|
|
 |
|
| |
|
| |
| From the Editors - an update from Barbara: |
| |
 
Greetings from Australia!
Service-learning is being adopted here in Australian schools, public and private, much faster than in higher education. Since 2005, there have been two national conferences on service-learning in schools. Three of the largest states, Western Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales, have implemented a new requirement that all Year 10 high school students (the terms freshman, sophomore etc are not used here!) must do 20 hours of community service. Guidebooks were created to help schools and students plan service activities, and a teacher or staff person in each school gets some release time to help coordinate the program. There are also teacher-training events and state consultants to help with implementation. Western Australia was the first to implement and has had two years experience with their requirement. They quickly realized that putting forward an hour goal for community service was producing very uneven results! Some schools were quite happy with good results for their students and communities, others were really struggling to figure out how to make the service activity efficient and meaningful. Some schools became aware of service-learning and adopted the Learn and Serve America definition and models obtained through NSLC and other sources.
In early October I attended the annual state conference on community service, and gave a keynote and afternoon workshop for about 120 teachers, principals, and school consultants. They were excited to hear the evidence of service-learning on students' academic, social, and civic development that has been produced in the US and to learn of Learn and Serve America's goal of service-learning in half of all schools by 2010. In our workshop we explored how more schools might transition to service-learning practices to improve student outcomes. As a result, we are working together to plan an exciting research project that will make comparative evaluations of student, teacher, and community impacts between schools doing service and those doing service-learning. The study could involve hundreds of schools, so this will be a major study and should be quite valuable for us in the US as well.
Closer to home, if you have stories or photos demonstrating the positive effects of service-learning in your area or if you have tools used in your program you’d like to share with the broader service-learning community, please send them our way via one of the easy submission choices here: http://www.servicelearning.org/library/share/.
Barbara and Liberty
Barbara Holland, National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Director
Liberty Smith, National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Program Manager |
| |
| News: |
| |
"Millennials Talk Politics: A Study of College Student Political Engagement"
 College students in the United States are hungry for political conversation that is
authentic, involves diverse views and is free of manipulation and “spin,” according to a new
report released today by the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning &
Engagement (CIRCLE) and The Charles F. Kettering Foundation. The report provides important
clues to political candidates running for all offices about how to mobilize young voters, who by
all accounts will make up a quarter of the voting population in the 2008 elections. [Press Release]
Download the full report (6400K pdf). |
| |
|
| |
National Service Grows in Indian Communities
(Sparks, Nev.) - More and more Indian communities have learned the value of using national service as a strategy to tackle tough social problems, and the Corporation for National and Community Service is eager to build on this momentum and expand the reach and impact of tribal service programs, its CEO David Eisner announced today.
Read the complete press release. |
| |
|
| |
Apply for $1,000 Grant!
  State Farm Companies Foundation and Youth Service America are offering the annual State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant for youth across the United States and Canada (in Alberta, Ontario, and New Brunswick only). These grants of up to $1,000 support youth (ages 5-25), teachers, or school-based service-learning coordinators in implementing service-learning projects for Global Youth Service Day 2008. The deadline is November 16, 2007.
To learn more, visit http://www.ysa.org/awards or email Goodneighbor@ysa.org. |
| |
|
| New From NSLC: |
| |
Reflection in Service-Learning: Selected Resources
This bibliography highlights resources for practitioners and researchers interested in reflection. Reflection describes the process of deriving meaning and knowledge from experience and occurs before, during, and after a service-learning project. Effective reflection engages both service-learning leaders and participants in a thoughtful and thought-provoking process that consciously connects learning with experience. It is the use of critical thinking skills to prepare for and learn from service experiences.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/bibs/cb_bibs/reflection/ |
| |
|
| People are Talking About... |
| |
This past month saw much talk on the Higher Ed email discussion list about examples of service-learning projects on specific topics, including: the history of death; homelessness; automotive studies; and non-clinical community health.
The K-12 email discussion list showed a similar trend, with discussion and many suggestions on composting projects and small-scale service projects that could begin getting kids interested and involved in service and service learning.
If you have service-learning project ideas or sample syllabi and lesson plans to share on these topics or others, consider submitting them to NSLC!
