Quarterly Service-Learning
A publication of the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center
What’s New in the VSLC? The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) plans to offer new services to distance education students enrolled in service-learning courses beginning in the fall of 2010. Fourteen new local community partner organizations will be listed in our service opportunities guide. These sites are ideal for students who live in Greenville and surrounding counties, but who do not attend face-to-face courses on campus. Resources for distance education students who live outside of eastern North Carolina will include additional links on our Web site for national community partner identification. The Web site will also include tools to help national partners, who are not familiar with service-learning at ECU, collaborate effectively with distance education students. Last, the Web site will include service-learning orientation materials designed specifically for distance education students. These orientation tools will help distance education students better understand service-learning theory, identify course appropriate partnerships in their geographic area, and meet the professional standards that are expected of all ECU service-learning students. As always, the VSLC will offer free liability insurance and hour tracking, as well as one-on-one troubleshooting for distance education students regardless of their location. For more information about these resources, contact Jessica Gagne Cloutier at gagnej@ecu.edu.
Community Partner Spotlight The enormous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has many Pirates wondering what they can do to help. Would-be volunteers should carefully research opportunities before travelling to the affected area to serve and before donating monetary resources. The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center has identified two resources for those in our community who wish to lend a hand to Louisiana and surrounding areas. Volunteer Louisiana: The Louisiana Serve Commission is helping mobilize and train volunteers in response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Volunteer opportunities may include light construction, pre-impact beach cleanup, shoreline monitoring and wildlife sitting. Interested persons can register for volunteer opportunities by calling 1-800-755-5175 or visiting volunteerlouisiana.gov. Audubon Society: The Audubon Society is working with public and private conservation organizations to mobilize volunteers and protect wildlife. Interested persons should submit a volunteer form at audubon.org. If travelling to the affected areas is not a possibility, donations to support Audubon’s relief efforts can be made by visiting https:// loon.audubon.org/payment/donate/OILSPILL10.html. Next Spotlight: Pamlico/Tar River Foundation
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Spotlight on Service-Learning Course Designation Process/Deadlines
Hot Topic Quarterly Reflection Activity
Call for Abstracts Grants & Funding Opportunities Conferences & Events
East Carolina University
Upcoming Deadline
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“The job of an educator is to teach students to see the vitality in themselves.” ~Joseph Campbell
Service-Learning Course Designation Faculty members interested in obtaining the service-learning designation for courses are invited to submit service-learning course proposal forms and syllabi to the University Service-Learning Committee to review. Courses approved for the “SL” designation will be listed as such in the university catalogs. The deadline to submit proposed course submissions for spring semester is October 15, 2010. Why get an SL Designation? • Many students consider service-learning a transformative way to learn and grow while others may want the credits to satisfy requirements proposed for the leadership and service certificate or portfolio, or the honors program. Students find that this documentation also helps when they seek employment and/or apply to graduate school. The SL designation will be recorded on student transcripts. • Faculty members who are familiar with service-learning serve as a peer review committee for servicelearning course submissions. The committee reviews proposals and syllabi to ensure they meet the five criteria listed below, and also offers suggestions and constructive input as needed to make the servicelearning experience a positive one for all involved. • The SL designation helps ECU collect information and report and recognize the important contributions that our faculty make to the community. How to Apply for an SL Designation: Submit the SL Designation Course Application Form and the SL Designation Course Questionnaire, available at www.ecu.edu/cs-studentlife/volunteer/service-learning-designation-form.cfm, with your syllabus to the University Service Learning Committee by the appropriate deadline. The form should be sent to: Jessica Gagne Cloutier, 1604 Old Cafeteria Complex, or to gagnej@ecu.edu. The Committee will review your forms and syllabus to make sure they meet the criteria listed below. Service-Learning Course Criteria: • Integrates the service with course content. The service component should support the academic focus of the course. • Involves students in service that meets community needs. The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center can help you find community placements for students. • Provides structured opportunities for reflection such as writing assignments, discussions, presentations, or journals. • Provides a clear explanation (in the syllabus) of both academic and service expectations and how the performance in the course will be graded. • Clarifies that while service is an integral part of the course academic credit is for demonstrated learning. What is Service-Learning? Service-learning is a method of instruction that has the benefit of meeting academic course objectives and helping students develop a sense of engagement and social responsibility. All volunteer hours and community service hours are not service-learning. Faculty interested in learning more about service-learning at ECU or the designation process can visit the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center, Old Cafeteria Complex, 252-328-2735.
