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Service Learning

The purpose of this course is to provide educators with an understanding of service learning; the guiding principles of service learning activities; and how to implement, monitor, and evaluate effective service learning projects. Students will learn to design and initiate service learning projects at the K-12 level.

This course will examine the past and current practices of service learning in educational settings. Participants will discover how service learning has become associated with schools and will also study the history of service learning in America. Participants will discover the varied and diverse activities providing service learning opportunities. Finally, participants will learn how to connect service learning activities to their state curriculum objectives and learning standards. Participants will understand how service learning enhances brain development, engages the learner/service provider, and affects the cognitive and affective domains of learning.

The goal of this course is to motivate teachers and students to view participating in service activities as necessary for enhancing learning and character development in the school environment.

Carlow University ED 666 • Madonna University EDU 5830.31 • Mercy University EDUT 541

The required text for this course is Service Learning A Guide to Planning, Implementing and Assessing Service Projects, Second Edition, by Sally Berman.

ISBN: 978-1632205704

Graduate participants earn 3 semester hours of graduate credit and will receive a transcript from one of our partner institutions below. Professional development participants receive a certificate of completion for 45 hours of professional developments credit for face-to-face classes, and 60 hours of professional development credit for online classes.

Professional
Development

Course Schedule

2/11/25 - 5/13/25
4/8/25 - 7/8/25
6/10/25 - 9/9/25
8/12/25 - 11/11/25
10/14/25 - 1/13/26
12/9/25 - 3/10/26

Textbook List FAQs

Outline
Objectives
Partner Universities
Important Information
Student Academic Integrity

Print Online Course Outline Print Face To Face Course Outline

Outline

Module One: What is Service Learning?

Member introductions
Participants Make Agreements for Class Norms/Expectations
Course Modules, resources and requirements
Personal Reflection and Experience with service, learning and service learning
Define and articulate a working definition of the concept of service learning
Explore the process of service learning
Analyze an example of a service learning project
Summary Assignment

Module Two: Exploring the Blueprint and Thematic Chapters of Service Learning

Review the service learning blueprint for success
Explore various points of entry for service learning projects
Learn strategies for advancing your service learning practices
Become oriented with the thematic chapters of service learning projects
Explore the service learning bookshelf
Summary Assignment

Module Three: Service Learning Themes: AIDS Education & Animal Protection

Prepare for service learning that involves AIDS education and awareness
Explore the AIDS education and awareness bookshelf
Prepare for service learning that involves animal protection and care
Explore the animal protection and care bookshelf
Summary Assignment

Module Four: Service Learning Themes: Elders & Emergency Readiness

Prepare for service learning that involves elders
Explore the elders bookshelf
Prepare for service learning that involves emergency readiness
Explore the emergency readiness bookshelf
Summary Assignment

Module Five: Service Learning Themes: The Environment & Gardening

Prepare for service learning that involves the environment
Explore the environment bookshelf
Prepare for service learning that involves gardening
Explore the gardening bookshelf
Summary Assignment

Module Six: Service Learning Themes: Healthy Living & Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty

Prepare for service learning that involves healthy living
Explore the healthy living bookshelf
Prepare for service learning that involves hunger, homelessness and poverty
Explore the hunger, homelessness and poverty bookshelf
Summary Assignment

Module Seven: Service Learning Themes: Immigrants & Literacy

Prepare for service learning that involves immigrants
Explore the immigrant bookshelf
Prepare for service learning that involves literacy
Explore the literacy bookshelf
Summary Assignment

Module Eight: Service Learning Themes: Safe, Strong Communities & Social Change

Prepare for service learning that involves safe, strong communities
Explore the safe, strong communities bookshelf
Prepare for service learning that involves social change
Explore the social change bookshelf
Summary Assignment

Module Nine: Creating a Culture of Service

Prepare for service learning that involves people with special needs and disabilities
Explore the special needs and disabilities bookshelf
Understand why a culture of service learning is necessary
Learn how to create a culture of service in your school
Summary Assignment

Module Ten: Final Project

Review of major course concepts
Final project presentations
Course evaluations

Objectives

Examine and articulate a working definition of the concept of service learning.
Identify and distinguish between the key elements of service learning.
Articulate a rationale for service learning.
Understand how to develop service as a character trait.
Know how service projects have evolved nationally and in schools.
Understand how service learning improves effective and cognitive learning processes.
Recognize the motivation of well-known individuals who provided service to others.
Explore local community groups and school projects that provide service.
Explore new initiatives and resources for student involvement.
Explore major educational and social service organizations.
Learn to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate service learning projects.
Learn how to incorporate state curriculum standards and learning objectives with service learning projects.

Partner Universities

Our Partners are well-established regionally and nationally accredited colleges and universities, recognized for academic excellence and their commitment to teachers.

Important Information

Online 3-graduate credit courses are 13 weeks in length.

On-site weekend courses are held Friday evening from 6:00pm-9:00pm and Saturday/Sunday, 8:30am-5:30pm.

Weekday courses are Monday-Friday from 8:00am- 6:00pm.

It is the responsibility of the student to check with their state, county, district, or school to ensure that all requirements are being met by the course you're taking.

Check the Partner Universities page for specific university information as well as course numbers which are specific to the university partner.

Students are required to purchase their own textbook, the information for which can be found here. If no book is required it will be specified on the list. We have copies of many of the textbooks should you wish to purchase directly from TEI.

Professional development (PD) participants receive a certificate of completion from TEI for 45 hours of PD credit for face to face classes and 60 hours of PD credit for online classes. These certificates are mailed within one week of the end of the class and reflect the course title, dates of attendance, and credit hour information.

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.