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Student Service Learning (SSL) → Oversite of Student Service Learning

Oversite of Student Service Learning

Three core components are required for high-quality student service learning (SSL):

  • Step 1

    ACADEMIC PREPARATION - Students must be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for their service activity. 

  • Step 2

    SERVICE ACTION - Students engage in purposeful, personally-relevant service-learning experiences. Students should spend a significant portion of their service-learning time engaged in meeting a recognized community need through direct, indirect, or advocacy service action.

  • Step 3

    STRUCTURED REFLECTION - Students participate in ongoing reflection throughout a service-learning experience. Students contemplate and evaluate the service action and its impact on the community and on themselves, considering positives and negatives and adjustments that might be made to the activity.

Quality service-learning experiences result in the strengthening of character, development of new skills, exploration of careers, and an expanded sense of community.

ACADEMIC PREPARATION of Student for the Service-Learning Experience

  • Identify a service project that is educational and meets an authentic community need.
  • Set the expectations and steps for engagement.
  • Specify skills needed.
  • Share aspects of the organization and career paths that are available.
  • Identify the adult who will train, supervise, and guide the student.

SERVICE ACTION Supervised Throughout the Service-Learning Experience

Supervise the service action in a public place. Consider the type of service action:

  • Direct Service: Students have direct contact with those they serve.

    • Examples of Direct Service include tutoring, serving meals, visiting, providing care, etc.

  • Indirect Service: Students engage in a service activity without having direct contact, often to channel resources to help alleviate a community issue.

    • Examples of Indirect Service include providing technical assistance, hosting food and clothing drives, organizing walk-a-thons and fundraisers, participating in environmental projects, etc.

  • Advocacy Service: Students educate others about a particular nonpartisan topic with the goal of influencing change within a community.

    • Examples of Advocacy Service include contacting legislators, presenting before public officials, preparing and delivering a performance, creating and sharing media or other educational materials, etc.

STRUCTURED REFLECTION of the Service-learning Experience by the student

  • Assist student as necessary to understand the community need they addressed.
  • Identify who benefited from the action that was taken.
  • Survey what the student learned about him/herself.
  • Identify the academic area connected to the service-learning experience.
  • Celebrate service and learning.
  • Encourage continued involvement.
  • Explore potential career goals as a result of this experience.