"I'll be Hermione": A simulation approach for faculty development for service-learning
This post is by SLL blog coordinator, Anne Marie Gruber, Liaison & Textbook Equity Librarian at University of Northern Iowa's Rod Library.
This post is by SLL blog coordinator, Anne Marie Gruber, Liaison & Textbook Equity Librarian at University of Northern Iowa's Rod Library.
Today's guest post author is Cameron Tuai, Data & Business Librarian at Drake University's Cowles Library.
Thanks to those of you who may be visiting this blog because you attended the session "From research to action: Pairing Information Literacy and Service-learning" at the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) conference last week. My co-presenters (Dr. Maggie Stevens, Executive Director, Indiana Campus Compact; Jennifer Nutefall, University Librarian at Santa Clara University and Dr.
Earlier this week, I attended a book discussion about Dan Butin's book "Service-Learning in theory and practice: The future of community engagement in higher education." One of the main arguments Butin makes is that service-learning should have a discipline-based home in the academy. He compares it to how feminism, which began as a social movement, became women's studies within the academy. Of course, this leads to hundreds of questions. What would this look like? Would the focus be on citizenship in our democracy? or community studies?
The planning for EDT 110: Civic-centered research has begun! My co-teacher and I are updating the syllabus, and going over our notes from the debrief after last winter's course to make the appropriate changes.
Maybe that should be the name of my blog. It's official. I'm a service-learning junkie! I signed up for a book discussion hosted by the WSU Center for Teaching and Learning in February, during which we'll discuss the book Service-Learning in theory and practice: The future of community engagement in higher education by Dan W. Butin. That itself may not indicate that I'm a junkie, but the fact that I can't wait to dig into the book - maybe that confirms it! And if that doesn't, then the fact that I was giddy when it was just dropped off at my desk - that does it for sure!
Minnesota Campus Compact is offering a webinar that looks very interesting, Service-Learning in Online Courses: Practical Considerations and Strategies. I've often wondered about how service-learning would work in an online course. You can find the details here.
A few weeks ago I encountered my first service-learning naysayer in person. I've read about these people before...those who think service-learning is a passing fad. And I finally encountered one in person. I wasn't adequately prepared to deal with it. On my way home that day, it came to me - what I should have said. "Citizenship never goes out of style." I hardly believe service-learning a passing fad. It has roots back to John Dewey in the early 1900s and his concept of "public education." And there will certainly NOT be a shortage of community problems to solve anytime soon!
A few weeks ago, I attended a lecture on campus given by Hunt Brown, Director of Sustainability and Senior Lecturer, Earth & Environmental Sciences, about a fascinating service-learning course he taught here at WSU. The course, UH 203, took place during intersession 2007 (that's the break between fall and winter quarters), and included a one-week service trip to New Orleans, about two years after Hurrican Katrina hit. The students researched economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainability in New Orleans. If you're wondering why Hunt was lecturing about a class that took
My co-teacher and I will teach our Information Literacy course, EDT 110, again beginning in January. One of the questions I get most frequently about my class is about timing. How long/far in advance should I start planning a service-learning partnership or course?