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Show page 20 , Spring 2005 at the Bennion Center. "The program encourages students not just to perform service now, but to always be civically engaged." Reciprocity occurs as the service venues create unique atmospheres to learn in. As the service-learning activities unfold, community partners, instructors, and students often switch roles. "Instructors aren't always in charge," Welch said. "Reciprocity isn't always included in internships." Faculty members aren't always present. Giving students the opportunity to take on greater responsibility is part of experiential learning. "Service-learning is designed to encourage students to take an active role as citizens," Welch said. Service-learning creates opportunities that often generate a desire for students to pursue certain aspects of the project after the course ends. The facilitators intentionally design service-learning courses with this component in mind. Service-learning courses originate in one of two ways: either faculty members or community partners submit proposals for projects to the Bennion Center. A new Web database called Service-Learning Pro, at bennion. servicelearningpro.com, eases the creation process, as well as assists teachers, students, and community partners with management and communication. "Service-Learning Pro is a time-saving tool," said Joani Shaver, the Service-Learning Manager at the Bennion Center. "The database is a valuable way to learn and teach. It organizes the activities of 1500 students and 130 classes as well as helps teachers avoid overstaffing one community project with students while ignoring others." "The database categorizes the programs into different disciplines such as direct or indirect service projects, office assistance, and Web development," Gillespie said. "The service-learning program is unique, because the projects must correspond to course work and learning. Students won't copy, file, or perform office work that takes away from the learning process." Faculty members submit requests to the Bennion Center to include service-learning in their courses. Unlike an application process, the Service-Learning Coordinator will then compare the course syllabus to the criteria and work with the faculty members to adjust the curriculum of the class to conform to standards. "It's not an 'accept' or 'reject' process," Gillespie explained. "We help ensure that whichever class that requests service-learning will be able to provide it for students." The Bennion Center encourages faculty to embrace the opportunities that the service-learning program provides. The new Service-Learning Coordinators, who work at the Bennion Center, serve as liaisons between teachers, community partners, and students. Service - Learning Coordinators are there to assist with any aspect of the program. This new role that the Bennion Center plays helps refine and ease the program application at all levels. "With so much activity happening in the program, Service-Learning Criteria Service-Learning Scholars Program, p. 22 The Nine Criteria for Designation of Service-Learning Classes: 1. Students in the class provide a needed service to individuals, organizations, schools, or other entities in the community, 2. The service experience relates to the subject matter of the course. 3. Activities in the class provide a method or methods for students to think about what they learned through the service experience and how these learnings relate to the subject of the class. 4. 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. 5. Service interactions in the community recognize the needs of service recipients and offer an opportunity for recipients to be involved in the evaluation of the service. 6. The service opportunities are aimed at the department of the civic education of students even though they may also be focused on career preparation. 7. Knowledge from the discipline informs the service experiences with which the students are involved. 8. The class offers a way to learn from other class members as well as from the instructor. 9. Course options ensure that no student is required to participate in service which creates a religious, political and/or moral conflict for the student. it's important to everyone to have the Service-Learning Coordinator available to help and council you through the process," Gillespie said. "The Bennion Center gets contacted at least once a day by community partners with requests," Gillespie said. "The Bennion Center isn't able to immediately fill all the requests but actively recruits volunteers by means such as placing ads in The Chronicle, posting fliers, and sending out e-mails." "Students sign up for service-learning courses by simply adding classes from that registrar that have 'S-L' in the column of 'other course attributes,'" Gillespie said. "Almost every department offers a course that incorporates service-learning." "For those considering participating in service-learning, soon the Bennion Center will have a comprehensive DVD about service-learning," Shaver said. "The DVD provides an overview, how to develop a service-learning project and course syllabus, as well as other key features of the program." "Family and Consumer Studies, Communications, and Pharmacy are examples of departments that do a good job of embracing service-learning and make the most of it," Welch said. "The university offers service-learning through approximately 40 classes every semester, with over 130 classes being available throughout the year." |