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Central Washington University Academic Service Learning main content
Academic Service Learning
Service-learning is a teaching and learning methodology that allows students to perform community service as a means to acquiring and applying course knowledge and skills. Broadly applied across the curriculum in most universities, many engineering programs with service-learning in their curriculum have seen favorable results in student growth.
At CWU, Don and Verna Duncan Civic Engagement Center (CEC) serves as the center point for academic service-learning on campus. It was recognized as a CWU Sphere of Distinction. We will use (and test) their website this quarter to track CS 498 service-learning hours.
Course Requirements
Working individually, or in small groups, students will participate in one or more academic service-learning projects providing meaningful service to our community partners that serve the disabled population. The grade you receive will be based on the level of service you perform:
- To receive a C
- Participate and reflect on an academic service-learning experience (~10 hours over the quarter)
- Keep a CEC time log and notes/journal on your experience
- Report to the class at once on your experience
- Participate and reflect on an academic service-learning experience (~10 hours over the quarter)
- To receive a B
- Participate and reflect on an academic service-learning experience(s) (~20 hours over the quarter)
- Keep a CEC time log and notes/journal on your experience
- Report to the class at twice on your experience
- Participate and reflect on an academic service-learning experience(s) (~20 hours over the quarter)
- To receive an A
- Participate and reflect on an academic service-learning experience(s) (~30 hours over the quarter)
- Keep a CEC time log and notes/journal on your experience
- Report to the class at three times on your experience
- Participate and reflect on an academic service-learning experience(s) (~30 hours over the quarter)
Community Partners
Successful service-learning is reciprocal in nature, benefiting both the community and the students. Three local organizations that serve the disabled population have requested CS 498 student service-learning projects spring quarter 2008.
- Central Washington Disability Resources (Ellensburg)
- Central Washington Disability Resources (CWDR) is a non-profit organization created to assist those with disabilities with knowledge, support, and education. Its mission is to provide the ability, resources, and assistance necessary to help those with disabilities obtain independent living status and full participation in all areas of life.
Contact Person: Ms. Von Elison (Executive Director) at ohmivon@gmail.com, 962-9620 - Disability Support Services at CWU
- The mission of Disability Support Services at Central Washington University is to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided equal access to programs, services and facilities; to positively impact the climate of the university community on behalf of persons with disabilities; promote full inclusion and participation of CWU students, employees and visitors with disabilities in all aspects of university life, thereby encouraging acceptance and celebration of the unique contributions of this diverse population.
Contact Person: Ian Campbell (Assistant Director DSS, Access Technology Services) at campian@cwu.edu
Contact Person: Justyn Bell (Coordinator for the Adaptive Technology Resource Center) at atrc@cwu.edu, 962-2171 - Special Education Technology Center at CWU
- The Special Education Technology Center support public school districts in the state of Washington and the personnel who work in those districts. This includes any student, preschool through age 21, who formally receives special education services and who may require assistive technology to access their education as well as families of special needs students.
Contact person: Jerry Connolly (Director) at connolly@cwu.edu
CS 498 students are encouraged to investigate other organizations that serve the disables for opportunities as well.
Reflection
Self-reflection on the experience, its relevance to course content, and its impact on the community is a significant way that academic service-learning differs from volunteer experiences. A nice phrase from the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse says that reflection is the "hyphen" that links service with learning in service-learning. Reflection is the forum for students to link what they learn in the classroom with what happens in the community environment, and vice versa.
We will use Thursdays for structured reflections of academic service learning. To get you thinking about the experience, consider the following questions (ideas from Service Reflection Toolkit [PDF]):
Report 1 - What?
Reflect on what is happening at the organization
- Based on your understanding, describe the community that this agency serves
- What do you think the clients need? How did you come to this conclusion?
- What kind of social problems affect the lives of those who come to this agency seeking help? What are the origins of some of these problems?
- From your perspective, how does society contribute to many of the problems that hinder clients' efforts to improve their situations?
Report 2 - So What?
Reflect on your experience
- Discuss and explain some of the most important things you learned from your service experience
- Discuss your contribution to this organization and to the community it serves
Report 3 - Now What?
Reflect on the future
- What remains to be done with your project?
- If you could do the project again, what would you do differently?
- What would you like to learn more about related to this project or service?
- Assess the agency's ability to use volunteers like yourself
Web Links
- Don and Verna Duncan Civic Engagement Center at CWU
- The Don and Verna Duncan Civic Engagement Center in the SUB at CWU provides opportunities for you to participate in service experiences that benefit your personal, academic, and professional development while simultaneously supporting off-campus communities.
- National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
- Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse provides the world's largest database of Service-Learning materials, electronic resources, and job listings.