National and International Service Learning Design and Operational Challenges

1
National and International Service
LearningDesign and Operational Challenges

• Winston Tellis
• Dolan School of Business
• Fairfield University

2
Introduction

• Outline of course
• Explanation of Ignatian Pedagogy
• Service Learning (SL)
• National SL
• International SL

3
Ignatian Pedagogy

• Developed by Ignatius of Loyola to train Jesuits
• Pedagogy of teaching and learning
• Works within any curricula
• Leads learner away from utilitarian leanings,
  financial success
• Leads to develop reasoned attitudes, concern for
  greater good rather than personal gain
• Paradigm of experience, reflection, and action
• Instructor accompanies learners as they encounter
  truth and explore deeper meaning

4
Ignatian Pedagogy

• Loop context, experience, reflection, action,
  evaluation
• Context instructor learns about the learners
  environment
• Experience get students to experience material
  with mind, heart, and will bring it alive
• Reflection students assimilate facts consider
  relationship to others, and topics instructor
  pivotal
• Action proceeds from experience, reflection
• Evaluation assess well-rounded growth

5
5
6
Ignatian Pedagogy

• Leads to personal growth, concern for others,
  value-based judgments, less self-centered
  individuals
• Instructor guides the students path through
  self-discovery

7
Service Learning

• A natural way to implement Ignatian pedagogy
• See Bringle-Hatcher definition and
• Jesuit university definition
• Both definitions engage the Academy in vigorous
  partnership searching for answers to social,
  civic, economic, moral problems
• At Fairfield, we include many of the following in
  SL courses

8

• Understand that service learning is an accepted,
  rigorous, academic, and discipline-based pedagogy
  distinct from other traditional and experiential
  approaches to teaching and learning
• Promote service-learning as an effective pedagogy
  for the enhancement of student learning
• Value and promote education with diverse
  populations through service-learning and
  international-immersion programs
• Foster an atmosphere of open discourse and
  careful, respectful listening where freedom of
  thought and expression are valued and protected
• Encourage critical thinking about social,
  economic and political structures locally,
  nationally and internationally
• Promote ethical behavior in instruction, service,
  assessment, and community-based research
• Understand the community as our co-educator and
  an essential partner for effective and holistic
  student learning

9

• Respect the integrity and wisdom of local
  communities and their abilities to develop
  solutions that address their needs
• Seek input and guidance from our community
  partners as we strive to support their efforts
  and self-determination
• Work with community partners who promote the
  dignity of each person, seek sustainable
  solutions, and protect and preserve natural
  resources
• Engage in work that builds upon the respective
  assets and resources of Fairfield University and
  our community partners
• Welcome all members of the University who desire
  to engage with and learn through service with the
  community
• Recognize a special relationship with and
  responsibility to the Greater Bridgeport Area, as
  we seek to be a responsible institutional citizen
  and a caring neighbor

10
Design considerations

• Select text (contemporary topics)
• Select service location(s)
• Visit locations prior semester
• Examine suitability, safety
• Prepare site staff for college students
• Help prepare suitable assignments for children
• Communicate regularly to confirm arrangements
• Obtain schedule of planned closings
• Arrange transportation
• All above through SL Office community
  partnerships

11
Design of IS 220

• Class (150 minutes) has two segments
• Class discussion from text chapter
• Service at local site
• Class discussion (respectful disagreement)
• Students team to present one or two chapters/week
• They must summarize material, update it with
  current applications, generate discussion in
  class
• All students submit summary and questions online
  prior to class
• Instructor ensures civility, all voices heard,
  participation by all students

12
Design of IS 220

• Technology The Future (Teich, 2006)
• Sample chapter titles (20 pages or less)
• How Society Shapes Technology
• The Role of Technology in Society
• Feminist Perspectives of Technology
• Terrorism and the Brittle Technology
• Civil Liberties in a Time of Crisis
• Hard Cell A Commentary on the Presidents Stem
  Cell Address
• Modern Global Climate Change
• Computer Ethics

13
Design of IS 220

• Service
• Bridgeport, CT largest, poorest
• Diverse population
• Sites are local high school, grade school
• HS Students prepare for CAPT
• Grade school students research HW assignment
• College students observe environment, reflect on
  conditions, students subject grasp
• Written and oral reflections follow
• Students ask why, and then determine how they
  will react

