Center for Teaching, Learning & Academic Support
      Advancing Teaching, Research, and Creative Endeavors

Definition of Service Learning

• The service learning instructional methodology integrates community service with academic instruction as it focuses on critical, reflective thinking and civic responsibility.  Service learning programs involve students in organized community service that addresses local needs, while developing their academic skills, sense of civic responsibility, and commitment to the community.  Service learning is related to but does not include cooperative education, practice, or internship programs.
   
• Service learning is an effective teaching tool.  Both faculty and students benefit, along with community members.  Recent studies have shown that adding a community service learning component helps students learn more effectively.  Critical reflection is the key element for relating the meaning of their service to course materials.
   
• Service learning is both a program type and a philosophy of education.  As a program type, service learning includes myriad ways that students can perform meaningful service to their communities and to society while engaging in some form of reflection or study that is related to the service.  As a philosophy of education, service learning reflects the belief that education must be linked to social responsibility and that the most effective learning is active and connected to experience in some meaningful way.