Service Learning @ TCC

The term service-learning means a method:
	Under which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet the actual community needs; That is integrated into the student's academic curriculum or provides structured time for a student to think, talk, or write about what the student did and saw during the service activity; That provides students with opportunities to use newly acquired skills and knowledge in real-life situations in their own communities; and That enhances what is taught in class by extending student learning beyond the classroom and into the community and helps foster the development of a sense of caring for others.
	The National and Community Service Act of 1990

SERVICE-LEARNING IS DIFFERENT FROM:

Volunteerism ...where the primary emphasis is on the service being provided and the primary intended beneficiary is clearly the service recipient.

Community Service...where the primary focus [is] on the service being provided as well as the benefits the service activities have on the recipients. The students receive some benefits by learning more about how their service makes a difference.

Internships...[that] engage students in service activities primarily for the purpose of providing students with hands-on experiences that enhance their learning or understanding of issues relevant to a particular area of study.

Field Education...[that] provide students with co-curricular service opportunities that are related, but not fully integrated, with their formal academic studies. Students perform the service as a part of a program that is designed primarily to enhance students' understanding of a field of study, while also providing substantial emphasis on the service being provided.

From: Andrew Furco. (1996). Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education.
Expanding Boundaries: Service and Learning. Corporation for National Service.