Faculty/Instructional Staff S-L/CBR FAQ’s

Click on one of the questions listed in each section to be taken to the answer lower on this page. If you do not see your question listed below, feel free to contact Randy Wallar at jrwallar@wisc.edu to have your question answered.

Academic Service-Learning Basics:

• What is academic service-learning?
• What isn’t academic service-learning (s-l)?
• What is community-based research (cbr)?
• What is the difference between academic service-learning and community-based research?
• How is academic success measured for service-learning projects?
• What is the importance of the reflection component of academic service-learning?
• Is a minimum amount of service hours required for a course to be considered academic service-learning/community-based research?
• Are there different types or models of academic service-learning courses?
• What are some potential issues related to teaching an academic service-learning or community-based research course?
• What if students say things in their journals or in class that I think reveal inappropriate conclusions?

Rationale for Academic Service-Learning:

• Is service-learning just another way of attempting to water down academic standards at the university?
• Using academic service-learning as a teaching method: will I be able to apply this pedagogy successfully?
• Relevance: What if the connection between service and learning is not accepted or understood in my department?
• Will using academic service-learning in my courses count against me in the promotion, review, and tenure process? How do faculty/instructional staff members tie s-l to their overall scholarly work?
• What opportunities are there to publish in the field of academic service-learning?
• What are the benefits of academic service-learning for students? 
• What are the benefits of academic service-learning for faculty/instructional staff
• What are the benefits of academic service-learning for community partner organizations?

Expectations in Academic Service-Learning Courses

• What is the student’s role in the service-learning process?
• What is the faculty/instructional staff member’s role in the service-learning process? 
• What is the Morgridge Center’s role in the service-learning process? 
• What is the community partner organization’s role in the service-learning process?

Logistics of Academic Service-Learning Courses

• Time constraints (for faculty/instructional staff): How do I fit something entirely new into a course with a full syllabus?
• I have decided to teach course with an academic service-learning component – what is the next step for me?
• What happens if a student cannot or does not fulfill a service commitment?
• Where can I find examples of syllabi from academic service-learning courses?
• How will my students get to off-campus service sites?

Working with Community Partners

• I would like to find a community agency with whom I can partner for an academic service-learning course. Are there campus resources that can provide me with a list of potential partner agencies?
• Can students find their own placement sites?
• What if some of my students have problems with their placements (late getting started, can’t reach site coordinator, inappropriate assignments, etc.)?
• What should students do if they feel their service placement is not working out? 

Liability/Risk Issues

• Are my students insured when they are at their site placements?
• What if one of my students has a traumatic incident while working in the community?
• What if something happens to my students or their actions result in damages to someone else?

Resources

• What resources are available to faculty/instructional staff members who wish to learn more about academic service-learning?

Academic Service-Learning Basics

What is academic service-learning?

• A “course-based, credit-bearing educational experience that allows students to (a) participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and (b) reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility." - Bringle & Hatcher (1995)

• An episodic volunteer program
• Completing minimum service hours in order to graduate
• One-sided: benefiting only the students or only the community
• No formal reflection process

Furco’s “Continuum of Service Types” (below) depicts academic service-learning in relation to other service types.  In academic s-l, benefits are shared equally between Recipient and Provider, with a focus equally upon Service and Learning.

What is community-based research (cbr)?

• A partnership of students, faculty/instructional staff and community who collaboratively engage in research with the purpose of solving a pressing community problem and/or effecting social change. - Strand et al. (2003)

• Also known as: participatory research, action research, participatory action research, community-based participatory research

What is the difference between academic service-learning and community-based research?

• Cbr falls under the umbrella of service-learning; it is a particular model of service-learning where the research topic is developed in collaboration with the community partner, and results are shared with the community partner.  Additionally, cbr has social action and social change as a goal. - Stoecker (2002)

How is academic success measured for service-learning projects?

• Academic credit is not awarded for the quality of the service or the service itself; credit is awarded for the student’s demonstration of academic and civic learning.  In traditional courses, academic credit and grades are assigned based on students’ demonstration of academic learning as measured by the instructor. It is no different in service-learning courses. While in traditional courses we assess students’ learning from traditional course resources, e.g., textbooks, class discussions, library research, etc., in service-learning courses we evaluate students’ learning from the blending of traditional resources and community service.

What is the importance of reflection in academic service-learning?

• Reflection activities provide a method or methods for students to process what they learned through the service experience and how these experiences relate to academic course content.  It is a thoughtfully-constructed process that challenges and guides students in:

(1) examining critical issues related to their service-learning project
(2) connecting the service experience to coursework
(3) enhancing the development of civic and ethical skills and values, and
(4) finding personal relevance in the work

Is a minimum amount of service hours required for a course to be considered academic service-learning/community-based research?

