University insurance typically does not cover Service-Learning activities off campus. Students are to be considered as volunteers and it is up to each agency to determine the need for volunteer insurance and limited criminal history checks. Students need to be informed of potential risks before they volunteer. Students can sign an informed consent form indicating they are aware of risks and will not hold the university liable in the case of an accident. Information on risk management and a sample Informed Consent Form is available at the Service-Learning office.

Many professional academic associations now include sessions on Service-Learning and civic engagement at national and regional conferences. Associations such as Campus Compact, National Society for Experiential Education, and the American Association of Higher Education hold annual conferences and provide opportunities to present papers on Service-Learning and the scholarship of engagement. Additionally, special issues of professional journals now feature Service-Learning as a topic of inquiry.

Service-Learning is often defined with an emphasis on learning. Many teachers do not change their evaluation technique, but assume that the service heightens student learning, and that monitoring the service contribution is all that is necessary. On the other hand, you might have specific papers devoted to reflecting on the experience, and grade those for analysis, critical thinking, and other standards normally used. Faculty who utilize Service-Learning must generate data documenting the impact that this pedagogy has on student learning.

You are still in charge of what class time is used for. Students can reflect on the experience outside class through journals and logs, and more formal papers. Research, however, indicates that devoting time in class to discussing experiences that emerge from the service experience will increase student learning and satisfaction with the course. If the students’ experiences become text for the class, they will integrate what they are learning as they discuss, make connections to course materials, and listen to the experience of others (Hatcher, 1998).

It does take time to set up the logistics of a Service-Learning class, to respond to individual students, and to work though the unanticipated challenges of site visitations. But there are ways to minimize the impact of the time by gaining assistance from the Service-Learning office, community agency staff, and Service-Learning Assistants. Service-Learning staff can meet with you and agency partners to discuss the design and implementation of the course. It does get easier each time you teach a Service-Learning course.

It depends. Just as the length of a research paper varies from course to course, so too does the amount of service. As a rule of thumb, the more often a student goes to the community site, the more benefit is derived from the service experience. Typically, it is recommended that students contribute 2 hours each week for ten weeks for a 3-credit course. However, the service component may be designed to occur less frequently, depending on the needs of the community agency or the learning objectives of the course (Hatcher, 1998).

It depends. In some Service-Learning classes the service experience is an integral part of the course. Students who choose to enroll in this type of class are expected to participate in the service activity in the same way that they are expected to complete a research paper or make a class presentation. In other classes, the service component is an option and may replace another class assignment (Hatcher, 1998).

Hatcher, J.A., Ed. (1998) Service-Learning tip sheets: A faculty resource guide, Indiana Campus Compact: Indianapolis, IN.

Students in Service-Learning classes report higher gains in academic skills, life skills, and civic development than students who do not participate in Service-Learning. Additionally, students report that Service-Learning helps to clarify career goals, contributes to stronger relationships with peers and faculty, and results in a more satisfying learning experience.

Clinicals, internships, fieldwork, and co-op programs are designed to provide students with experiences in the community in order to develop professional skills. These practice-based experiences typically occur during the senior year, after necessary coursework is completed. Service-Learning classes are designed to involve students in community service activities that are linked to specific learning objectives of a course. Service-Learning includes an integration of theory and practice, with an emphasis on civic responsibility. Students "serve to learn" and "learn to serve". (Hatcher, 1998)