Designing An Academic Service-Learning Course: How Can Faculty Members Measure Learning and Student Reflection?

Students were asked to conduct an out-of-class observation. They picked the location. Their goal was to return to class with a list of ten sexually communicative explicit behaviors observed in public (shopping malls, grocery stores, campus) that they could share with the class and that would be classified as sexually explicit but acceptable public behavior. We then compiled a male and female list of sexually communicative explicit behaviors. Surprised to discover the differences, the students talked at great length about the behaviors listed as being sexually explicit. At the next class, we compiled a list of sexually harassing behaviors at the university and in the workplace. We combined the list of harassing behaviors with the list of sexually communicative behaviors typically tolerated in public and discussed the differences. This was an academic service-learning course that used active learning, problem-solving, critical thinking, case studies, observations, hands-on community-based service, analytical writing, group discussion, and reflection along with an intrinsically motivating learning environment.  Academic service-learning provides the structure for developing a course that strives for this high-level of learning and engagement. With academic service-learning, the course is designed to encourage interactive, in-depth learning.  Academic service-learning produces higher test scores, stronger student engagement, commitment, persistence to learn hard concepts, a deeper level of learning, analysis of information, better recall, longer retention of knowledge learned, and better application to the real world. Academic service-learning calls for us to rethink how we teach and how we measure learning in the classroom.  Designing an academic service-learning course focused on learning entails making sure that the course enhances student learning, higher-order thinking, student engagement, and real-world application.