Criteria for Designation

1. The syllabus is developed and revised to incorporate the service experience into the teaching and learning objectives of the course.
2. Partner agencies define their needs and are included in planning for the service.
3. The faculty member becomes acquainted with each community agency that students are placed with, understanding the agency mission, clientele, location, and student role.
4. Preparation for the service addresses student training, clarification of responsibilities and risk management issues.
5. Students are introduced to the partner agency before the service begins, including orientation to the issues being addressed.
6. Students are involved in at least five hours of service in the community for each hour of credit they receive for the course.
7. Academic credit is awarded for the learning gained from the experience, not for the service itself.
8. The service experience is connected to the course through readings, projects and class presentations.
9. Reflection on the service experience is on-going and includes dialogue about community issues and the need for the service.
10. Students, faculty and community representatives participate in the evaluation process provided by the Service Integration Project.

 

 

Criteria for Designation

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 experiences related 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 development 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 a service placement that creates a religious, political and/or moral conflict for the student.

 

Process for Approval

1.       Submit a current syllabus with an indication of how service will be incorporated;

2.       Include a one-paragraph description of the class;

3.       Describe, in one page, how the class will meet the nine criteria;

4.       Faculty committee reviews proposals to approve designation.  Each college is represented on the board by faculty members.

 

Where Designation Appears - Service Learning designation in schedule of classes

 

Criteria for Designation

1)      Designation as a service learning course:

a)      Students in the course provide a needed service in community.

b)      The course allows students to reflect on the relationship between the service they are rendering and the discipline they are studying.

c)      The service experience and class activities enhance students' achievement of the Aims of a BYU Education.

d)      The service experience is based upon principles derived from the discipline.

e)      Academic credit is awarded for learning related to the discipline, not for the service alone.

f)       Service recipients participate in the evaluation of the service provided.

2)      All course fees must be listed on the class schedule i. These fees should be kept to a minimum.

3)      Students need to be fully informed about the expectations of any service-learning experience.

4)      Faculty or students involved should provide information to the service recipient including:

a)      Goals and objectives of the course.

b)      Approximate number of student volunteers involved.

c)      Student availability.

d)      Level of supervision faculty and students will expect form the agency.

e)      Level of responsibility agency staff can expect from student volunteers.

f)       Kinds of skills students can bring to their work at the agency.

5)      Sets a minimum number of hours to be completed and develops a reflective component that may include assignments such as journals, class discussions, and class presentations about the service experience.

a)      As a guideline, a designated service-learning course will include a minimum of twelve hours of service-learning activities per semester.

 

Process for Approval

1)      Contact the Jacobsen Service-Learning Center for:

a)      Information regarding grants and other financial assistance.

b)      Assistance in choosing service-learning projects in the community.

2)      Assure yourself that you meet the requirements.

 

Where Designation Appears - Official University Undergraduate Catalog and University Course Schedule

 

Criteria for Designation

1)      Students in the class provide a service to address community-identified needs of individuals, organizations, schools, or entities in the community.

2)      The service experience elucidates the relevancy of course content, and the knowledge from the discipline informs the service experience.

3)      The service opportunities seek to further students' civic education while providing skill development valuable for career preparation.

4)      Diverse teaching methods encourage students to think about what they have learned through the service experience and how this learning relates to course content. Activities are designed such that class members learn from each other as well as from the instructor.

5)      The course offers a method to assess of the education derived from the service, e.g. journaling. Credit is given for the learning and its relation to the course, not for the service alone.

6)      Recipients of the students' service experiences are offered an opportunity to be involved in the assessment of the service.

7)      A minimum of 15 hours of participation is recommended for each student. The service opportunities are preferred to be provided throughout the semester, rather than a one-time experience.

 

Process for Approval

A faculty advisory group to the Office of Community Programs review syllabi and proposals for service-learning classes once per semester. Faculty must submit the following for consideration:

1. A one paragraph description of the class (include course content, arranged service experience, and anticipated semester(s) to be taught);
2. A one page document detailing how the class will meet each of the six criteria for a service-learning class;
3. If available, a current syllabus reflecting the service-learning pedagogy.

