2008 Woodie Awards
Classes provide outreach opportunity
Halfmann, Alex
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: News
Service-learning offers new learning experiences and allows students to help the community while gaining educational knowledge.
There are two forms of service-learning: academic service-learning and Service-Learning Advantage. Academic service-learning takes place in classrooms, and the Service-Learning Advantage program involves student organizations hosting activities that promote an educational experience and provide assistance to the community.
"Essentially the students are the ones that are serving the impoverished portion of the population by helping support those community agencies and helping implement programs directed towards people in poverty," said Kelsey Aurand de Razo, AmeriCorps*VISTA member and Service-Learning coordinator for the University.
Five academic service-learning classes are taking on nine projects. These include reconstructing a garden at a nursing home, providing an energy awareness program for children and creating a nutritious cookbook from the ingredients the Food Depot provides.
Aurand de Razo said an academic service-learning course begins when a faculty member approaches her with an interest in incorporating a service-learning project into a course. To be classified as service-learning, the project must meet at least some of the learning objectives from the course and must include meaningful reflection on the students' part.
Michael Kelrick, professor of biology and director of interdisciplinary studies, is the faculty adviser to Grassroots Environmentalism and Intro to Environmental Studies, both of which are service-learning classes.
Kelrick said the Grassroots Environmentalism course is an outgrowth of another course, Expanding Environmental Consciousness, which contained a component involving students participating in some sort of service project, most commonly helping and learning from the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage community.
Kelrick said the nine students in his class are split into teams of three. He said each team is led by a student preceptor, who helps teach the course.
There are two forms of service-learning: academic service-learning and Service-Learning Advantage. Academic service-learning takes place in classrooms, and the Service-Learning Advantage program involves student organizations hosting activities that promote an educational experience and provide assistance to the community.
"Essentially the students are the ones that are serving the impoverished portion of the population by helping support those community agencies and helping implement programs directed towards people in poverty," said Kelsey Aurand de Razo, AmeriCorps*VISTA member and Service-Learning coordinator for the University.
Five academic service-learning classes are taking on nine projects. These include reconstructing a garden at a nursing home, providing an energy awareness program for children and creating a nutritious cookbook from the ingredients the Food Depot provides.
Aurand de Razo said an academic service-learning course begins when a faculty member approaches her with an interest in incorporating a service-learning project into a course. To be classified as service-learning, the project must meet at least some of the learning objectives from the course and must include meaningful reflection on the students' part.
Michael Kelrick, professor of biology and director of interdisciplinary studies, is the faculty adviser to Grassroots Environmentalism and Intro to Environmental Studies, both of which are service-learning classes.
Kelrick said the Grassroots Environmentalism course is an outgrowth of another course, Expanding Environmental Consciousness, which contained a component involving students participating in some sort of service project, most commonly helping and learning from the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage community.
Kelrick said the nine students in his class are split into teams of three. He said each team is led by a student preceptor, who helps teach the course.
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