Serve and Learn : Implementing and Evaluating Service-Learning in Middle and High Schools

by Pritchard, Florence Fay; Whitehead, III, George I.

• ISBN13: 9780805844207
• ISBN10: 0805844201
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-03-31
• Publisher: Lawrence Erlbau

Summary

This volume makes two important contributions: First, it provides a framework grounded in theory and best professional practice that middle and high school teachers, their students, and community partners can use to design, implement, and evaluate service-learning projects that address authentic community needs. Second, it demonstrates ways collaborative service-learning can enhance students' intellectual development, promote their academic achievement, strengthen their citizenship skills, and accelerate the kinds of educational accountability and reform initiatives emphasized in the national educational standards movement, and the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act. Serve and Learn: Implementing and Evaluating Service-Learning in Middle and High Schools: *provides what may be the only comprehensive guide to implementing, assessing, and celebrating service-learning in today's middle and high schools; *emphasizes and explicates a collaborative approach to service-learning in which teachers, students, and community partners team together to advance learning and meet genuine community needs; *demonstrates how service-learning teams use key elements of standards-based education, multiple intelligences theory, and cooperative learning to guide project development, implementation, assessment, and evaluation; *offers optional designs for service-learning projects that are suitable for use by interns and beginning teachers, as well as by experienced and master teachers, and that can be used in a developmental sequence by school and community partners to build from small, individual projects toward school, system, and community wide projects; and *includes end-of-chapter activities that help those who use the book as a text to practice the model and its strategies, and use results to create their own service-learning projects. The book is organized in three parts that present service-learning along a theoretical to practical continuum. Part I lays the foundations for the method by proposing a collaborative model for service-learning. Part II explicates this model and explains the four sets of processes that teams use to commit to a project, cooperatively determine students' project outcomes and ways to measure them, develop learning activities to help students achieve outcomes, and then evaluate their projects and celebrate growth. Part III provides resources for carrying out the collaborative model. A wide range of educators will find this book useful. Its distinctive contributions and features are particularly valuable for teacher educators, students, and community partners already committed to service-learning projects; to those who are introducing service-learning into their practice; and to instructional supervisors, school administrators, and community agencies seeking to create a climate for service-learning or to enrich initiatives already underway.

