased confidence handling unfamiliar
  situations
• Diminished stereotypical attitudes about the
  elderly and immigrants
• Greater interest in social issues

The old, senile, non-ambulatory,
wheel-chair-riding, senior citizen is out and the
new, humorous, active and self-inspired senior
image is in. -Project SHINE student
20
Impacts of Project SHINE on Students

• Cognitive Outcomes
• Increased knowledge of different cultures
• Increased knowledge of the local community
• Better understanding of the complexity of social
  problems and how to address them

I am going to medical school, but not really
sure where I want to specialize. Volunteering
here has got me interested in the area of
geriatrics. I have never been surrounded by so
many elderly people (and) I am concerned with
issues that are specific to this demographic.
-Project SHINE student
21
Impacts of Project SHINE on Faculty

• Learned how to integrate quality service-learning
  in course
• Good source of resources and support
• Deeper connection with community

It improves my teaching, and Ive had students
who do really interesting projects. It broadens
my understanding of the community when I read
students reflective journals. -Project SHINE
faculty member
22
Impacts of Project SHINE on Community Partners

• Increased capacity to serve immigrant populations
• Lower instructor to learner ratios
• Individualized instruction
• Improved classroom management
• Good source of resources and expertise

Old/older people are invisible in U.S. society.
This is magnified when that person is an
immigrant. Tutors and coaches see the older
immigrant and, being seen, the student feels hope
about the possibility of being accepted into U.S.
society on a certain level. -Project SHINE
community partner
23
Impacts of Project SHINE on Elders

• Increased confidence and abilities in speaking
  English
• Diminished stereotypical attitudes about U.S.
  youth
• Acquisition of civics knowledge

Me gusto mucho que el joven venia ayudar a la
clase. Es tan simpatico y tenia tanta pacienca.
Que dios le bendiga. (English translation I
like it very much that the young person came to
help the class. They are so nice and have so
much patience. God bless them.) -Project
SHINE Learner
According to community partners
24
2002 Learner Focus Groups
Learner Civic Engagement Continuum
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT/ COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
A. Self-sufficiency/ Independence

• Integration into
• English-Speaking
• Communities

• Social
• Advancement

• Contribution
• To Family/
• Community

I want to be part of this society. Chinese
Learner
25
Impact on Health Literacy
It (English skill) is very helpful for me when I
go through my days better. The first time I used
a translator and now I can go to see the doctor
by myself. And now I am a translator for others.
Hmong Learner
26
Why Health Literacy?

• A study of 2,659 low-income patients found that
  62 of non-native English speaking patients lack
  the literacy skills adequate to function in
  health care settings.
• 42 of the English-speaking patients interviewed
  could not understand the instruction to take
  medication on an empty stomach and 60 were
  unable to read and understand a standard consent
  form.
• (Williams, Parker and Baker et al., 1998)

27
What is Health Literacy?

• The degree to which individuals have the
  capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic
  health information and services needed to make
  appropriate health decisions.
• (Ratzan and Parker 2000)

28
Health Literacy Initiative Objectives

• To increase the ability of elder immigrants to
  access healthcare and to communicate with health
  care providers.
•  
• To increase the knowledge base of elder
  immigrants regarding specific illnesses and
  effective prevention strategies.
•  
• To increase opportunities for college students
  from diverse backgrounds to learn about and
  address the health literacy needs of immigrant
  elders.
•  
• To increase the cultural competency of future
  health care professionals.

29
Outcomes

• Phase One
• Report on the health literacy needs of immigrant
  elders.
• ESL Health Literacy materials for immigrant
  elders.
• Phase Two
• Replicate initiative in 4 additional cities.
• Field test health literacy materials in ESL
  classes for immigrant elders.
• Engage health professions students in health
  screenings health education.
• Phase Three
• Replicate initiative in 3 additional cities.
• Provide health literacy instruction health
  education.
• Document emerging best practices.

30
(No Transcript)
31
Service Provided by Health Professions Students

• Stroke Risk Assessment Prevention
• Cancer Programs Group Self Breast Exams and
  Colorectal Warning Signs
• Diabetic Screenings
• Blood Pressure Screenings
• Chair Exercise Program for Arthritis
• ER Buddy System
• Information Referral at Health Fairs
• Workshops on Patients Rights Responsibilities
• Developed a Directory of Local Recreational
  Activities

32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
Promising Practices

• Meets a Well-Defined Community Need
• Strong Community/Institutional/Faculty Support
• Clearly Defined Objectives, Roles
  Responsibilities
• Clear Connections between Community Service
  Course Content
• Stable Staffing
• Training Support
• Sustained Service (Minimum of 20 Hours per
  Semester)
• Opportunities to Develop Personal Relationships
• Stakeholder Accountability Recognition
• Ongoing Evaluation