Service learning, curriculum-linked community service, has proved remarkably effective in igniting students' desire to learn. In 1997, the Wisconsin Partnership in Service Learning was initiated as a cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional endeavor. Supported by a grant from Learn and Serve America, the partnership created a network throughout…

In 1997 the Education Commission of the States (ECS) created the Compact for Learning and Citizenship (CLC), an organization of state and district superintendents working to improve student learning through civic involvement and the use of volunteers. This issue paper provides an overview of service-learning, discussing impact, alignment with…

The connection between service and character is a natural fit in today's schools. An important fact of school reform in recent years has been the push to connect academics to the "real world." But while there is widespread agreement that educating students to become good citizens is crucial, there are differences on how to make that goal…

Student volunteerism can include direct service, research and community education, and advocacy service. Alert observation and informed questioning are at the heart of learning from nonclassroom experience. (Author/MLF)

Describes the pitfalls that schools may encounter in requiring community service for high school graduation. In planning service-learning programs, schools should ask "In service of what?" Schools should first define their ideological, political, and social goals; provide teacher training, and incorporate the program into the curriculum. (LMI)

Colleges and universities continually search for ways to enhance the safety and security of their educational programs and physical plant. This article examines how the University of Southern California and other institutions are using collaborative efforts with the local community to enhance their mutual safety and security through dynamic…

This paper describes the structure, content and requirements of the service-learning component of first professional year pharmacy students. It also provides excerpts from student reaction logs describing their experiences. (Author)

Investigated the process by which student service learning was integrated into the academic curricula of 14 diverse colleges and universities in North Carolina. Interviews with key informants at each campus and analysis of pertinent documents indicated that the process of implementation involved three stages: sponsorship, brokering, and…

In this article, the author discusses how some educators are turning to service-learning projects for charitable activities--and helping to foster connections between students and the human beings they aim to serve. The author highlights a program called Kids Can Make a Difference, also known simply as KIDS, as an example of how to turn food…

As intergenerational service-learning becomes an increasingly popular means for providing gerontology and health professional students with "real-life" experience, it is essential to consider the importance of strong community partnerships. Drawing upon a range of intergenerational service-learning experiences from two programs at…

This report presents the findings of an evaluation of a three-year teacher enhancement project from the Social Science Education Consortium (SSEC). Under this project, middle school teachers were recruited and trained to develop and implement integrated science, social studies, and service-learning units in their classrooms. The project offered…

This issue paper examines the pros and cons of required community service, discusses policy rationales and options, defines the difference between community service and service-learning, and presents a snapshot of various practices in place nationally. It is designed to enable education policy makers to make more informed decisions about which of…

This report recounts that many impressive projects in Massachusetts Learn and Serve America school-based sites have been observed. The term "project" is used in the report to refer to community service learning (CSL) as it is incorporated into classroom instruction. In general, the report notes, the projects ranged from simple to…

This compilation includes practical and transferable principles that can be used by service-learning practitioners. The 39 case studies and personal essays in the compilation are organized around critical issues in strengthening long-term institutional and community support for K-12 service-learning programs. Each article describes how the issue…

Describes the Solutions model used at Shelley High School in Idaho which gives students the opportunity to gain practical experience while tackling community problems. This approach is built on the three fundamentals of an integrated curriculum, a problem-solving focus, and service-based learning. Sample problems include increasing certain trout…