Best Practices

 

Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

Meaningful Service Service-learning actively engages participants in meaningful and personally relevant service activities.	Link to Curriculum Service-learning is intentionally used  as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.	Reflection Service-learning incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and analysis about oneself and one’s relationship to society.	Diversity Service-learning promotes understanding of diversity and mutual respect among all participants.
Youth Voice Service-learning provides youth with a strong voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service-learning experiences with guidance from adults.	Partnerships Service-learning partnerships are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address community needs.	Progress Monitoring Service-learning engages participants in an ongoing process to assess the quality of implementation and progress toward meeting specified goals, and uses results for improvement and sustainability.	Duration and Intensity Service-learning has sufficient duration and intensity to address community needs and meet specified outcomes.

Research

 Billig, S., Root, S., & Jesse, D. (2005).  The Impact of Participation in Service-Learning on High School Students’ Civic Engagement. Denver, CO: RMC Research Corporation.

Eyler, J., Giles, Jr., D., Stenson, C. & Gray, C. (2001). At A Glance: What We Know about The Effects of Service-Learning on College Students, Faculty, Institutions and Communities, 1993-2000: Third Edition.

Furco, A. & Root, S. (2010). Research Demonstrates the Value of Service Learning. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(5), 16-20.

Corporation for National and Community Service (2007). The Impact of Service-Learning: A Review of Current Research.

Kay, C.B. & Connolly, M (2013). With Common Core State Standards, Why Service Learning Matters Even More.