It demonstrates a commitment on the part of the institution and it can energize the population and cause students to feel good about the learning opportunities available to them. Ultimately, an engaging experience will lead to higher retention, improved learning and more qualified graduates placed in good jobs.
Hi Robert.
You have articulated one of the most salient aspects of both teaching and service learning: keep students engaged and they will learn.
Thank you.
Trent Bartholomew
When there is choice there is a better chance of increased enthusiasm and commitment. If a learning opportunity is forced and pre-chosen, then they may be conflict with the goals and values of the student and the community project. The student should be vested in the project and this vesting process starts with choice.
Offering a student options keeps them involved in their learing process...They can pick sites that will be most beneficial to them and their future career..
Students will be more engagecd and satisfied if they are able to choose the types of activities in which to participate. They may have no interest in the environment or a particular segement of the community but could be passionate about others. They will be more likely to be present, wrok harder and continue with civic engagement when they can choose the type of activity.
Students tend to learn more when working in areas that peak thier interest.
So they can choose which service to participate in rather than an all or none approach. This way they can choose and want to participate.
I agree, we are asking students to apply their knowledge and newly acquired skills with a group of peers, in front of a community they are unfamiliar with, which for many is way out of their comfort zone. When students have the opportunity to select a topic of interest, they will have more desire to overcome their reservations and fears, and be more willing to “test the watersâ€. I have found once they define a goal and begin to plan their educational program their confidence grows, as ideas are generated and they become aware that they have the foundations to build upon. If we were to assign them to an area of little interest and require them to “perform†outside of these boundaries much would be lost in the process. We learn best from that which we see as relevant and meaningful.
Dear Barbara,
You have made an excellent point in that allowing our students to select their service-learning event will allow them to overcome certain misgivings. Of course, once they help at one event, we have found that our students want more! Wonderful.
Trent Bartholomew
I have found this to be true as well. I require a class group presentation of the learning activity, and an individual reflective review paper, which includes both formative and summative evaluation of the project. The majority of the reviews state that fact, "cannot wait to do this again". It is always a confidence builder, even for the quieter students.
I believe it allows students the opportunity to get involved in selecting how they learn and how to help the community. It allows the students to see how their decisions relate to the community they live in.
Providing a “Menu†allows for individuals to be drawn to a service area or need that best suits their talent or interest. The success of the opportunity is directly proportionate to the interest by the student. And that success will evolve into the overall success of the program and learning institution. The student is an individual, although they are grouped into a particular academic/vocational program, each has their own specific needs based upon their particular set of life circumstances. If they are not interested in a specific SL, that particular program will not meet its full potential and the community it serves will not reap the intended benefits.
It makes it personal to the students. Once they see the different types of activities they are able to engage in, they will put their own stamp on it.
THIS ENABLES THE STUDENTS TO BEST CHOOSE THE OPTIONS BEST SUITED FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL GOALS IN RELATION TO THEIR DESIRED FIELDS OF STUDY...PAUL T. ROUGEMONT
Why is it a good practice to make available to students a menu of service learning opportunities?
This allows greater engagement since this empowers the students to pick the one that best meets their needs as well as the one they feel strongly about. This facillitates greater passion and results with improved success.
Allowing the students to choose from a number of different opportunities will encourage a more full and focused engagement on their part. After all; ice cream comes in at least 26 flavors!
Everyone responds to choice!
I've found that having different choices resulted in groups of students getting together and dicussing options.
When 3 or more students get together and begin discussing options, interest and enthusiasm soon follow.
When students participate in groups instead of individually, the are more likely to suceed!
Yes! Being able to identify with fellow students at a volunteer opportunity is critical especially for more reserved students or those who are not outgoing. Having classmates involved can be motivating and hel them build community as students within the school as well as in the outside world.
It is a good idea to make a menu of service learning opportunities to students. This way a student can select an area that they have knowledge about and an area that they what to gain more experience in. When the student selects a project that they are interested in, the students naturally become dedicated to the project.
Thank you, Theodore.
Your menu idea is a good one since the students can take more ownership. We also have been and are still working on integrating the SL projects into our curricula.
Trent Bartholomew
