Teaching Methods: Service-Learning

Service-Learning is a pedagogical strategy that allows students to apply discipline-based knowledge to authentic and practical situations beyond the classroom. It integrates community service, academic learning, and civic engagement. Students provide valuable community service while at the same time reinforcing the theories, attitudes, and values of a course. The sites below provide information on using Service-Learning in many disciplines.

National Service-Learning Clearinghouse: Higher Education.
Contains references and information on all aspects of Service-Learning from methods for getting started to resources for experienced faculty.
Link: http://www.servicelearning.org/hehome/index.php

Service-Learning: Faculty Development and Integrating Service with Academic Study (Campus Compact).
Provides online toolkits for those new to Service-Learning, syllabi by discipline, assessment tools, and many other resources for using Service-Learning in higher education.
Link: http://www.compact.org/

"The Big Dummy's Guide to Service Learning," Mark Cooper (Florida International University, Volunteer Action Center).
Introduction to principles and methods for academic Service-Learning.
Link: http://www.fiu.edu/~time4chg/Library/bigdummy.html

101 Ideas for Combining Service and Learning (Florida International University).
Lists Service-Learning possibilities for many disciplines.
Link: http://www.fiu.edu/~time4chg/Library/ideas.html

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Volume 18, Number One, Special Issue: Future Directions for Service Learning in Higher Education.
This focused issue of IJTLHE provides full text of service learning articles on both research and instructional issues.
Link: http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/past2.cfm?v=18&i=1