• Adapted from: (Kerrissa Heffernan. Fundamentals of Service-Learning Course Construction. Campus Compact, 2001 p. 1)

Pure Service-Learning

These are courses that send students out into the community to serve. These courses have as their intellectual core the idea of service to communities by students, volunteers, or engaged citizens. They are not typically lodged in any one discipline.

Discipline-based Service-Learning

In this model, students are expected to have a presence in the community throughout the semester and reflect on their experiences on a regular basis throughout the semester using course content as a basis for their analysis and understanding.

Problem-based Service-Learning

According to this model, students (or teams of students) relate to the community much as “consultants” working with a client. Students work with community members to understand a particular community problem or need. This model presumes that the students will have some knowledge they can draw upon to make recommendations to the community or develop a solution to the problem; architecture students might design a park; business students might design a web site; or a botany student might identify non-native plants and suggest eradication methods.

Capstone Courses

These courses are generally designed for majors and minors in a given discipline and are offered almost exclusively to students in their final year. Capstone courses ask students to draw upon the knowledge they have obtained throughout their course work and combine it with relevant service work in the community. The goal of a capstone is usually either exploring a new topic or synthesizing students understanding in their discipline.

Service Internships

Like traditional internships, these experiences are more intense than typical service-learning courses, with students working as much as 10-20 hours per week in a community setting. As in traditional internships, students are generally charged with producing a body of work that is of value to the community or site.

Community-based Action Research

Community-based action students work closely with faculty members and community agencies to learn research methodology. Students serve as advocates for communities and provide valuable research services and reports to community agencies.