Author Biography

Florence Fay Pritchard is an internationally published educational writer in the fields of test taking and curriculum development. She brings her experience as a teacher in grades 5-12, an undergraduate and graduate teacher educator, and an educational administrator to her work on service learning. Upon retiring as an associate vice president from Salisbury University of Maryland, she relocated to Florida's Gulf Coast to pursue a full-time writing career. She is active in community service and mentoring high school students, serves on the Board of Directors of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ft. Myers, Florida, and writes fiction between work on educational projects. Pritchard graduated from the College of William and Mary, and earned a masters degree from the Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D from the University of Maryland.
George I. Whitehead, III is a social psychologist who has co-authored more than 30 articles in psychology journals and books. He is also project director for an AmeriCorps grant and was project director for a Learn and Serve grant. In addition, he serves as president of his county's Board of Education, as a member of the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism, and as chair of his local Community of Promise. Whitehead graduated from Trinity College, CT and earned a Ph. D. in social psychology from University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Section One: Foundations for Service-Learning
Chapter I: A Collaborative Model for Service-Learning	1	(16)
Service as a Fundamental Human Value	1	(1)
Service as an Element in Education	2	(1)
Defining Service-Learning	2	(2)
Why Use Service-Learning?	4	(6)
Service-Learning Can Enhance Intellectual Development	5	(2)
Service-Learning Can Increase Academic Achievement	7	(1)
Service-Learning Can Strengthen Citizenship Education	8	(1)
Service-Learning Can Accelerate School Reform	9	(1)
A Model for Using Service-Learning	10	(3)
Experiential Learning	10	(1)
Social-Process Learning	11	(1)
The Collaborative Service-Learning Model	12	(1)
Using the Collaborative Service-Learning Model	13	(1)
In Conclusion	14	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	14	(3)
Chapter II: Designs for Service-Learning Projects in Middle and High Schools	17	(20)
Chapter Focus	18	(1)
Designs Emerging from Contemporary Practice	18	(12)
Service-Learning as an in-Class Approach	18	(3)
Service-Learning as a One-Day Event	21	(2)
Service-Learning as Prototype Project	23	(2)
Service Learning as a Recurring Curriculum Component	25	(3)
Service-Learning as a Cross-Disciplinary Program	28	(2)
Selecting a Service-Learning Project Design	30	(4)
Teachers' Experience Levels	30	(1)
Students' Service-Learning Competencies	31	(1)
Available Resources	31	(1)
Match Between Service Needed and Students' Curriculum	32	(1)
Time Needed for Planning and Implementing Designs	33	(1)
Putting it All Together	34	(2)
In Conclusion	36	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	36	(1)
Chapter III: Preparing to Use Service-Learning	37	(20)
Chapter Focus	38	(1)
Service-Learning Readiness Factors	38	(13)
Instructional Management Skills	38	(8)
Students' Service-Learning Competencies	46	(4)
Integrating Student Service-Learning Competency Profiles	50	(1)
Service-Learning Support Networks	51	(2)
Putting it All Together	53	(1)
In Conclusion	54	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	55	(2)
Section Two: Designing Service-Learning Projects Using The Collaborative Service-Learning Model
Chapter IV: Committing to a Service-Learning Project	57	(14)
Chapter Focus	58	(1)
Community Needs and Issues	58	(3)
Gathering Needs and Issues Information in High Resource Situations	59	(1)
Gathering Needs and Issues Information in Moderate Resource Situations	60	(1)
Gathering Needs and Issues Information in Low Resource Situations	61	(1)
Connecting Students' Academic Goals to Service	61	(3)
Students' Capacities and Interests	64	(3)
Direct Service	65	(1)
Indirect Service	65	(1)
Advocacy	66	(1)
Putting It All Together in a Service-Learning Project Commitment	67	(3)
An Example of Collaborative Commitment to a Service-Learning Project	68	(2)
In Conclusion	70	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	70	(1)
Chapter V: Setting Goals in a Student Outcomes Plan	71	(26)
Chapter Focus	72	(1)
Assembling Key Players	72	(3)
Clients to be Served	72	(1)
Parents	73	(1)
School Administrators	73	(1)
Community Members	73	(2)
The Initial Meeting: Focusing on Outcomes	75	(13)
Task One: Identifying Student Outcome Expectations	76	(2)
Task Two: Specifying Indicators of Outcome Expectations	78	(4)
Task Three: Selecting Strategies to Measure Indicators	82	(2)
Task Four: Assigning Responsibilities	84	(4)
Accomplishing Outcomes Planning at the Initial Meeting	88	(1)
Student Outcomes Planning and Service-Learning Support Networks	89	(5)
Example One: Awareness Support Network	89	(2)
Example Two: Planning Support Network	91	(1)
Example Three: Resources Support Network	92	(2)
Looking Forward to Measurement Strategy Selection and Design	94	(1)
Measuring Indicators of Other Constituents' Outcomes	94	(2)
Example One: One-Day Event Plan	94	(1)
Example Two: Prototype Plan	95	(1)