 

Where Designation Appears

Approved classes with the corresponding faculty member will be listed in the class schedule each semester.

 

Criteria for Designation

1)      Include substantive, on-going community service activity by students that is directly integrated into the course content in a significant way.

2)      Require systematic and regular reflection, reporting and assessment of the service experience--both with faculty and other students (e.g., oral presentations; submitting a journal or a final paper that synthesizes the service experience and reading assignments).

3)      Meet community needs and develop the service component cooperatively with community partners. (The UMass Office of Community Service Learning at Commonwealth College assists faculty in identifying community needs and securing linkages with community service organizations).

4)      Encourage interaction between students and members of the community.

5)      Assess the impact of the CSL course.

 

Process for Approval

The Provost's Committee on Service Learning awards teaching development fellowships of $2,000 each for faculty to develop new courses OR to revise current courses to include significant community service. Although research may be one dimension of the course, the primary purpose of the fellowship is to foster direct student involvement in service to the community. Faculty from all departments are encouraged to apply. Fellows are recognized annually at the Chancellor's Community Service Awards luncheon.  Expectations of faculty fellows include:

1) Obtain his/her department chair's and dean's assurances that the CSL course will be offered by the department once a year for at least three of the following four years;

2) Participate in a day-long CSL retreat scheduled for September 22, 2000;

3) Participate in monthly Friday luncheons during the 2000-2001 academic year;

4) Be available for future CSL initiatives such as assessment and evaluation efforts, conference presentations, or contributions to publications on CSL-related teaching practices, innovations, and lessons learned;

5) Assess the impact of your CSL course on the student learning experience and on the community.

Application Process for fellowships includes a formal proposal to the Provost’s Committee including a course description and letters of support from the department chair and dean to offer the course at least three of the next four years.

 

Where Designation Appears - Fellows and courses are advertised on the website for the Vice Provost.

Criteria for Designation

1)                  Communication
The Service-Learning Center expects SL faculty to communicate details about themselves, their course and their service-learners. Specifically, the Center expects faculty to:

a)      Respond within one week to requests for information;

b)      Complete a Faculty Course Planning Guide;

c)      Provide the Center with a copy of the course syllabus and the Faculty Course Planning Guide at least two weeks prior to the first day of class; provide a contact name, telephone number and address for any site placements arranged independent of the Center;

d)      Provide the Center with a copy of any news articles featuring their service-learning projects or students;

e)      Inform the Center of any significant incidents related to the service-learning experience.

2)                  Cooperation
The Service-Learning Center expects SL faculty to cooperate with the Center's procedures for placing, training, monitoring and evaluating service-learners. Specifically, the Center expects faculty to:

a)      Incorporate an explanation of the service-learning component and its relationship to the course objectives into the course syllabus;

b)      Discuss the service-learning component during the first class meeting;

c)      Distribute and collect the Participant Inventory by the second class meeting;

d)      Distribute and collect the Service-Learning Application by the end of the first week of class;

e)      Enforce all training requirements;

f)       Treat the Service-Learning Agreement as a class writing project;

g)      Meet all due dates and encourage their students to do the same.

3)                  Collaboration
The Service-Learning Center expects SL faculty to collaborate with their colleagues and the Center in designing and implementing successful service-learning experiences for students. The Center expects faculty to:

a)      Attend at least one Faculty Development workshop each year;

b)      Participate in the SERVLERN listserv;

c)      Create a link between their course, program or department homepage and the SLC homepage;

d)      Nominate at least one service-learning student and one service-learning colleague for recognition at the end of the academic year;

e)      Attend and promote Youth Service Week activities in support of service-learning at Virginia Tech.

 

Process for Designation

The Service-Learning Center provides a Faculty Course Planning Guide to assist faculty in adjusting the course syllabus.  Faculty fill out the Course Planning Guide worksheet at least one month prior to the class starting and deliver to the Center.   The program elements facilitate the placement procedures and provide essential training and assessment guidelines for all service-learners.

1)      Service Learning Application

a)      Information on students' project interests, talents or skills, references, geographic preferences, and time availability to assign sites. 

b)      Returned to the Center by the end of the second week of classes

2)      Participant Inventory

a)      Anonymous questionnaire of demographic and attitudinal information about the service-learners used for comprehensive data about program participants.

b)      Returned by Friday of the first week so that the Center can compile a participant report.

