Not long ago, I visited an outstanding high school where students spend their days engaged in academically rigorous project-based learning. Almost in passing, the principal mentioned that students also fulfill a community-service requirement before graduation. When I asked what kinds of service projects students undertake, I was surprised by his answer: “I don’t really know. We just track hours.”
What a missed opportunity. Well-designed service-learning experiences offer students a range of benefits. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, youth stand to gain from service in three broad areas:academic engagement and achievement, civic attitudes and behavior, and social and personal skills.
We can’t expect the same benefits, however, if students perform menial tasks under the banner of service. And that’s an all-too-common situation. Although 68 percent of U.S. schools say they offer community service, only about 24 percent engage students in authentic service learning, according to the National Youth Leadership Council.
What’s the difference? In a nutshell, high-quality experiences put an equal emphasis on service and learning. The Corporation for National and Community Services defines service learning as a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Jim Kielsmeier, a longtime service-learning leader and founder of NYLC, offers this shorthand definition: “It's learning by doing, with
a giving dimension.”
Read entire blog by clicking here: PBL: Where’s the Sweet Spot for Service Learning?
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