Service Learning

Service Learning Standards:
 
Goals of Service-Learning and Theories of Leadership

Demonstrate initiative and self-direction:
      • Identify and discuss issues that have an impact on you or on your community.
      • Ask significant questions to identify opportunities to take personal leadership related to a chosen topic or project.
      • Using the IPARD model, create a project plan to address a real, local community need and outline clear roles and responsibilities for all team members.
      • Complete tasks as directed without direct supervision, knowing when questions or guidance should be requested.
      • Further investigate tasks or topics of interest and explore deeper content on one’s own that may provide additional opportunities for learning.
      • Display self-efficacy and confidence in one's ability to succeed in specific situations.
      • Exhibit resourcefulness and initiative in taking on new tasks and solving problems as appropriate.
 
Demonstrate adaptability and flexibility:
      • Exhibit adaptability and flexibility in a variety of roles, jobs responsibilities, schedules, and contexts to accomplish project goals.
      • Assess the project and collaborate with outside sources as the project takes shape, adapting to needs that arise.
      • Make adjustments to the project plan as necessary to make the best possible impact on the chosen issue or project.
      • Demonstrate a willingness to alter behaviors or tasks and work effectively when projects and tasks change or the priorities seem ambiguous.
      • Respond positively to praise, setbacks, and constructive criticism.
 
Demonstrate interpersonal and social skills using cultural/global competence:
      • Investigate an organization or other outside source that has expertise related to the selected project for insight into the project or goals and how they impact the issue from their perspective.
      • Interact respectfully and effectively with peers, teachers, and community organizations.
      • Respect cultural differences in school and the community and understand their impact on the project or issue at hand.
      • Investigate the impact the project may have more broadly as it relates to the community, state, or global issues.
      • Work effectively with people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds to implement the project successfully.
      • Exhibit appropriate interpersonal behaviors regarding hierarchy, use of time/punctuality, dress, food, holidays, and etiquette.
 
Demonstrate productivity and accountability:
      • Manage time and projects effectively by setting goals; developing and using a system for prioritizing, planning, and managing daily work; and seeking assistance and adjusting plans to adapt to changing circumstances.
      • Attend to details with a degree of precision and accuracy appropriate to the task.
      • Collaborate with an outside organization or entity to ensure implementation of the project plan and progress toward the project goals.
      • Demonstrate accountability to peers and individuals from partnering organizations by completing agreed-upon projects on time, delivering work to agreed-upon standards, and exhibiting pride in workmanship.
 
Understand and demonstrate appropriate leadership skills:
      • Investigate various theories of leadership and discuss the environmental and personal traits that have impacted successful leaders.
      • Synthesize when various forms of leadership are appropriate and when they are not.
      • Research a leader that has had an impact on the group’s chosen issue and examine the factors that made them successful or not.
      • Formulate a personal theory of leadership and communicate clearly how it applies to the project at hand.
      • Identify ways to demonstrate personal leadership during the project and document them in the Personalized Learning Plan.
      • Draw conclusions about where else these leadership skills may be used in life outside of school.
 
Collaborate and work productively as a team member:
      • Work effectively as a member of a team and address conflict with sensitivity and respect for diverse points of view.
      • Demonstrate understanding of individual impact and build on different perspectives to strengthen joint efforts.
      • Effectively employ meeting management strategies such as using an agenda, time keeping, employing meeting facilitation strategies, identifying action items, and scheduling next steps.
 
Personal Safety and Demonstrating Quality Learning

Understand and demonstrate appropriate safety standards:
      • Understand the physical and mental challenges of working on the chosen issue or project and identify safety issues relevant to the service-learning experience.
      • Accurately read and interpret safety guidelines and applicable laws appropriate for the service-learning experience.
      • Analyze and describe how safety issues impact the health and wellbeing of all parties involved.
      • Demonstrate work behaviors consistent with safety standards throughout the experience.
      • Reflect on the safety behaviors demonstrated by the group and draw conclusions about the quality of the safety compliance and what could be improved upon in the future.
 
Explore education and career paths aligned with personal goals:
      • Observe and analyze the organizational culture and practices that impact the service-learning project, such as how to interact with supervisors, clients, co-workers, and classmates, and how to recognize and address health, safety, and sustainability issues.
      • Identify credible sources and seek information about the professional standards for working in that environment and the skills needed to impact the success of the project or the organization’s mission.
      • Reflect on personal areas of strength and identify opportunities for growth, drawing conclusions about how this growth will apply to future experiences in life.
      • Investigate the pros and cons of a career working with the chosen issue and write career goals based on what is learned.
 
