“Although assessments aiming at one or several impacts, and focusing on a single stage of a service-learning project, can be informative in answering specific questions on the value of service-learning, they cannot systematically guide the planning and implementation of service-learning projects.”
—Dr. Guili Zhang,East Carolina University, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Assessing Service-Learning
Because, service-learning is not credit for service (or time) and because service-learning is an integrated text of an academic course that provides credit for learning, and because service-learning is based on reciprocal University-Community partnerships:
- We measure academic learning AND
- civic learning AND
- We also need to ensure community interest is addressed
There are many tools you can borrow or adapt to assess your service-learning class:
- Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning: Service-Learning Course Design Workbook
includes matrices to help faculty develop their service-learning syllabi, integrate critical analysis and assess learning and impact. Copies are available for SSU faculty in the CCE. Please contact us to request a copy. - Many critical analysis tools can be evaluated and graded to determine student learning.
- Request a copy of the definitive article Assessing Service-learning and Civic Engagement: Principles and Techniques.
- Student service-learning portfolio style plan
- Student political activism service-learning portfolio style plan and grading rubric
- Form for mid-semester community partner feedback request
- Form for end of semester community partner feedback request
- Request more information
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Tip
Focus on student learning outcomes and impact in the community instead of input (time/effort).
Research shows community partners have specific concerns about the use of hours to document student activities in community settings. They report that in their view counting hours doesn't measure student performance or learning, and they observed that a focus on hours often diminished student commitment to the work in the community from one of learning to one of "getting my time in." While partners understood the academic institution's need to make sure students do the assigned work and put in a fair and equitable level of effort, they didn't believe that counting hours was sufficient in and of itself to even measure those factors. They suggested that additional strategies be used to measure effort, measure learning outcomes, and that partners should be asked whether or not they are interested in commenting on the student's performance on assigned community-based tasks.
From A Promising Connection: Increasing College Access and Success through Civic Engagement by Cathy Burack Christine M. Cress, Dwight E. Giles, Jr., Julie Elkins, Margaret Carnes Stevens
