Service-learning is a teaching and learning method. Service-learning connects and applies classroom learning to real issues facing communities. Students and faculty members, in partnership with community organizations, make meaningful contributions through service or community-based research as part of a course.
While there are many definitions of service-learning, Hatcher and Bringle (1997) in A Service-Learning Curriculum for Faculty provide one of the most concise:
“We view service-learning as a credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of the course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.”
Service-learning projects may be executed in many ways and vary extensively depending on the context and academic discipline. NYMAPS promotes academic service-learning with the following elements:
- Academic Component — the project/service experience has a direct connection to the academic content of a particular course and is rooted in the discipline in which the course is offered.
- Service Component — students engage in community-based learning activities that meet an identified community need, usually designed in close partnership with a community organization.
- Reflection/Critical Inquiry Component — students have structured opportunities to reflect on their experience and are guided in articulating how the service connects to course content.