This paper describes an uncommon approach to service learning. The students in a class at California State University Los Angeles are placed with experts of the political advocacy process, not with charitable nonprofits. Making use of a variety of organizations located in the greater Los Angeles region, the course offers students the opportunity…

This book presents current thinking on the topic of community service programs for youth. Combining theory and research with descriptions of innovative programs and specific recommendations for program design, the volume outlines an approach to service learning that engages youth not only in helping others but also in critical reflection and the…

A discussion of community service education examines whether or not the background or characteristics of college students working in local programs influences program progress and success. It is concluded that students rarely come from the communities they serve, and that a more important factor is the kind and scope of preparation they are given…

Describes a Rutgers University (New Jersey) course to prepare undergraduates to participate effectively in civic life and public decisions about education and schooling. The course, which includes a service learning component, examines the theoretical and conceptual bases of civic responsibility, reviews the educational policymaking process, and…

States that a means to provide civic engagement of students is by developing social capital of high school students and adults within their communities through service learning. Contends that community service facilitates civic engagement and political activity in young people which continues into adulthood. (CMK)

States that to understand systems of power students must think about service and politics as a continuum of activities. Believes that a good model of service learning, as a citizenship education tool, is the historical relationship between women and community service. (CMK)

Scholars recently have called for a more civic-based approach to education. In this article, we report on the use of a civic participation exercise in a large public speaking class. The assignment guides students to employ concepts from the course to organize a community event designed to productively affect a specific civic cause. Gaining…

Over the past three years, 183 campuses have joined the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' American Democracy Project. Originally intended as a three-year initiative involving a score of schools, the response exceeded all expectations, and the project has been extended well beyond the initial timeframe. This fall Campus…

This booklet was designed to help service organizations think on a strategic level about forming innovative partnerships and soliciting community resources. Four essential steps are offered to accomplish this goal: design a comprehensive fundraising plan; develop convincing evidence of effectiveness; actively engage potential supporters; and…

Service learning in higher education can be a powerful method of citizen education, by building students' concrete civic skills in the areas of intellectual understanding, communication and problem solving, and civic attitudes of judgment and imagination. A basic condition is that broad definitions of service and citizenship be assumed, and used…

Reports results from a study of service-learning activities at North Carolina community colleges. Indicates that community colleges supported similar types of activities as the state's universities, but did so at much lower levels. Provides case studies of the two community colleges that ranked the highest in service-learning support. The survey…

The varied service activities of Pacific Lutheran University (Washington) faculty and students illustrate the benefits of community service and service learning, including unique educational and personal development opportunities, preparation for citizenship, institutional visibility, and faculty professional and leadership development. Providing…

Civic engagement is an area ripe for increased pedagogical attention in the discipline of Political Science. However, almost all efforts are limited to courses on local, state, and national government. We teach about the often intricate connections between domestic and international politics, but opportunities for students to research and practice…

Based on the idea that community colleges have a critical role in enhancing civic literacy through community-based programming and service learning, this volume provides descriptions of theoretical frameworks and practical models for incorporating community renewal into the college mission. The following articles are provided: (1) "Service…

This collection of essays by various authors discusses the dilemmas that face those who would educate tomorrow's valuable citizens and describes the day-to-day commitment needed to maintain a community. The book gives guidelines for action through examples of current programs that provide a forum for civic discussion and public consensus on the…