3)      Site Bios

a)      Description of sites and service projects

b)      Distributed with the course syllabus during the first class session or on-line.

4)      Service-Learners Handbook

a)      Information on students' rights and responsibilities, risk management, and guidelines for preparing a service-learning agreement.

b)      Distributed at all Training Sessions and on-line.

5)      Training Sessions

a)      Address common issues students face in when working in the community, as well as what is expected of them in service to a community organization or school.

b)      Conducted during the second or third week of the semester.

6)      Service-Learning Agreement

a)      Information about students' service project, their service schedule (if applicable) and a realistic, concrete objective that indicates what they hope to accomplish.

b)      Completed after the student has met with his/her site supervisor at least once to discuss specific project plans.

7)      Mid-Point Checks (MPC)

a)      Interview about the progress of each service projects

b)      Conducted approximately 6-8 weeks into the semester.

8)      End of Semester Evaluation

a)      Anonymous questionnaire about all aspects of students' service-learning experience.

b)      Completed on the last day of class or at the final exam

 

Criteria for Designation

1)      Integrate course theory/concepts with service in the community that directly addresses community needs (i.e. a situation where theory/concepts can be tested in practice, or a situation where community needs demand innovative solutions)

2)      The course is academically rigorous, as determined by Department and College curriculum committees, and appropriate for the students’ academic preparation and course content

3)      Students are evaluated according to their ability to integrate course material and the community service experience, not just for completing the course and its service component

4)      The course is arranged in partnership with an approved community-based organization.

5)      The experience provides the community partners with useful service (i.e. tutoring, enrichment lessons, health education, research, report writing) as distinct from mere observation.

6)      The community service component fulfills a least 15%, but not more than 30%, of the student’s requirements for the course.  In a three-unit course, this translates to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 hours (rounded off and based on a formula that states each in-class hour may be complemented by two additional out-of-class hours of academically related work).  Preparation time may be included in the calculations, with justification.

7)      Participation in the service component is mandatory.  In those rare instances when a student can not meet this obligation, (i.e. disability, medical emergency or unanticipated work commitments) that student will be given an appropriate assignment that supports the service activities of fellow students, such as preparing materials for community use.

8)      A reflective component which ensures that students analyze their community service experiences and can synthesize them with their academic studies.

9)      The coursework is assessed by students, faculty, community-based organization liaisons or supervisors and the Center for Community-Service Learning.

10)   The partnership does not represent a conflict of interest to the faculty or students participating in the service experience.

11)   It is recommended that readings for the course include materials that provide an introduction to the San Fernando Valley community to community service and to nonprofit organizations.

 

Process for Designation

1)      Follow normal policies and procedures for creating/modifying curriculum

2)      Submit justification based on criteria

3)      Educational Policies Committee reviews the classes once every five years to determine their continued viability

 

Where Designation Appears

Courses marked with “CS” in the University Catalogue and Schedule of Classes

 

 

Criteria for Designation

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 the methods for students to think about what they learned through the service experience and how this learning related to the subject of the class.

4)      The course requires reflective strategies 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 aim at the development of the civic education of citizens even though they may also be focused on career preparation.

7)      Knowledge from the discipline informs the service experiences.

8)      The class offers a way to learn from other class members (i.e. through reflection sessions) as well as from the instructor.

9)      Course options ensure that no student is required to participate in a service placement that creates a religious, political and/or moral conflict for the student.

 

Process for Designation

Submit application materials to the Service-Learning Coordinator for approval, then passed to the department chair for approval and finally to the dean for approval of designation. The application packet includes the following:

1)      Current syllabus reflecting the service-learning pedagogy, which may include:

a)      Description of service-learning experience and connection with course theory

b)      Service-learning requirements and assignments

2)      One paragraph description of the class (2 sentences from course catalog, 2 sentences about the service, credit hours, semester(s) anticipated being taught)

3)      One page document detailing how the class will meet each of the nine criteria for a service-learning class

 

Where Designation Appears

Schedule of classes