Presents a case study for a course on women in the economy that makes use of service-learning projects in which students provide analysis for local nonprofit organizations. Reviews the literature on service learning and outlines its application in the course. Relates student and faculty responses to the activity. (DSK)

Details a course for teaching ethics to undergraduates. Argues that participation in service-learning experiences teaches students about moral philosophy and ethical principles for psychologists, and helps them become more sensitive to complex ethical dilemmas involved in psychology and related fields. Reports that students' course evaluations are…

Nearly 100 Minnesota secondary schools offer community service-learning courses. Assessment methods include journal writing, self-assessment, research papers, site observations, and performance evaluation by agency supervisors. A Rochester high-school teacher designed a "community interaction" standard that students may fulfill by…

Every college or university must understand its academic priorities, including the role of service as an aspect of its mission, and must set clear goals for a level of commitment that matches those priorities. A matrix that links organizational factors to service commitment levels is proposed as one possible approach to setting institutional…

Argues that service-learning practitioners have much to learn from previous struggles within higher education, particularly the history of extension programs during the progressive era (1908 to 1910). In view of this history, it is proposed that service-learning programs will have a difficult time in their current efforts to convert universities…

A survey of 84 college students revealed positive perceptions of community service but not of its inclusion in college courses. Factors influencing participation in service included desire to help, self-efficacy, and the costs of time and interpersonal conflicts. Framing community service as service learning might help students recognize the…

Provides information and strategies designed to enable individuals to facilitate training sessions appropriate for teachers, other professionals, and parents who want to increase their understanding of how to work effectively with students with challenging behaviors. Strategies include the following: peer mediation, peer tutoring, active student…

A survey of 42 pharmacy schools investigated the extent and nature of service-learning as part of the curriculum. Respondent comments on the requirements and difficulties of implementing service learning and its benefits are discussed. Broad disparity in implementation and the relatively few institutions adopting the approach are seen as evidence…

Reports on a community-service project carried out by general chemistry students at the University of Utah. Students research lead poisoning then visit neighborhood homes to teach about lead poisoning, collect exterior paint samples, and analyze them as part of a chemistry experiment. Discusses service-learning and laboratory activities. (WRM)

Provides an overview of service learning: definitions, reasons for including service learning as an instructional strategy, ways to maintain academic vigor, grading principles, risks and rewards, and adaptability. Includes students' written comments, details on Northern Virginia Community College's widespread use of service learning in 18…

Estimates changes across years in student reports of school practices to promote community service, student participation in community service activities, and service-learning activities. Data are from the National Household Education Survey. (SLD)

Reports on the policy and practices of the community development department of Rand Afrikaans University (South Africa) and a service learning project of the university's faculty of education and nursing. The program provides South African students, living with a legacy of segregation, the opportunity to develop a sense of shared social…

Administered the revised Community Service Involvement Preference Inventory (CSIPI) and investigated if college students' involvement preferences changed during a 10-week term as a result of participating in a service learning course. Found significant differences in mean scores for the Exploration and Assimilation involvement preferences, and no…

Discusses community-based research (CBR) as a pedagogical strategy for courses in social science research to show how service learning enriches discipline-based learning. Explores how CBR engages students with epistemological debates by modeling alternatives to conventional assumptions about why research is conducted, how best to study people, and…

Describes a service learning project developed at the Hampton University (VA) library to have students write user guides for the library's new technology. Discusses the collaboration between a librarian and an English faculty member; reports on an increase in online searches; and proposes future service learning projects. (LRW)