University-community partnerships have gained popularity in the United States as a means of extending university research resources and collaborative opportunities. However, research-driven partnerships between universities and K-12 school districts that prioritize the research needs of K-12 schools are unique. Recently, education scholars have…

When done well, service-learning has strong value for all of its participants. But doing service-learning well is not easy since it relies on research from multiple domains, including: how people learn, how people develop social-emotional skills, and how people become civically engaged. This article discusses how to do service-learning well, as…

The information contained in this publication, a brief introduction to literacy, is designed to help potential literacy workers gain a basic understanding of literacy issues. The publication notes that current literacy efforts in the United States, especially the new America Reads initiative, are focused on helping young children up to the third…

Research shows that many students lack civic engagement, civic literacy, and the disposition toward becoming responsible citizens. Teachers must convey the meaning of citizenship and its context, rights, and responsibilities. Project Citizen, Outward Bound, and service learning programs can help students learn democratic participation behaviors.…

Describes the development of a graduate education technology course at the University of Massachusetts based on a service-learning model in which the goal was to apply academic theory to the practical requirements of a resource-strapped school district by assigning advanced graduate students to address educational technology needs. (Author/LRW)

Outlines connections between community service experiences and preparing young people for participatory citizenship in a democratic society, identifying components of democratic education practices, distinguishing characteristics that promote democratic citizenship education, and describing several community service learning projects. (SLD)

Service learning is valuable in connecting students with the world outside the classroom, resulting in a more just society for the future. However, many so-called service learning projects develop no clear link between service and learning, and lose their potential for turning students into agents of social change. Using the National Association…

Service learning in preservice teacher education helps students to understand themselves and diverse members of the community, develop intercultural competence, and investigate more deeply what it means to be a member of the community. "Human Diversity, Power, and Opportunity in Social Institutions," is an introductory course that…

This paper defines service-learning as an individual or group act of good will for a person, group, or community, based on planned educational outcomes. Philosophically, ideas of service-learning emerged in the Progressive Education Movement and later in the philosophy of reconstructionism. A university goal should be development of students'…

This document contains 13 papers on advances in service-learning research. The following papers are included: "Introduction" (Andrew Furco, Shelley H. Billig); "Community Service and Service-Learning in America: The State of the Art" (Ivor Pritchard); "Is Service-Learning Really Better Than Community Service? A Study of…