High Impact Practices: Service Learning

Service-learning courses should meet the minimum criteria below:

• Service or other engagement activity is integrated within course content and supports its academic focus, with a minimum of 15 hours of community engagement by each student in the course.
• Students are involved in engagement of value to the community, as evidenced by collaboration with the community itself.
• Structured opportunities for guided reflection occur at multiple points of the course.
• Clear demonstration of service-learning learning outcomes and their assessment are included in syllabus.
• The course does not require activities or projects that create a religious or political conflict for the student.

Learning objectives may include:

• Analysis of knowledge: Connects and extends knowledge (facts, theories, etc.) from one's own academic study/field/discipline to civic engagement and to one's own participation in civic life, politics, and government. (AAC&U, 2011)
• Diversity of communities and cultures: Reflects on how own attitudes and beliefs are different from those of other cultures and communities. Exhibits curiosity about what can be learned from diversity of communities and cultures. (AAC&U, 2011)
• Civic action and reflection: Demonstrates independent experience and shows initiative in team leadership of complex or multiple civic engagement activities, accompanied by reflective insights or analysis about the aims and accomplishments of one’s actions.(AAC&U, 2011)
• Civic contexts/structures: Demonstrates ability and commitment to collaboratively work across and within community contexts and structures to achieve a civic aim. (AAC&U, 2011)

Are you thinking about offering a service-learning course?  Consider having your course officially approved as a University Service-Learning Course (SL). You can use the designation as evidence of teaching excellence in promotion and tenure applications. 

Courses are designated on a semester-by-semester basis, unless a department or college chooses a continuous "SL" designation for the course. Applications are reviewed by the Service-Learning Advisory Board in December (spring courses) and May (summer and fall courses).

Please contact morgan.lewing@tamuct.edu with any questions.  

We have an e-reserves page with articles on service learning. Check it out!

Did you know TAMUCT has a faculty fellows program for service learning?

In the Fall, three workshops are held to teach practical and theoretical principles of service learning. For the Spring, faculty fellows incorporate what has been learned for a course of their design. Three spring discussions provide structured support for troubleshooting challenges and ensuring quality. Benefits include a stipend, a potential course release, recognition by university leadership, and evidence of teaching excellence.  Applications for the program are typically opened in March and close in April, prior to beginning the following September.  

Contact Dr. Morgan Lewing at morgan.lewing@tamuct.edu for more details.

Consider the American Democracy Project!

The American Democracy Project (ADP) is a network of more than 250 state colleges and universities focused on public higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy. The ADP was established in 2003 with the goal of producing college and university graduates who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and experiences they need to be informed, engaged members of their communities.