• The Morgridge Center for Public Service (and other academic service-learning centers at peer institutions) recommends at least 20-25 hours of service over the course of the semester in order for the course to be considered s-l/cbr.

Are there different types or models of academic service-learning courses?

• Yes.  The varying models are listed below, alongside corresponding UW-Madison course examples.  A more in-depth description of the components of each respective model can be found in the Faculty Introduction to S-l/cbr PowerPoint toward the bottom of the faculty page of the Morgridge Center website.

1) Discipline-based service-learning; UW-Madison example: Rehab Psych & Special Education 300 – Individuals with Disabilities
2) Project-based/consulting service-learning; UW-Madison example: InterEgr 160 – Introduction to Engineering
3) Capstone; UW-Madison example: Integrated Liberal Studies 400 – Education, Leadership & Character
4) Service internship; UW-Madison example: Women’s Studies 660 – Internship in Women’s Studies
5) Community-based research; UW-Madison example: Rural Sociology 955/Sociology 755 – Seminar in Qualitative Methodology

• Frequently the problems that emerge are due to students being unprepared for the ambiguity of out-of-classroom experiences.  There are problems of procrastination, intimidation, unwillingness to confront authority figures when a placement deviates from the plan, and problems with peers.
• Problems of mixed motives, trivialization of service, deficiency and pity, and “McService” are also potential issues that arise in service-learning that may be avoided with proper planning.

• Open avenues of communication for students are essential.  Student should know whom they can talk to and how issues can be handled expeditiously.  Examples of open avenues of communication that allow the instructor to understand the student’s service experience include:
• Reflection – student journals or classroom discussions are a ready source of information about how a placement is going. 
• Classroom surveys – Asking students to respond to a set of questions about their service-learning assignments two or three weeks after they begin their work in communities can also help identify problem areas.
• Electronic conduits – Creating a chat room or an interactive web site with regular reporting-in requirements is a very successful way of staying in contact with students.
• Calls to community supervisors – Often a call to a service site can be used to identify gaps between what is in a service-learning contract, what students report, and what actually seems to be happening.
• Faculty/instructional staff observations – While going out into the community and seeing students at work is very time intensive, such visits provide a wealth of information and valuable opportunities to talk with community supervisors.
• Advocates – Students should know whom they can meet with to discuss potential issues faced at placement sites.  This should include faculty/instructional staff members, teaching assistants, or Morgridge Center Service-Learning Fellows.

What if students say things in their journals or in class that I think reveal inappropriate conclusions?

• Occasionally students will show insensitivity from their contact with the community, or demonstrate that a stereotype has actually been reinforced.  These must be addressed in some fashion.  Students must be guided to look beyond and beneath the obvious to get at the root causes of social problems.  They need to be taught to gather more data and look at issues from many perspectives rather than generalizing from one or two encounters.

Rationale for Academic Service-Learning

Is academic service-learning just another way of attempting to water down academic standards at the university?

• It is important to bear in mind that academic learning is the core of what happens in these classes. What students are learning in the classroom should drive their service activities. If a service-learning class is designed and carried out properly, we believe that it will actually be even more rigorous than traditionally-structured courses. In academic service-learning courses, students are not only being asked to master course material; they are also being asked to take the information that they are being taught in the classroom and apply it to the experiences that they are having at their site placement.

Using academic service-learning as a teaching method: Will I be able to apply this pedagogy successfully?

• Anytime you incorporate new pedagogical strategies into your teaching, your competencies are going to be challenged—academic service-learning is no different. Many educators will have to assume an entirely different role in the teaching-learning process, moving from that of teacher to the position of a “co-educator,” sharing that role with the community partner organization and your students.

Relevance: What if the connection between service and learning is not accepted or understood in my department?

• Some faculty/instructional staff in the biological sciences are initially resistant to teaching service-learning because they are unable to imagine site placements directly related to their course content areas. However, while finding a connection between classroom learning and service to the community may be easier in some subject areas and more difficult in others, it can be effective in any field.
• There are resources available at the University to help you integrate s-l/cbr into your course. The Morgridge Center Resource Library (Room 154, Red Gym) contains extensive literature on how to utilize s-l pedagogy in different subject areas (including the biological sciences). Stanley Dodson in Zoology and Sara Patterson in Horticulture are examples of the small but steadily-growing cadre of faculty/instructional staff members who have successfully utilized service-learning in their teaching.

Will using academic service-learning in my courses count against me in the promotion, review, and tenure process? How do faculty/instructional staff members tie s-l to their overall scholarly work?

