To: service-learning colleagues:
I would appreciate your comments on a particular service-learning
class model that involves "extra" service hours; we at the University
of Utah receive mixed reviews about it from the students, TAs, and
instructors.
In classes that teach professional skills (marketing, PR, and research
methods), some instructors limit the service component to an actual
product, e.g. a marketing or PR campaign for the food bank. Other
instructors include in the service component extra service hours
to the same service organization (2-3 hours per week). These service
hours have included anything the organization needs help with, such as
cleaning, sorting, or filing.
_Argument against extra hours_
Whereas students respond very favorably to producing the
skill-related service product, they complain about time demands of
serving those extra hours-- often which do not pertain to
theories learned in class. Since most of our students work fulltime and
have families, we must listen to this feedback.
_Argument for extra hours_
Instructors suggest that the extra time serving the agency can help
students better understand the agency, thus leading to a better
service product. Furthermore, many service-learning programs
formally recommend 2-3 hours of service every week and not just
a product for a service agency, since the production may not involve much
interaction with the agency or agency clients.
_The questions_
1. Should service-learning classes require X# of weekly service hours?
2. What guidelines or parameters should we offer to delineate what counts
as service hours? Do library research hours count? Do site visits to
agencies count? Or only hours spent in more direct service?
Your comments on this professional skills class model are appreciated.
References to relevant literature would also be helpful. Thank you.
Kara Hartmann
Service-Learning Coordinator
Lowell Bennion Community Service Center
200 So. Central Campus Drive #101
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-9100
(801) 585-9100
(801) 585-9241 fax
khartma@ssb1.saff.utah.edu