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What is Service Learning? 

Although service learning is often defined as “learning by doing,” it is actually much more.

According to the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, service learning is a method under which participants learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service that:

• Is conducted in and meets the needs of a community.
• Is coordinated with an elementary school, secondary school, institution of higher education, or community service program, and with the community.
• Helps foster civic responsibility.

Service-learning activities should also:

• Be integrated into and enhance the academic curriculum of the students or the educational components of the community service program in which the participants are enrolled.
• Provide structured time for participants to reflect on the service experience.

K–12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

The K–12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice was recently developed through a series of “reactor panels” that were convened throughout the country. These panels were composed of young people, teachers, school and district administrators, community members, policy-makers, community-based program staff, and others interested in service learning. The following standards were identified as being most likely to ensure quality service-learning experiences for all participants:

• Meaningful Service that actively engages participants in personally relevant service activities.
• Link to Curriculum that intentionally uses service learning as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.
• Reflection which incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and analysis about oneself and one’s relationship to society.
• Diversity that promotes understanding and mutual respect among all participants.
• Youth Voice that provides youth with a strong voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service-learning experiences with guidance from adults.
• Partnerships that are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address real community needs.
• Progress Monitoring that engages participants in an ongoing process to assess the quality of implementation and progress toward meeting specified goals, and uses results for improvement and sustainability.
• Duration and Intensity sufficient enough to effectively address community need(s) and meet specified outcomes.

For an itemized description of each standard included in the K–12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice, please visit: www.nylc.org/standards.

Civics-Based Service Learning

Civics-based service learning is intentional about encouraging youth to actively engage the processes and institutions of local government to address issues and needs that are important to them. As a result, participants learn the skills and knowledge necessary for informed and responsible citizenship as a part of their education and volunteer service.

In 2002 the Carnegie Corporation gathered scholars, researchers, educators, civic and government leaders to discuss and examine the current state of civic education in our country. This report, The Civic Mission of Schools (CMS), is guiding local, state, and national policy on civics in our schools. According to the CMS report, the goal of civic education is to prepare youth to be competent and responsible citizens who:

• Are informed and thoughtful and have a knowledge of history and how American democracy works.
• Participate in their communities and work with others to address cultural, social, and political issues.
• Act politically by having the skills, knowledge and commitment to accomplish public purposes.
• Are socially responsible, tolerant, and believe in their capacity to make a difference.Service learning supports these goals by:  
  • Connecting participants to their community by encouraging awareness of the issues and problems in their surroundings.
  • Helping participants link volunteering and service to political and civic life.
  • Boosting knowledge of civic affairs and encouraging greater participation.
  • Demonstrating the benefits of involvement: participants see real results from real actions.

For the complete report and more information regarding the implementation of CMS goals and promising practices in California, please visit: http://www.cms-ca.org/