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/mat_contrib/
If you're not yet a part of a service-learning discussion list, please join us in discussing this and other topics in service-learning practice and scholarship by visiting http://www.servicelearning.org/what_is_service-learning/lists_news/index.php#ls. |
| |
| NSLC How-Tos: |
| |
Are you just starting a project or maybe need some help boosting aspects of one you already have? Come take a look at our collection of tool kits to see what they might have to offer you.
These tool kits provide information and strategies for practitioners, teachers, student leaders, administrators, and community activists interested in creating or enhancing service-learning programs. They may include project planning information, blank forms, curriculum guides, volunteer recruitment suggestions, ideas for generating media attention, and fund-raising plans. Whether you work in higher education, k-12 schools, or community-based organizations, we have something for you!
How might you find these resources?
Go to the Instant Info pop-out menu in our left navigation bar where you can find our tool kit page:
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/tool_kits/index.php
Or for even more tool kits in the NSLC library, check the box marked ‘tool kits’ in the advanced search of our library catalog:
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/default.php |
|
| Featured Library Resources: |
| |
 Giving Back: Introducing Community Service Learning: Improving Mandated Community Service for Juvenile Offenders
This manual gives youth courts and other juvenile-justice agencies the tools they need to apply school-based service-learning methods to court-mandated community-service. This guidebook provides skill-building strategies and materials to introduce juvenile offenders to basic concepts of community and community problems and offer three options for planning and implementing community service-learning projects specifically designed to deal with ten offenses that youth courts and other juvenile-justice agencies most frequently address.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7284
Family Volunteer Day Guidebook
This guidebook is designed to help families with service project planning for National Family Volunteer Day. It includes information on project development, media relations, as well as resources to help families find and carry out volunteer projects.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7270
 Youth Service-Learning: A Family Strengthening Strategy
This policy brief focuses on how and why the human services community – from policy makers to practitioners – can invest in service-learning to not only facilitate the positive development of disadvantaged youth, but also strengthen their families and communities.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7244
 Youth-Led Evaluation: A Guidebook
This guidebook is designed to serve as an introduction for young people to the evaluation process. It is based on the principles of sound evaluation and explained in a way that should appeal to youth. It covers some of the basic processes, from formulating questions and a focus for study, to actually practicing some introductory skills in observing, interviewing, developing surveys, and conducting focus groups.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7272 |
| |
| Order Publications from NSLC: |
| |
Do you need Bring Learning to Life dvds or promotional materials for an upcoming event? Or do you just want to bone up on reflection by taking notes in your own copy of The Practitioner’s Guide to Reflection? The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse features a variety of resources for order in the field of service-learning. Formats include printed material, promotional items, and video formats (VHS, CD-Rom, and DVD). The order process is easy and many of the items are free! Just fill out the form online and check your mail!
http://www.servicelearning.org/pubs/index.php |
| |
| What's Happening: |
| |
Surfing the Wave of Change
December 12 - 14, 2007
San Diego, CA
Sponsor: Youth Service America
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=644
Intentional Learning, Unscripted Challenges, Knowledge and Imagination for an Interdependent World
January 23 - 26, 2007
Washington, DC
Sponsor: Association of American Colleges and Universities
http://servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=650
12th Annual Institute: Service-Learning and Civic Engagement
February 7 - 8, 2007
Mount Pleasant, MI
Sponsor: Michigan Campus Compact
http://servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=637
The sixth annual Gulf South Summit on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Through Higher Education
March 13 – 15, 2008
Nashville, TN
Sponsor: Belmont University
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=666
The 19th Annual National Service-Learning Conference: Youth for a Change
April 9 – 12, 2008
Minneapolis, MN
Sponsor: NYLC (National Youth Leadership Council)
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=618
Eleventh Annual Continuums of Service Conference
April 17 – 19, 2008
Portland, OR
Sponsor: Western Region Campus Compact Consortium
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=596
20th Annual International & Global Youth Service Day
April 25 – 27, 2008
(multiple locations)
Youth Service America and The Global Youth Action Network
http://www.servicelearning.org/events_jobs/slconf_events/index.php?action=detailed&event=630 |
| |
|
| Learn and Serve America Grantee Materials Roundup: |
Learn and Serve America Grantees are required to send the Clearinghouse all program evaluations and other material developed through their funded activities. But don’t just do it because you have to! Do it because you’ll be supporting the greater service-learning community and allowing others to build on your work to help their students succeed and their communities grow in positive directions!
