It allows the community and the college to bond together, helps grow the student population, and the community feels involved in the college.
• Helps to transfer knowledge and skills from the classroom to the community.
• Engages students in real and positive ways. They get to "practice" their skill sets under supervision while they are expanding their expertise.
In service learning student growth is directed and facilitated toward objectives of the course or program in which the student is enrolled. Done well, faculty who supervise service learning can them create events to determine students progress toward those objectives and deliver feedback to students.
Community service is comparatively undirected and therefore the potential benefits to participants are ancillary to the community impact of the service.
I feel as if service learning is made in order for the student to get more involved in what they plan on doing in the future, as in their career, whereas community service is work done by the student on their own just to help out and give back to the community and help it prosper.
Dear LE,
Thank you for mentioning the coerced aspect since it is an on-going issue at many schools today. You have a good point regarding the benefit of service-learning opportunities as long as they are tied to objectives.
Trent Bartholomew
Community service is often forced or coerced. Community Service is also focused on what can be accomplished for the community. Student learning creates learning opportunities for Students that are developed from community needs. Community projects are selected that fit the learning objectives of the students and both sides benefit.
The Student gains experience, knowledge and an enhanced sense of community involvement. The community benefits from free labor and the development of responsible citizens who are personally committed to building the community.
Hi Wania.
Thank you for your post. You have made the important connection between community service and service learning. You correctly pointed out that community service is meant to serve the organization and not necessarily the students.
Trent Bartholomew
Service learning is different from community service in that community service benefits the facility and students may not get any learning out of offering community service. Service learning is a two way success, students will learn and the facility will gain volunteer work.
