Service learning, curriculum-linked community service, has proved remarkably effective in igniting students' desire to learn. In 1997, the Wisconsin Partnership in Service Learning was initiated as a cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional endeavor. Supported by a grant from Learn and Serve America, the partnership created a network throughout…

This book constitutes the first comprehensive overview of service-learning in composition studies and should be of particular interest to educators at the high school through university levels who want to combine writing instruction with community action. In the book college-level case studies are woven into discussions of how service-learning…

In 1997 the Education Commission of the States (ECS) created the Compact for Learning and Citizenship (CLC), an organization of state and district superintendents working to improve student learning through civic involvement and the use of volunteers. This issue paper provides an overview of service-learning, discussing impact, alignment with…

This issue paper describes the reasons service-learning is used in preservice teacher education, examines challenges to its use and strategies for success, and presents examples of successful programs. The paper offers suggestions and resources to assist P-12 school systems and education leaders in making policy decisions that will maximize…

Service learning is an innovation gaining momentum in U.S. education. A case study was conducted to learn how and why one teacher in a first-year, grant-funded service learning program, cosponsored by an inner-city school district, used literacy in the classroom. Semistructured interviews and classroom observations were used over an 8-month period…

These essays address education for citizenship at a specific, concrete level. The collection offers examples of efforts to create among students a new set of what Alexis de Tocqueville called "mores" or culturally defining "habits of the heart" that enhance citizenship, foster a sense of connectedness to a community, and…

This annotated reference list is organized for a quick review of citizen participation information sources. Resources and readings are intended to be a starting point for researchers, practitioners, and others who are looking for information about citizen participation. The document includes the following sections: (1) "General Links to Citizen…

This annotated bibliography identifies materials that focus on using service-learning as a tool for violence prevention. The references are divided into two broad categories: (1) "Discussions and Reports"; and (2) "Guides and Curricula." The bibliography contains more than 20 selections, including ERIC references, from the 1990s. It concludes with…

A brief literature review of dissertations from 1990 onward reveals that more than 110 studies have been completed on service and related topics. The intent of this literature review was to identify those academic studies. The collection of titles, authors, and abstract summaries presented focuses on the number and diversity of studies available.…

The connection between service and character is a natural fit in today's schools. An important fact of school reform in recent years has been the push to connect academics to the "real world." But while there is widespread agreement that educating students to become good citizens is crucial, there are differences on how to make that goal…

Student volunteerism can include direct service, research and community education, and advocacy service. Alert observation and informed questioning are at the heart of learning from nonclassroom experience. (Author/MLF)

Maryland is the first state to require every student to perform service as a condition of receiving a high school diploma. In Baltimore, once electives became mandatory, a new coordinator for service learning was appointed, a service-learning program--the Baltimore Alliance for Student Service--was established, and a revised five-year…

Explores "service" as a continuum from charity to social change, and describes implications for service-learning in higher education. Based on a review of alternative theories, a student survey (n=83), and interviews with five practitioners, argues that there exist related but distinct community service models (charity, project, social change),…

Presents information on educational programs related to civic literacy and community services, providing brief descriptions of programs and related research efforts. Reviews programs related to civic responsibility, civic learning, and general education, and discusses community-based programming and service learning. (11 citations) (MAB)

Describes benefits of service learning for middle school students. Describes the Community Problem Solving (CPS) Program, a competitive program in which students use the creative problem- solving process to identify community problems and develop and implement solutions. Differentiates community problem solving from other service learning…