“Making a Difference” -- Civic Engagement/Service Learning Project (10%) DUE any time of the semester, but no later than Dec.1.

Credit:

I would like to thank Prof. Karen Hempson for sharing with me her service learning project for EDU375.

Each student will participate in a 3-clock hour civic engagement/service learning project and write a one-page essay reflecting on his or her participation. Early accomplishment of this project is strongly encouraged and appreciated. By October 1, 2006, please submit through WebCt a short paragraph of 30-50 words to share with me your service learning plan.

Remember

You must provide: 1. proof of having “been there”, and 2. a reaction paper

What is Service Learning?

Alliance for Service Learning in Education Reform (ASLER) defines:

Service-learning is a method by which young people learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully-organized service experiences: that meet actual community needs, that are coordinated in collaboration with the school and community, that are integrated into each young person's academic curriculum, that provide structured time for young people to think, talk, and write about what he/she did and saw during the actual service activity, that provide young people with opportunities to use newly acquired academic skills and knowledge in real life situations in their own communities, that enhance what is taught in the school by extending student learning beyond the classroom, and that help to foster the development of a sense of caring for others.

ASLER, 1993, p.1

What is Civic Engagement?

Service-learning and civic engagement are not the same thing in the sense that not all service-learning has a civic element and not all civic engagement is service-learning. For definition's sake, civic engagement is the broader motif, encompassing service-learning but not limited to it. One useful definition of civic engagement is the following: individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.

Civic engagement can take many forms, from individual voluntarism to organizational involvement to electoral participation. It can include efforts to directly address an issue, work with others in a community to solve a problem or interact with the institutions of representative democracy. Civic engagement encompasses a range of specific activities such as working in a soup kitchen, serving on a neighborhood association, writing a letter to an elected official or voting. Indeed, an underlying principal of our approach is that an engaged citizen should have the ability, agency and opportunity to move comfortably among these various types of civic acts.

(Source: Michael Delli Carpini, Director, Public Policy, The Pew Charitable Trusts at http://www.apa.org/ed/slce/civicengagement.html#definition )

A firm believer that democratic citizenship is at the foundation of a community-based learning experience, I invite each of you to participate in a small-scale civic engagement/service learning project of only three clock hours. Each student will be able to locate and analyze the needs of a local/campus organization/community, participate in an activity, describe his or her experience in this activity, evaluate his or her participation in this activity. After you have participated in a community service learning activity, please write a one-page single-spaced reaction paper to describe why you decided to participate in this activity (intellectual understanding), what you participated in (participation skills), and explain what you learned (civic participation attitudes), and how you may institute a similar activity as a future teacher with your students (classroom pedagogy). Please use correct English with complete sentences and good grammar to complete a one-page reaction paper on the civic engagement service learning project.

Proof that you participated at an event or volunteer activity is required – make sure you obtain a small note signed by a faculty member or supervisor. If you mail a letter to a government official, you must have the post office provide you with proof of mailing. You must provide a proof of having “been there” and write a one-page reaction paper .

The small note could look something like this:

An example of such a small note reads like this:

A list of service learning projects is provided here for you to make a choice. I strongly encourage all of you to start this project as soon as possible. You may choose ONE of the following, but please come to talk to the instructor if you feel like participating in a community service learning project not listed here.

Option One:

In the community – Three (3) clock hours of volunteering. You may sign up at the Volunteer Fair or call John Shirley at Office of Career Services in Van Hoesen. (Phone: 753-4715) to obtain a list of organizations or a postcard telling the office what kinds of activities you would like to volunteer in and they will provide further information.

The 1890 House needs volunteers for collections, tours, educational lessons. Other organizations in the community are YWCA, YMCA, Cortland Loaves & Fishes, Lime Hollow, Cortland Free Library, Homer Public Library, an election campaign, or any other on campus student organization events.

Option Two:

In area schools – three (3) clock hours of volunteering . Practicum hours do not count. You could extend the practicum hours by tutoring students in their after-school programs, etc. Your field placement/observation hours don't count.

Option Three:

On campus – three (3) clock hours of volunteering at (but not limited to these listed):

MEOP – Migrant Educational Outreach Program in Van Hoesen

Student Government Association (SGA)
P.O.W.E.R (Planet of Women for Equality and Respect)
Democracy Matters at www.democracymatters.org

NYPIRG www.nypirg.org
Amnesty International www.amnesty.org

SUNY Children's Museum (Saturdays)

SUNY Open House

Option Four:

Write a letter to an elected official about a concern you have on any issue (the official must have jurisdiction over that issue. You must provide a copy of the letter and proof of having mailed it.

Option Five:

Visit/tour a local museum or historical society and share with the class what you learned the most in that museum or historical society for a 15-minute presentation.

For further information, please contact the instructor or contact John Suarez from SUNY Cortland Office of Service Learning at

Office of Service Learning Website at http://www.cortland.edu/servicelearning/

Institute of Civic Engagement Website at http://www.cortland.edu/civicengagement/

I strongly recommend you get this done in September, since none of the course assignments will be due in September. Please do not wait until the end of the semester when projects pile up in all courses.

Bibliography

Wade, R. C., ed. (1997). Community Service-Learning: A Guide to Including Service in the Public School Curriculum. State University of New York Press, Albany .

Parson, C. (1996). Serving to learn, learning to serve. Corwin Press, Inc. A Sage Publications Company, Thousand Oaks , California .

MacGregor, J., ed. (2003). Integrating Learning Communities with Service-Learning. National Learning Communities Project Monograph Series. Olympia , WA : The Evergreen State College, Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education, in cooperation with the American Association for the Higher Education.