14
Design of IS 350

• Select text (contemporary topics)
• Select International service location
• Visit locations prior semester if possible
• Examine suitability, safety
• Prepare site staff for college students
• Discuss potential service tasks
• Communicate regularly to confirm arrangements
• Develop (jointly) assignment description
• Develop Final Report Format
• Develop assignments for students not traveling
• Estimate cost, apply for passport, immunizations

15
Design of IS 350

• Globalization major theme
• China, India culture, economy, outsourcing
• Nicaragua effects of globalization on culture,
  economy emergence of sweatshops
• Videos on cultural shift in India, call centers
• Service in Managua, Nicaragua
• Describe UCA
• Describe FDL
• Describe projects national and international

16
Managua

• UCA Jesuit university partner
• Founded in 1960, 5300 students
• Involved in development of modern Nicaragua
• Nitlapan research organization
• Nitlapan founded FDL in 1997
• MFI now largest in Nicaragua
• Serves poor artisans, vendors, farmers
• Provides small loans, literacy, business classes
• Innovative programs, transparent operations

17
The Service Projects

• Domestic project 1
• Investigate the institution, residents
  demographics
• Examine infrastructure at local residential
  recovery facility
• Determine hardware, software needs
• Determine location for PCs
• Prepare report

18
The Service Projects

• Domestic Service project 2
• Investigate IT needs of local health organization
• Investigate demographics of clientele,
  organizations funding
• Identify procedural and operational deficiencies
• Recommend alternatives
• Prepare report

19
International Service Projects

• International project Software Selection for FDL
• Absorb the countrys environment
• Investigate history of MFI, clients
• Investigate selection methodology
• Examine documents, vendor proposals
• Rate proposals
• Submit report to FDL

20
International Service Projects

• FDL Crafts project with Seattle University
• Establish demographics, funds
• Visit artisans, view location, resources
• Study alternatives for packing, shipping
• Prepare cost report for Seattle-Fairfield project
• Share information with US team
• Submit report

21
Preparing students for service

• Learn to listen, respect
• Observe cultural norms, ask about practices
• Be prepared for projects to change
• International requirements (passports, etc)
• Behavior in another country
• reentry session for all

22
Reflection

• Students learn to find quiet time to think
• Write thoughts and reactions freely (private)
• Travelers, nightly shared reflection
• All ask why conditions prevail
• How will they act to change conditions

23
Operational Issues

• Transportation
• Staff at site (s)
• Safety
• Communication
• Student-to-student communication

24
Assessment of outcome

• Did they learn about the disadvantaged?
• Did they seek reasons?
• Are they likely to continue involvement?
• Did they learn to listen?
• Did they allow solutions to emerge from local
  people (subsidiarity)?

25
Student Learning Outcomes from Service-Learning
Experiences Include

• Deeper understanding of course concepts
• Exposure to related individual, institutional,
  and social issues
• Increased civic awareness and engagement
• Increased exposure to and enhanced appreciation
  for diversity
• Awareness of social justice issues
• Development of relationships in the community
• Personal growth and broader worldview
• Re-examination of career objectives (SL Outcomes,
  2007)

26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
Course-based, credit-bearing educational
experience in which students (a) participate in
an organized service activity that meets
identified community needs and (b) reflect on the
service activity in such a way as to gain further
understanding of course content, a broader
appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced
sense of civic responsibility (Bringle and
Hatcher, 1995)
30
Jesuit service learning embraces Ignatian
pedagogy by the mutual enhancement of learning
with service, justice, and related civic
engagement activities. Through reflection,
students recognize and expand their understanding
of the challenges faced by people who are
marginalized and oppressed. Respect for
reciprocal relationships, through community
partnerships, is central to the successful
integration of academic learning and experience,
and enlarges the worldviews of all involved. As
a students intellectual and personal awareness
develops, there is transformative spiritual and
humanistic growth leading to continued action for
the benefit of the common good
31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
(No Transcript)
35
(No Transcript)
36
(No Transcript)
37
(No Transcript)
38
(No Transcript)
39
(No Transcript)