Faculty Questions for Exploring the Potential Role for Service-Learning

Use these questions to explore the potential role for service-learning in your course.

1. What are the academic objectives of your course?
2. Why are you considering community service activities for your class? What type of community service activities might fit the course objectives?
3. Would these services meet a genuine community need? What is that need?
4. Who are your ideal and/or possible community partners; will there be multiple partners; will students have a role in selecting partners? How familiar are you with the agency and the work that it does? How do you intend to become more aware of the agency?
5. What are the logistical needs (transportation, hours, orientation/training, supervision, etc.) that need to be considered? How will these be met?
6. Will the entire class be involved in service-learning or just a portion of the class? If only a portion of the class will be involved in service-learning how will you recognize the extra work involved?
7. Will the service-learning be a continuous activity that happens throughout the course? Will students be engaged in direct service, is the service project-based or will they be engaged in both?
8. How do you intend to create a true partnership with the agency or agencies with which your students will work? What makes this relationship a true partnership? How can this be established, nurtured and maintained?
9. How do you plan to communicate with the agency about your students’ performance and the needs of the agency? Will it be initial, periodic or ongoing? Will you visit the agencies? Will representatives from the agencies visit your class?
10. How will service be fully integrated into your curriculum so that the service is an integral component of the course as are the other texts used in the course?
11. What types of reflection activities will you employ so that the students consider the deeper meaning and implications of the service, the agency, and the needs it addresses? Is this important to the academic objectives of the course?
12. How will you evaluate the service-learning components of your course?
13. Will you use an ACE? How do you think the ACE might assist your students?
14. How will you prepare students to be responsible and professional at their service site?
15. What ethical issues do you anticipate might come into play? How might these be best addressed?