Develop and implement a Personalized Learning Plan:
      • Develop a Personalized Learning Plan specific to the service-learning experience that identifies personal goals for demonstrating growth in the following areas:
a. The application of academic and technical knowledge and skills
b. Career knowledge and navigation skills
c. 21st Century learning and innovation skills
d. Personal and social skills
      • Using the personal theory of leadership developed in Standard 5, identify ways to demonstrate personal leadership during the project.
      • To determine progress against the plan, participate in ongoing personal reflection and review of progress with relevant stakeholders (instructor, service-learning site leader, etc.), adjusting the plan as needed.
      • Reflecting on career goals developed in Standard 8, draw conclusions about personal growth demonstrated throughout the service-learning project and how it will impact future career opportunities.
      • Identify academic knowledge and skills from previous course work that were applied through the service-learning project and provide feedback and suggestions for improving the project that would better allow for skill development in all these areas.
 
Reflect on experiences through creation of a personal portfolio:
      • Create a personal portfolio, or similar collection of work, that illustrates each phase of the service-learning experience.
      • Collect artifacts and/or work products that reflect the skills developed and knowledge gained through the service-learning experience.
      • Assess personal growth through varied reflection activities. Accurately self-assess to plan opportunities for further growth and development, drawing conclusions about how the project will continue to impact the community and the student, personally. Products may include but are not limited to:
a. Project plan for the service-learning project, based on the IPARD model and developed by the student
b. Examples (drafts as well as final products) of materials created and used for the service-learning experience
c. Reflection products (examples - journal entries, brainstorming webs, quotes, songs, poems, drawings, photos, presentations, plays, impact statement, cartoons, service contracts, learning logs, storyboards, etc.)
d. Pictures and/or video from the demonstration of service to a public audience
e. Updated resume
f. Personal theory of leadership

Effective Program Management

Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving:
      • Use brainstorming techniques to collect ideas or issues that impact the students or other people in the community.
      • Identify a topic of real concern to the local community and determine the central reasons that it is of particular importance.
      • Ask questions to inspect the various factors at play and identify organizations or people who are making a significant impact.
      • Collect information from multiple sources and assess the relevance of each source in determining a potential solution.
      • Use inductive and deductive reasoning methods to recognize faulty reasoning and to understand problems and alternative solutions.
      • Identify key factors and relationships that address the root cause of the problem.
      • Utilize collected information to develop and propose solutions.
      • Create a chart or other visual display to communicate the challenge and proposed solutions to others.
 
Demonstrate creativity and innovation:
      • Exhibit insight into the particular needs and interests of the target audience that are driving the selected project.
      • Use idea generating techniques to explore divergent and atypical questions and perspectives to develop original ideas to solve problems important to the local community.
      • Research existing methods and resources that are available as well as local and global organizations seeking to make an impact on the selected topic.
      • Propose new resources and methods that may never have been used to impact the selected topic in your community and assess the viability of each.
      • Investigate creative ways to communicate the project effectively with internal and external stakeholders, create buy-in, and communicate successful outcomes after the project concludes.
 
Communicate clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing:
      • Write a clear and concise vision and mission statement to summarize the primary intent of the group on the selected issue.
      • Design goals for the project that will enable the team to have a successful impact.
      • Write a project plan that effectively addresses how proposed actions address a real, local community need, and outline clear roles and responsibilities for all team members.
      • Develop and deliver messages effectively in written products and oral presentations, presenting information, processes, and viewpoints in a clear, succinct, and accurate manner.
      • Use context-specific vocabulary effectively in written personal communications with other teams, organizations and/or government agencies.
      • Articulate ideas effectively in interpersonal communications with teachers, mentors, peers and community leaders.
      • Demonstrate effective listening skills and accurately paraphrasing what has been heard.
      • Communicate effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures.
 
Demonstrate information literacy:
      • Access information efficiently using appropriate sources.
      • Understand the difference between credible and non-credible sources, including the difference between advertising and legitimate research, when creating material (papers, proposals, etc.).
      • Evaluate information for usefulness, bias, and accuracy and question information that may not be from credible sources.
      • Organize and manage information effectively and efficiently and use a standard format of citation to reference sources.
      • Follow all ethical and legal guidelines, including adherence to all rules and regulations related to sharing of protected information.
 
Use technology effectively and appropriately:
      • Use appropriate technology for information search and retrieval, synchronous and asynchronous communications, multimedia presentations, document production, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and information management.
      • Use social networking and online collaboration tools, such as shared documents and web conferencing, to create, integrate, and manage information in group projects.
      • Access and manage online communication and information using a variety of digital devices such as laptop computers, tablets, smart phones, etc.
      • Demonstrate adherence to all rules and regulations related to use of electronic tools and the internet, including appropriate protection of passcodes and adherence to all security protocols.
 
Demonstrate professionalism and ethical behavior:
      • Throughout the IPARD process, present oneself professionally and with proper etiquette, in accordance with norms of the organization and activity.
      • Demonstrate reliability and responsibility in attendance and in following through on agreed-upon tasks.
      • Communicate clearly with organization or leaders when circumstances change.
      • Behave with integrity and ethically in all activities including the use of tools and materials, handling of money, tracking of hours, sharing of information, and completion of all forms.
      • Understand and adhere to appropriate non-discrimination standards on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, veteran status, or any characteristic of a person or group unrelated to the workplace.