Overview for Faculty

Photo of a teacher instructing students at the Stamford Campus.Key Components of service-learning are:

  • Connecting Service with Learning – academically rigorous, meaningful service with a significant positive impact upon those involved
  • Reflection – assessment of personal and community needs, relfection on participation, and evaluation of progress
  • Reciprocity – both the student and community partner give and receive time, energy, knowledge, and creativity
  • Critical Thinking – involvement in situations conducive to creative, effective problem-solving
  • Social Responsibility – expansion of student’s compassion, civic awareness, and desire to be engaged in the community
  • Experiential Learning – use of direct experience and hands-on learning to develop skills useful in future careers, family life, and community involvement
  • Needs-Based – project based on community-identified needs

As a method of engaged scholarship, service-learning offers great benefits to faculty:

  • Facilitates interdisciplinary and collaborative projects; broadens outlets for presentations and publications of research
  • Relationship building with students through service experience
  • Research opportunities
  • Increases opportunities for professional recognition and awards
  • Grant funding opportunities through service-learning
  • Invigorates teaching efforts
  • Fulfills University’s mission and objectives of the academic plan
  • Creates a more personal relationship between students and instructor
  • Demonstrates commitment to the community by awarding academic credit for learning through service or community-based research
  • Extends the classroom into community for the development of mutually-beneficial knowledge

Want more? Visit our Resources for Faculty page.

Service-Learning Matrix by Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis: