In June 1992, 26 high school students and environmentalists left United States to participate in community service/experimental learning environmental project in Russia. Focus was environmental monitoring of Novgorod, Russia. Both U.S. and Russian students gained in scientific knowledge; Russian teens felt more empowered about community service.…

Three years ago, a coalition of three Washington State districts, Peninsula, Tacoma, and Issaquah, began cooperating to help one another implement programs and policies fostering a service ethic. This article describes each district's progress at implementing its Project Service Leadership program. (MLH)

Teenagers enjoy being involved in community service; all we have to do is ask and provide the opportunity. The 101st Congress passed the National and Community Service Act of 1990, which will fund programs enabling students from kindergarten through college to serve their communities. A sidebar lists national resources for service-learning in…

Describes how the theory and practice of situated learning provide a model for examining the learning claims of service learning and for research into its effectiveness. While service learning emphasizes the nature of service and students' engagement with communities outside school, situated learning focuses on the nature of the learning in…

Steps for developing a service-learning experience within a college course are not the same as those for traditional coursework, and faculty often look to experiential educators for guidance. A former Outward Bound director presents strategies for negotiating projects, developing the syllabus, orientation and supervision, monitoring student…

Addresses issues of college liability and logistics in off-campus experiential programs, especially programs abroad with service learning components. Warns that liability problems, e.g., safety issues, legal concerns, and ethical responsibility to the local community, can threaten program viability and overshadow learning objectives. Urges…

Describes a social action model for teens to address concerns in their community with adult assistance. Identifies five program principles: (1) adult faith in youths' capacity to contribute meaningfully; (2) preparation and support for roles young people select; (3) student selection of the project; (4) acceptance that problems occur; and (5)…

Examines how service learning is being conceptualized by compositionists, particularly through the trope of community, to consider how it functions as a practice and topic in the discipline. Considers how educators position themselves and their students as practitioners of service-learning. Considers what the relationship of that learning to the…

Describes both principles and use of the critical incident journal, in which the student in a college-level academic service learning program details experiences that change his perspective. The format requires students to describe their roles in the incidents, analyze their own and others' responses to it, and reflect on its impact on self and…

Lists key resources for the field of service learning, including books, journals, and a World Wide Web site to help practitioners and researchers. Most citations are annotated. (MSE)

Describes the changes that came to one high school journalism program when the school embarked on a four-block scheduling program. Describes losses and gains over a three-year period. Concludes that, in addition to significant community service benefits, there is now more depth in learning and more pride in completed work, with students taking…

Sixteen occupational therapy students participated in service learning with older adults in nursing homes and 20 with people with disabilities. Both groups were aware of reciprocal benefits from service learning. Older adults seemed unaware of their own efficacy as educators. (SK)

Through Nickelodeon's Big Help program, and with assistance from the Chicago Region PTA, students at six Chicago schools learned about the satisfaction of making a difference in their communities. Over the course of one week, students participated in various community service projects and were rewarded for their hard work with a visit from the…

Data from 50 daily reflection journals of college students participating in service learning were used to draw a descriptive map of the social-psychological stages that occur during service learning. Textual analysis revealed that students progress through three identifiable stages of development: shock, normalization, and engagement. (EV)

Describes a campus-based model of service learning in the unique environments of university art galleries. Preservice teachers served as facilitators with visiting schoolchildren to explore feelings about and interpretations of various works of art; preservice teachers benefited from the experience and had changed views of art, teachers, and…