Service Learning Definition ~ Service Learning Pedagogy~
Experimental and Integrative Studies Program~
KSU Service Learning Resources ~ External Sources

Service Learning Definition

Academic service learning is a teaching strategy that uses community service to help students gain a deeper understanding of course content. In contrast to volunteerism or community service by itself, service learning flows from and into course learning objectives. Service learning is a form of experiential education deeply rooted in cognitive and developmental psychology, pragmatic philosophy, and democratic theory.

Integrating service learning into your course will require your students to reflect in a new way on course objectives and on the nature of learning itself. It will also broaden their social and political awareness. But how can you customize service learning so that it supports learning in your discipline, in what your teach, without sacrificing academic rigor?

Service-Learning Pedagogy

Syllabi and learning objectives have already been created in many disciplines. While service learning is growing across the country, the majority of faculty at most universities still have little or no experience with it. At many universities faculty are not yet aware of the potential of service learning.

A number of Kent faculty have led the way with service learning in their classrooms. Building on their innovation, two new course offerings will be available to those of you who wish to join them in b4ringing new learning adventures to Kent students.

The service-learning initiative serves the University mission of becoming an institution "engaged" with the external community through partnerships and of providing the best education of its students for lifelong learning.

Back to top

Experimental and Integrative Studies Program

EXPR 10295/20295/30295/40295: ST
Service-Learning Contract (1 credit-hour)

The Experimental and Integrative Studies Program permits students to add a service-learning component to any regular University course. The student must receive permission from the instructor under whose direction the work will be done. The instructor's department is credited with the FTE.

The student will devote a minimum of 30 hours to community service work during the course of the semester.

The experience must be integrated into the academic content of the course to which it is attached.

The work must be reviewed and assessed by the collaborating faculty member for a letter grade.

The student's service work should help connect the world of academe to the world of social responsibility beyond the University.

EXPR 30295: ST
Serving to Learn, Learning to Serve (3-credit hours)

This course combines community serviced with intensive study of the nature of service as a civic responsibility and a personal commitment.

For additional information about these courses contact:  Larry Andrews, Honors College

Back to top

KSU Service-Learning Resources

If you are interested in incorporating a service-learning component into your classes and would like more information, please contact  Michael Lillie  (Office of Campus Life) at 672-2480.

Faculty at Kent State University who are incorporating service into the classroom include:

Back to top

External Resources

Corporation for National Service

National Campus Compact

Ohio Campus Compact

Governor's Community Service Council/Campus Compact

Back to top