What is Academic Service-Learning?
Academic Service-Learning is an educational approach that combines learning objectives with service objectives in order to deepen a student’s understanding in a specific discipline. It’s a form of experiential education, where students participate in community service projects that fulfill an actual community need.
An important part of academic service learning is reflection, during which the student sees how the community service experience ties in with what he or she learns in class. Reflection can be carried out through reading, writing, doing, or telling. The ultimate goal is to apply the knowledge gained through reflection to real-life situations.
Does a student earn credit and a grade for Academic Service-Learning? Yes — for the learning, not the service. We know that serving others is its own reward.
Sally Anastos
