Re: Faculty Resistance to S-L

We have operated a s-l program since 1972 (The Adult Health & Development
Program -- AHDP) that involves faculty, students, volunteers, and older
adults. One approach to motivating higher education faculty is to show how
s-l programs help faculty advance, that is, appeal to their self-interest.
for example, s-l programs provide unique opportunities

1. to educate students
2.  conduct longitutinal and cross sectional research in answer to
fascinating research quetions
3. for public relations and media attention
4. making the college/university look good to the public, state legislators,
and others of "influence."
5. integrate diverse groups as they work toward common purpose.

Thus, s-l programs meet the mission of state higher education institutions
and others.

One of the barriers is that s-l courses and programs require a lot of work.
However, that can be assuaged by cultivating students leaders to whom
responsibilities can be delegated. For example this semester we have 30
"senior staffers" (avg. no. semesters involved in the AHDP is 8.71, SD=8.53)
supervising and training 80 students and volunteers who work on a one-to-one
basis with 80 older institutionalized and non-institutionalized adults. The
responsibility and creativity of the senior staff has amazed me all of these
years. If, for some reason, I miss a session, the Program runs smoothly.

One asset in delegating authority is the loyalty of the senior staff.
Another is the potential to develop a powerful alumni including other
"friends of the AHDP."

Dan

Dr. Daniel Leviton
Director, The Adult Health & Development Program
Professor, Dept. Public & Community Health
College of Health & Human Performance
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-2611
Phone: (301) 405-2528; Fax: (301) 445-1546
Web page: www.ahdp.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <MMCLAIN@rhodes.edu>
To: <mwoolf@fie.org.uk>; <oconnorp@georgetown.edu>;
<service-learning@csf.colorado.edu>
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2004 8:57 AM
Subject: Re: Faculty Resistance to S-L


> Chapter 2 of the very fine book, Educating Citizens by Colby, Ehrlich,
Beaumont and Stephens, has a concise summary of the impediments to civic and
moral (and service-learning) education.  I recommend it highly.  Those of us
who believe liberal education is in serious need of reform, and that the
learning outcomes of service-learning move in the right direction, are
swimming against the stream.  We have to make both the narrow case, s-l
advances course objectives, and the larger case, liberal learning should
answer the call to return to its historic mission.
> Michael McLain
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: service-learning-owner@csf.colorado.edu on behalf of Mike Woolf
> Sent: Mon 3/1/2004 5:01 AM
> To: 'Patricia E O'Connor'; service-learning@csf.colorado.edu
> Cc:
> Subject: Re: Faculty Resistance to S-L
> I have come rather late to this interesting discussion for which I
> apologise.
>
> I believe that faculty resistance is, at least in part, a product of how
> we represent the activity and what we choose to highlight. In all the
> discussions I have participated in, including a recent panel at AIEA,
> the emphasis has been on the service performed to the specific project.
> While the discussion remains at that level, we will inevitably face
> resistance from more traditional academic colleagues.
>
> The discussion has to move away from "service" towards "learning". It is
> no longer enough to talk about "good works" (the missionary position!)
> and personal growth. We need to be able to define learning objectives in
> specific and concrete terms. In our own work in international service
> learning in London, for example, we define learning outcomes as gaining
> insight into US-UK comparative social history and practice (and so on).
>
> The point is that we need to be able to demonstrate that the students
> learn specific skills and acquire specific kinds of information at least
> as effectively as they would in the traditional classroom. Otherwise we
> will never achieve parity of esteem with other academic approaches.
>
> Best regards
>
> Mike Woolf
>
> Dr Michael Woolf
> President
> Foundation for International Education
> 114 Cromwell Road
> London SW7 4ES
> United Kingdom.
> Telephone: 020 7591 7776
> E-mail: mwoolf@fie.org
>             mike-woolf@lineone.net
> Web: www.fie.org.uk
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: service-learning-owner@csf.colorado.edu
> [mailto:service-learning-owner@csf.colorado.edu] On Behalf Of Patricia E
> O'Connor
> Sent: 29 February 2004 15:43
> To: service-learning@csf.colorado.edu
> Subject: Faculty Resistance to S-L
>
> I offer two ways to counter faculty resistance. [I am not in favor of
> forced involvements for faculty, students, or community members.]
>
> I have always admired Ira Harvaky (U Penn) and his  method of taking
> potential s-l faculty to lunch to talk with them about service learning
> and community based research. I think of this as an Each One--Teach One
> approach. I, too, have found the impassioned nature of one's own
> fulfillment in such work has a way of enticing others to join in.  A
> shared sandwich and a shared ideal make a nice combo platter!
>
> One way to approach resistant faculty is through impassioned students. I
> suggest that students invite faculty to come with them to a service site
> to see what they are doing and what they are learning hands-on. [As a
> teacher I'm always cheered by students'invitations to come see one of
> their play performances or sports events. Why not expand this to other
> areans of college life?]  Of course, we as faculty can do the same
> thing, invite the other prof to join us for an afternoon or evening on
> site. A student invitation carries a great power and an implied
> compliment.  A student who introduces a respected teacher to a community
> member has provided the access link that thwarts most faculty from
> getting involved.
>
> Both these suggestions recognize that a fully blown service project can
> look overwhleming to someone who has not participated in the development
> over time. I use these tactics to welcome and to personally disclose the
> levels of commitment and time along with the richness of the reward in
> terms of learning of and sharing in communities.
>
> The service learning I have done in prisons and drug treatment centers
> has been greatly enhanced by widening the circle of faculty who have
> particpated. It also paves the way for turning projects over as we age.
>
> --patricia
>
>
>
>
>
> Patricia E. O'Connor, Associate Prof., English, 312 New North,
> Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057    oconnorp@georgetown.edu
> 202 687 7622
> FAX: 202 687 5445
> websites: Personal homepage:  http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/oconnorp
> Prison Outreach homepage: http://www.georgetown.edu/outreach/vps/pops/
> Visible Knowledge Project:
> http://crossroads.georgetown.edu/vkp/index.htm
>
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