Two principles upon which service-learning is based include:
- Both the student and the community should be equal beneficiaries of any service activity; and
- Participation in service-learning should improve academic performance, develop social and
civic awareness, and provide gains in personal development.
Principle One - Both the student and the community should be equal beneficiaries of any
service activity.
Service-learning is established on the principle that both the student and the community
are equally considered beneficiaries of the service activity. The
context of service-learning is both the classroom and the community. The following
figure illustrates the differences between community service, academic development, and
academic service-learning as well as the relationship of service to the educational objectives
for the student.
| Student focus / Community focus |
| Community Service: the community is the primary consideration and the context of the service. |
| Student focus / Community focus |
| Academic Development: the student's development is primary and the context is
the program/classroom. |
| Student focus / Community focus |
| Service-Learning: the student and the community share primary considerations and the
context is the classroom and the community. |
(This chart is adapted from ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING FACULTY DEVELOPMENT MANUAL, by Kathleen
Stacey, Dale L. Rice, and Georgea Langer, Eastern Michigan University, Office of Academic
Service-Learning, 1997)
Study the following table that provides a typology comparing different levels of
emphasis between learning goals and service outcomes (Sigmon, 1994). As Sigmon demonstrates,
service-learning occurs when there is a balance between learning goals and service outcomes.
Service-LEARNING : Learning goals are primary; service outcomes secondary.
SERVICE-learning : Service outcomes are primary; learning goals are secondary.
SERVICE-LEARNING : Service and learning goals are equally weighted; each enhances the other
for all participants (Sigmon, 1994).
It should be noted that student service projects should not:
- take jobs from the local community;
- involve tasks that are not needed; or
- focus on tasks that the recipients of the service have not requested.
(From COMBINING SERVICE AND LEARNING: A RESOURCE BOOK FOR COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE vol. 1,
by J.C. Kendall and Associates, National Society for Internships and Experiential Education,
1990)
 Entry #5:
In your Journal, COPY this chart, then make a LIST of possible learning goals and
service outcomes if your students performed service activities with the following agencies
(the first one has been done for you as an example):
| AGENCY |
LEARNING GOALS/student |
SERVICE OUTCOMES/community |
| Homeless Shelter |
to become aware of social issues causing homelessness |
assist in meal planning and service or fund raising for needed supplies |
- Daycare Program
- Red Cross Program
- Cross-Age Tutoring
- Senior Citizen Home
- Nature Center
E-mail your journal entries to your instructor as an attachment.
Be ready to discuss your ideas.
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