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Hot Topics Student professionalism...or lack thereof.
Below are the professional standards students are expected to meet when in the community. Service-learning faculty should build time into the course schedule to educate students about these standards, and the importance of upholding them when representing ECU in the community. The VSLC conducted more than 90 site visits with local community partners during May and June. A significant number of partners cited a lack of professional behavior among service-learning students ranging from improper dress to a complete lack of knowledge about service-learning objectives. Preparation Students should have a clear understanding of their servicelearning assignment and their course. They should be able to communicate a description of the course, learning objectives, tasks related to the service-learning (such as an interview or project), their personal contact information, and their availability to potential community partners the first time they interact. It is also recommended that students research potential partner organizations before entering into a collaborative relationship.
A Buffet of Reflection Strategies
Written reflection • individual or group journals • essay or research paper • case studies • letter to the editor • creative writing such as poetry, music, or short story
Attention Students full attention should be given to the individuals they serve. No texting, phone calls, iPod or laptop use is permitted during service. Students should be mindful of their verbal and body language, and should not avoid interaction by engaging only with other ECU students or standing alone.. Other Service must be scheduled in advance, and students should show up on time and give notice if they must cancel a scheduled visit. Communication should be returned in a timely manner, and students should not share confidential information about themselves or those they serve. Finally, community partners must receive final projects, if applicable.
Oral reflection • small group or class discussion • presentations (class or public) • scenarios for discussion Creative Reflection • role play • teaching • collage • photography • interpretive dance Reflection through multimedia • scrapbooking • presentation board • webpage design/upkeep • discussion boards Every reflection strategy has strengths and limitations. Strategies should be selected purposefully, and introduced thoughtfully, with prompts and direction given as needed. For more specific reflection ideas, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.
Quarterly Reflection Activity
Reflection is a critical component of quality service-learning experiences—it serves as the bridge between classroom and community learning. Eyler, Giles, & Schmiede identified characteristics of successful reflection (the four C’s), noting that it should be continuous, challenging, connected and contextual (A practitioner’s guide to reflection in service-learning, 16). Such reflection requires intentional planning, but need not be overwhelming or drab. Below are a plethora of reflection strategies that can be employed to elicit deep student reflection, and in turn learning, throughout a semester.
Physical Appearance Students should wear clothing that fits, covers sensitive areas of the body, and displays no offensive logos or text. Close-toed shoes are required, and valuables should be left at home.
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Call for Abstracts Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation 2011 Conference, Yale University, New Haven, CT Unite For Sight encourages you to submit an abstract for presentation at GH/Innovate 2011. The goal of the conference is to exchange ideas about best practices across all fields of global health, international development, and social entrepreneurship. Professionals and students are eligible to submit an abstract. Presentations submitted by August 15 will be reviewed for the possibility of presenting a poster or oral presentation.
Grants and Funding Opportunities NEA Student Achievement Grants The NEA Foundation provides grants to improve the academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter.
First Submission Deadline: August 15, 2010
For more information, go to: http://www.neafoundation. org/pages/educators/grant-programs/.
The full call for abstracts is available at:
Application Deadline: October 15, 2010
http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference/submit-abstract.
Conferences and Events Register Today! Million Meal Event August 28, 2010
Sponsored by: the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center Register at: www.ecu.edu/vslc
Community Works’ Institute on Service-Learning July 19-23, 2010, Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont www.communityworksinstitute.org/. The International Partnership for Service-Learning a nd Leadership Summer Symposium July 29-30, 2010, Reed College Campus, Portland, Oregon www.intercultural.org/siic.php. Strategies for Success with Literacy: A Learning Curriculum August 9-11, 2010, Ionia, Michigan www.ioniaisd.org/.
10th Annual International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement International Perspectives: Crossing Boundaries through Research October 27-30, 2010, Crowne Plaza at Union Station, Indianapolis, Indiana www.researchslce.org/_Files/Conference_Sites/2010Conference/Conference_Main.html.
Volunteer and Service-Learning Center Old Cafeteria Complex 252.328.2735 (phone) 252.328.0139 (fax) www.ecu.edu/vslc • vslc@ecu.edu Judy Baker, Institutional and Community Development Consultant Jessica Gagne Cloutier, Service-Learning Coordinator Michael Loeffelman, Volunteer Coordinator Shawn Moore, Community Partner Coordinator Alice Tyson, Office Manager Katie Winn, AmeriCorps*VISTA
Summer Edition 2010