Introduction to Service Learning

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Introduction to Service Learning
service is the rent each of us pays for living.
It is the very purpose in life, and not something
you do in your spare time. (Marian Wright
Edelman, 1994) -----------------------------------
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• August 10th, 2004
• OMSL SAG Meeting

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Outline

• What is service learning?
• What is NOT service learning?
• Components of service learning
• Arent we already providing services?
• The function of the OMSL

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What is service learning?

• A teaching methodology that combines community
  service with explicit academic learning
  objectives, preparation and reflection
• Promotes learning through active participation in
  service experiences
• Provides structured time for students to reflect
  by thinking, discussing and/or writing about
  their service experience

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• Provides an opportunity for students to use
  skills and knowledge in real-life situations
• Extends learning beyond the classroom and into
  the community
• Fosters a concern for social problems leads to
  sense of social responsibility and commitment to
  public service
• Corporation for National and Community Service,
  1990
• http//www.servicelearning.org/article/archive/35/
  

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• Explore career specializations
• Develop civic and cultural literacy
• Enhance personal growth and self-image
• Establish community contacts
• http//csf.colorado.edu/sl/what-is-sl.html

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What is NOT service learning?

• Service-learning is not
• An episodic volunteer program
• An add-on to an existing curriculum
• Logging a set number of community service hours
  in order to graduate
• Unplanned coincidental learning
• One-sided benefiting only students or only the
  community
• adapted from Corporation for National and
  Community Service
• http//www.servicelearning.org/article/archive/35/

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Components of service learning

• Learning objective Service objective Service
  Learning Objective
• 1. Develop a service learning experience
• 2. Develop an orientation component
• 3. Develop a reflection component
• 4. Integrate an evaluation component
• 5. Promote the professional ethic of service

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Arent we already helping people as medical
students?

• Clinical rotations
• Service provided is incidental to learning of
  skills/materials related to profession
• Service learning is focused on stepping outside
  ones comfort zone and regular curriculum to
  provide services
• Focus on patients in hospital or community
  practice setting
• Service learning is about the community as a
  whole, not individual patients
• Service learning requires partnership with the
  community

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Office of Medical Service Learning

• Voluntary vs. Required
• Student-initiated and -led vs. Faculty driven
• Criteria for Project Selection
• Faculty sponsors
• Student Advisory Group
• Competency Based vs. Course-Based
• Discipline-specific and Interdisciplinary
• Community vs. Clinical Settings