Example Three: Cross-Disciplinary Project Plan	95	(1)
In Conclusion	96	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	96	(1)
Chapter VI: Linking Service and Learning With Reflective Learning Experiences	97	(22)
Chapter Focus	98	(1)
Using Student Outcomes Plans to State Goals and Objectives	98	(1)
Reflective Learning Experiences	99	(15)
Learning Activities That Focus Students on Relevant Experience	100	(7)
Learning Activities that Engage Students in Reflection	107	(3)
Learning Activities that Help Students Construct New Concepts	110	(4)
Sharing Instructional Responsibilities	114	(3)
Two Ways to Share Instructional Responsibilities	115	(2)
In Conclusion	117	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	117	(2)
Chapter VII: Evaluating Projects and Celebrating Growth	119	(22)
Chapter Focus	120	(1)
Developing Service-Learning Evaluation Plans	120	(9)
The Student Outcomes Component of an Evaluation Plan	121	(2)
The Project Impact Component of an Evaluation Plan	123	(1)
The Project Team Self-Evaluation Component in an Evaluation Plan	124	(1)
An Example of an Evaluation Plan	125	(4)
Implementing Service-Learning Evaluation Plans	129	(1)
Analyzing and Interpreting Evaluation Information With Inductive Thinking	129	(4)
Using Inductive Thinking With Partners	130	(1)
Expressing Results of Inductive Thinking as Value Judgments	130	(3)
Celebrating New Learnings and Perspectives	133	(7)
Example One: Culminating Activity	134	(1)
Example Two: Strategy	134	(1)
Developing and Implementing Culminating Activities	135	(1)
Developing and Implementing Dissemination Strategies	136	(4)
In Conclusion	140	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	140	(1)
Section Three: Resources for Service-Learning Projects
Chapter VIII: Strategies for Encouraging Commitment to Projects	141	(16)
Chapter Focus	142	(1)
Analyzing a Community of Interest	142	(3)
Mapping	143	(1)
Working With Fact Sheets	143	(1)
Exploring Communities' Needs Services	144	(1)
Gathering Needs and Issues Information	145	(6)
Finding Service-Learning Success Stories	146	(2)
Contacting Umbrella Agencies	148	(1)
Formal Needs Assessment	149	(2)
Motivating Potential Community Partners	151	(3)
Class Introductions	151	(2)
Resource Group Descriptions	153	(1)
Class Directories	153	(1)
Selecting Strategies for Use	154	(1)
In Conclusion	154	(2)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	156	(1)
Chapter IX: Strategies for Measuring Student Outcomes	157	(34)
Chapter Focus	158	(1)
A Framework for Student Outcomes Measurement	158	(1)
Criterion-Referenced Strategies for Measuring Academic and Problem-Solving Outcome Indicators	159	(11)
State Standards Tests	159	(2)
Teacher-Developed Criterion-Referenced Tests	161	(8)
Collection and Use of Criterion-Referenced, Constructed-Response Test Data	169	(1)
Observational Strategies for Measuring Service Outcome Indicators	170	(4)
Rating Scales	171	(2)
Anecdotal Observation	173	(1)
Self-Report Strategies for Measuring Personal Growth Indicators	174	(15)
Surveys	175	(4)
Interviews	179	(3)
Focus Groups	182	(4)
Experience Analysis	186	(3)
In Conclusion	189	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	190	(1)
Chapter X: Strategies for Designing Reflective Learning Experiences	191	(24)
Chapter Focus	192	(1)
Stating Instructional Goals and Objectives	192	(1)
Selecting Activities for Reflective Learning Experiences	193	(19)
Focusing Activities	194	(9)
Reflection Activities	203	(4)
Conceptualizing Activities	207	(5)
Using Journals to Integrate Reflective Learning	212	(1)
Sharing Responsibility for Reflection and Conceptualizing Activities	212	(1)
In Conclusion	213	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	213	(2)
Chapter XI: Strategies for Evaluating Projects and Celebrating Growth	215	(28)
Chapter Focus	216	(1)
Team Members' Responsibilities for Evaluation Planning	216	(11)
Identifying Instruments Used to Collect Evaluation Information	219	(1)
Collecting Feedback About Project Impact	219	(2)
Collecting Project Team Self-Evaluation Information	221	(1)
Developing Guides for Instrument Use	222	(5)
Using Inductive Thinking as an Analytical and Interpretive Tool	227	(6)
The Nature and Use of Inductive Thinking Steps	229	(1)
Practicing Inductive Thinking	230	(1)
Stating Generalizations	231	(1)
Using Generalizations to Judge Project Worth	232	(1)
Celebrating Service-Learning	233	(8)
Two Dimensions of Celebration	233	(8)
In Conclusion	241	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	241	(2)
Chapter XII: Additional Resources for Service-Learning	243	(20)
Chapter Focus	244	(1)
Additional Human Resources	244	(6)
Same-Subject-Area Teachers	245	(1)
Other Subject-Area Teachers	245	(1)
Teachers with Service-Learning Experience	246	(1)
School Administrators	246	(1)
School Workers	247	(1)
Parents	247	(1)
School and School System Resource Staff	248	(1)
Higher Education Faculty	249	(1)
Community Contacts	249	(1)
Internet Resources for Service-Learning	250	(2)
Conflict Resolution Resources for Service-Learning	252	(7)
Scanning for Conflict	253	(3)
Using Problem Solving to Resolve Conflicts	256	(2)
Involving a Conflict-Resolution Mediator	258	(1)
In Conclusion	259	(1)
A Final Word	260	(1)
Activities for Increasing Understanding	260	(3)
References	263	(6)
Author Index	269	(2)
Subject Index	271