Whether or not you’re a Learn and Serve America Grantee please send us your handbooks, guides, curricula, forms, and anything else you think could be useful to others involved in service-learning.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/mat_contrib/.
Check out this list of recent grantee submissions to find evaluation tools, program ideas, publicity ideas, strategies for measuring learning, etc.
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/grantee_submitted_mats.php. |
| |
|
| |
How to Get a Job in the Nonprofit Sector: A Guide for College Students
Ohio Campus Compact
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7253
Earn, Learn, and Serve: Getting the Most from Community Service Federal Work-Study
Campus Compact
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7259
A Guide to Engaging Students in Service-Learning Projects Addressing Hometown Safety: Lessons from Florida SPaRC: Second Edition 2007
Learn and Serve America Florida
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7271
Learning to Give: Final Evaluation Report 2004-2005
Michigan State University
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7279
NH Serve Study Initiative: Insights for Community Service Federal Work Study
Campus Compact for New Hampshire
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7281
Community Partner Toolkit: Helping Community Agencies More Effectively Access Community Service Work Study Programs
Campus Compact for New Hampshire
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/lib_cat/index.php?library_id=7282 |
| |
|
| Shape NSLC! |
| |
We want to show the world what service-learning can look like!
Do you have a terrific story of a student who was slipping through the cracks until they were reached by service-learning? Or do you have an inspiring project that makes others wonder what THEY could be doing to better the community? Send us your service-learning success stories and let us tell them to America!
http://www.servicelearning.org/nslc/success_story_form/
Send us your high quality photos of your service-learning programs or projects to highlight on our sector pages, as well as on the rest of the site, what service-learning in action can look like!
http://www.servicelearning.org/library/mat_contrib/share_photo_form.php
We appreciate the contributions you make to the enhancement of the National Service Learning Clearinghouse, America 's Resource for Service-Learning Information. |
| |
| Success Stories: |
| Success stories are a way for NSLC to highlight and show off what you have done and are doing in the realm of service-learning.
Submit your story. |
| |
|
| |
From the Cafeteria to the Gas Tank (A Learn and Serve America Subgrantee)
 It’s lunch time at Heritage High School and the teachers are discussing their weekend. Gwen Thompson, our Advanced Placement Chemistry and Physics teacher shares how she attempted to create bio-diesel in her home. Jim Neiman, the Careers in Technical Education teacher, takes an interest in Gwen’s idea. Both instructors have recently purchased vehicles that run on diesels. Gwen knows that the school cafeteria produces thousands of gallons of fats and oils that can be combined with other ingredients to produce bio-diesel. Why not make this a class project? So after some discussion, Gwen and Jim presented the idea of creating bio-diesel to their students, who became highly engaged in the project and discovered how to produce bio-diesel on a large scale.
 In February, the students presented their findings to the Evergreen School Board with each student explaining his or her learning and contribution to the process. The students then passed out glycerol soap (a by-product) to the audience. The students received a standing ovation from the large crowd, and Superintendent John Deeder and members of the school board were impressed by the students and their commitment to the project. It’s clear that Gwen and Jim's idea of integrating the curriculum and thinking outside the box has had a major impact on students and teachers alike. The students are already talking about expanding this project next year and teaming with a marketing class, as well as the Evergreen Transportation Department, to help market the fuel. Their long-term goal is to produce enough fuel to supply some of the district’s buses.
For a copy of a DVD that explains the setup of this project in detail, please contact Evergreen CTE Director Susan Dixon at 360-604-1001 (ext 4449) or email sdixon@egreen.wednet.edu - http://www.cesnorthwest.org. |
| |
|
| |
View other success stories. |
| |
|
| |
Spread the Good News! |
| |
NSLC is all about sharing, so please feel free to forward to friends and colleagues and invite them to subscribe by sending a blank email to join-nslc-newsletter@lists.etr.org. You're also welcome to incorporate excerpts from the newsletter into your own newsletter (just be sure to cite Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse NSLC Newsletter and send us a copy). |
|