• While different departments will give different weights to this kind of teaching methodologies, incorporation of academic service-learning isn’t currently a criteria in tenure consideration, many faculty/instructional staff members from various disciplines at UW-Madison (and other institutions of higher education) have successfully integrated academic service-learning into their scholarly work. The Morgridge Center Faculty Director is available for consulting around this topic.

What opportunities are there to publish in the field of academic service-learning?

• Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse provides a list of journals and other publications where you can submit research and articles on academic service-learning across all levels.
• The major journal in the field is the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning

What are the benefits of academic service-learning for students?

• Greater motivation to learn; deeper understanding of subject matter; integration of concepts from class to authentic issues
• Reduction of negative stereotypes; increase in tolerance for diversity
• Greater self-knowledge; increased awareness of community, social issues
• Enhanced interpersonal skills; improved leadership
• Especially valuable for those who learn best through experience and teaching others
• Encourages retention of first-generation and students of color

What are the benefits of academic service-learning for faculty/instructional staff?

• Stronger relationships with students
• Facilitates interdisciplinary and collaborative projects; broadens outlets for presentations and publications of research
• Demonstrates commitment to the community by awarding academic credit for learning through service or community-based research; increases opportunities for professional recognition and awards
• Extends the classroom into community for the development of mutually-beneficial knowledge; places faculty in alignment with the Wisconsin Idea
• Student evaluations of s-l/cbr courses more favorable than ‘traditional’ courses
• Creates a more personal relationship between students and instructor

What are the benefits of academic service-learning for community partner organizations?

• Supports the work of agencies which are often understaffed and under-budgeted
• Creates new alliances and partnerships with the University; demystifies a large and complex institution; creates opportunities to learn about the latest research on practical questions for staff and clients
• Infuses agencies with the excitement, enthusiasm, and energy of young college students, as well as older and more experienced students who can ‘hit the ground running’ based on their previous educational and employment history
• Allows agencies to work with students and identify prospective employees

Expectations in Academic Service-Learning Courses

What is the student’s role in the service-learning process?

• Fulfill all agreed upon duties and responsibilities at the placement site, as well as being prompt, willing, respectful and positive.  Be open to learning about cultures and lifestyles different from their own; communicate with site supervisor or instructor if uncomfortable or uncertain about role; respect confidentiality of clients served; complete necessary paperwork, provide feedback regarding service experience, participate in course discussions, participate in evaluation process.

What is the faculty/instructional staff member’s role in the service-learning process? 

• Set learning objectives; identify and meet with potential service sites; describe service-learning activity and relation to course objectives in syllabus; facilitate activities that will prepare students for service; guide/foster in-class reflection; review reflective journals and final papers; give final letter grade.

What is the Morgridge Center’s role in the service-learning process? 

• Educate faculty/instructional staff about service-learning/community-based research pedagogies and best practices.  Serve as an advisor on logistical, risk management, and troubleshooting issues; maintain and share a current roster of service-learning faculty and courses; assist with finding community partner organizations, when appropriate; connect new faculty with faculty mentors, and work to strengthen the community of service-learning faculty.

What is the community partner organization’s role in the service-learning process?

• Orient students to the agency’s mission and goals so that they can better understand their role within the agency; provide work that is relevant to course content and challenging to the student; provide the training, supervision, feedback, and resources necessary for student success in the service-learning experience; ensure a safe work environment and reasonable hours for the student to perform service.

Logistics of Academic Service-Learning Courses

Time constraints (for faculty/instructional staff): How do I fit something entirely new into a course with a full syllabus?

• Academic service-learning is not an add-on to the current requirements of your course. As you begin to incorporate it into your teaching, some of your traditional teaching techniques may be replaced with more dynamic learning activities.  Instructors note that additional “prep time” in excess of the norm is generally required for s-l courses; however, the higher levels of student engagement in their courses more than make up for any extra time they spend doing the initial planning.  Morgridge Center Service-Learning Fellows can provide assistance with many of the initial administrative tasks associated with developing an academic service-learning component or course.

I have decided to teach a course with an academic service-learning component – what is the next step for me?
1) Follow departmental procedures to get proper approval for a change in course content/new course
2) Confirm proposed course meets criteria/definitions of service-learning or community-based research
3) Contact your Timetable representative and have them add either Footnote 0014 (service-learning) or Footnote 0015 (community-based research) to your course listing.
4) Send an email to Randy Wallar (jrwallar@wisc.edu) at the Morgridge Center for Public Service, indicating which course you are designating as service-learning/community-based research,

OR, if you desire assistance in developing s-l/cbr course ideas, examples of sample syllabi, or additional resources contact the Morgridge Center at 608-263-2432 or Morgridge@union.wisc.edu, or www.morgridge.wisc.edu.

What happens if a student cannot or does not fulfill a service commitment?

