Expectations for Service Learning Placement Sites

Students undertaking Service Learning are expected to complete about 60 hours (4 hours per week) of service during the semester for a 3 credit hour course. During this time, students should be considering many different ideas and outlooks on the services they are providing. Some areas students need to focus on during their services and for class discussions include:

1. Reasons why students are undertaking service learning (not including requirements).
2. The importance of service as a significant part of one’s life.
3. What are the students’ action plans for the social problem they will be working on throughout their services?
4. What are students learning about themselves and those they are serving?
5. What are students learning about individuals who may be different from themselves in terms of diversity (i.e. dysfunctional families, the homeless, the poor, various ethnic groups, different races and cultures, lifestyles, the elderly or disabled, etc.)?
6. What social problems are the students helping to solve within the community, the agency or society?
7. What academic theories have students learned in their classes and/or programs that they can relate to their service experiences?
8. What are students learning and gaining about themselves and others in their service experiences and what are they getting back from the experiences?
9. What professional and leadership skills and abilities do students hope to derive from their services?
10. Does the student have an appreciation for the specific needs of special individuals, groups, people and agencies they are serving?
11. What are students’ reflections on the meaning of service and what has been the most rewarding part of their service experiences?
12. What are students’ “action plan” for the social problem/s they are working on in the agency/organization/community that they are placed?

We encourage you to speak with the student/s about these reflections and encourage them to explore the meaning behind their services.