Guidelines and mechanism for service-learning designation
- Students in the class provide a service to address community-identified needs of individuals, organizations, schools or entities in the community.
- The service experience elucidates the relevancy of the course content and the knowledge from the discipline informs the service experience.
- The service opportunities seek to further students’ civic education while providing skill development valuable for career preparation.
- Diverse teaching methods encourage students to think about what they have learned through the service experience and how this new understanding relates to course content. Activities are designed so class members learn from each other as well as from the instructor.
- The course offers a method to assess the learning derived from the service. Credit is given for the learning and its relation to the course, not for the service alone, e.g., journaling.
- Recipients of the students’ service experiences are offered an opportunity to be involved in the assessment of the service.
It is recommended that each student participates in service activities for a minimum of 15 hours during the semester. It is preferred that the service be provided throughout the semester rather than through a one-time experience.
Mechanism for designation
A faculty advisory group to the Division of Community Engagement reviews syllabi and proposals for service-learning classes once per semester. Faculty must submit for consideration:
- A one-paragraph description of the class to include course content, arranged service experience and anticipated semester(s) to be taught.
- A one-page document detailing how the class will meet each of the six criteria for a service-learning class.
- If available, a current syllabus reflecting the service-learning pedagogy.
About these guidelines
These guidelines were developed by the VCU Service-Learning Associates with the assistance of the Service-Learning Faculty Guide from the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center, University of Utah. They were endorsed by the VCU University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee on Oct. 9, 1997.