• Students are required to complete their service commitments.  If they know they will miss a commitment, they are expected to give advance notice to their community partner contact person, and to reschedule if appropriate.  If a student's absence is chronic, we ask the community partner organization to contact the instructor and work together to determine whether or not the student can complete the course.

The academic service-learning component should not be seen as an add-on that the student must “work around.”  Instead, the service should be fully imbedded in the expected learning outcomes therefore preventing a student from “opting out.”

Where can I find examples of syllabi from academic service-learning courses?

• Campus Compact lists academic service-learning syllabi by discipline: http://www.compact.org/syllabi/.

How will my students get to off-campus service sites?

• The Volunteer Transportation Program run by the Morgridge Center provides students with FREE taxi cab rides to service sites.  Click the link for more information.
• Associated Students of Madison (ASM) provides a free bus pass to all UW-Madison students. Please investigate bus options before inquiring about the Morgridge Center Volunteer Transportation Program. Madison Metro bus schedules and ride guides are available at www.mymetrobus.com.
• SAFE services are also available at night for little or no charge to students (call 262-5000 for more information).
• City bike maps are provided at most bike shops, including Budget Bicycle Center, Machinery Row Bicycles, and Williamson Bikes & Fitness.

Working With Community

I would like to find community organizations with whom I can partner for an academic service-learning course. Are there campus resources that can provide me with a list of potential partner agencies?

• The Morgridge Center, via the Volunteer Your Time website, lists over 300 local non-profit organizations and associated volunteer opportunities.  This is a good place to start to get a general idea of the focus areas of local organizations.
• The Community Shares of Wisconsin website lists 52 member agencies dedicated to social, economic, and environmental issues and is a great resource for finding a community partner.
• Additionally, Morgridge Center staff can provide assistance identifying local organizations that may meet your particular needs.

Can students find their own placement sites?

• The Morgridge Center recommends that placement sites be arranged by the instructor prior to the beginning of the course.  If the instructor is not able to identify placement sites for the students, an explicit schedule or timeline for establishing service placements should be provided to the students, as well as specific criteria for the selection of placement sites.

What if some of my students have problems with their placements (late getting started, can’t reach site coordinator, inappropriate assignments, etc.)?

• If you are working with a Morgridge Center Service-Learning Fellow, utilize him/her to act as a liaison between the community partner and the service-learners and address communication issues that may arise.  If you have not been assigned a Service-Learning Fellow, it is critical that you convey to your students at the onset of the semester that open lines of communication are key to the success of their service.  Make sure that you provide them a safe forum for communicating to you issues they are confronted with at their service site.  It is critical to recognize and address unfavorable conditions as soon as you are aware of them!

What should students do if they feel their service placement is not working out? 

• The first option is to approach their service site supervisor to discuss the problem(s). Establishing a level of comfort between these parties is critical. It can help to prepare the students in advance regarding problems common to the service they will be doing. Reluctance to talk about on-site problems is among the most common reasons students "disappear" and do not complete service commitments.

If discussing the problem with the community-based organization supervisor is not possible, or if doing so does not produce a satisfactory resolution of their concerns, the student should talk to their faculty/instructional staff member. The Morgridge Center can help to resolve the problem(s) if possible, or will advise the student on a range of options.

Liability/Risk Issues

Are my students insured when they are at their site placements?

• Liability issues should be discussed with prospective community partners, prior to entering into a s-l partnership—determine the risk factor for your students, and what the organization’s insurance will cover.  A general rule of thumb is if the s-l/cbr course is part of a required degree program, University liability insurance will apply, but students must have their own health insurance. 

If you have questions regarding liability, check with Jeanine Critchley at University of Wisconsin-Madison Risk Management: jcritchley@bussvc.wisc.edu, or 608-262-8925.

What if one of my students has a traumatic incident while working in the community?

• Student safety is of great concern to the Morgridge Center.  Fortunately, the few incidents that have occurred have been minor, and most UW-Madison students have become fairly relaxed about handling these situations.  However, any and all such events must be dealt with immediately.  If you hear of an incident, please instruct the student to contact our office before returning to the site.  We will work out a better arrangement with the organizations, or, if that’s not possible, perhaps help the student to find another more appropriate placement.

What if something happens to my students or their actions result in damages to someone else?

• There is an inherent risk in any out-of-classroom activity.  All service-learning students should be fully informed about their placement and knowingly consent to undertaking any risk associated with the placement. However, due care and judgment must always be exercised to assure that you do not place student in situations fraught with danger or unreasonable risk.

Resources

What resources are available to faculty/instructional staff members who wish to learn more about academic service-learning?

Please visit our faculty resources web page for a complete listing of resources available to faculty and intructional staff members.

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