Experiential/Service Learning Online

As online teaching and learning have grown, there is room to add a service learning component in an online setting. We can develop innovative ways to merge these two pedagogies together. Students could definitely benefit from civic and community engagement opportunities connected to the curriculum in an online setting. As online course delivery increases as a percentage of all higher education courses, we could always add an experiential learning element.

Taking a Service Learning Course Online
Bob McDonald, Marketing

Please read the following PDF to see how Professor McDonald shifted an extremely active service learning course for an online, remote teaching environment.
MKT 4350 Adjustments Teaching Academy

Service Learning Projects in Online Courses
Aref Agahei Hervani, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Economics Chicago State University), Marilyn M. Helms, Ph.D. (Sesquicentennial Endowed Chair and Professor of Management, Dalton State College), Raina M. Rutti, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Management, Dalton State College), Joanne LaBonte, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Sociology, Chicago State University), & Sy Sarkarat, Ph.D. (Professor of Economics, West Virginia University)

As more college courses are taught online, maintaining course deliverables and learning to mirror face-to-face offerings is important to faculty, students, and accrediting agencies. Offering experiential and service learning is an increasingly important way to connect students to their local communities. This article presents a case study implementation of a service learning project in a hybrid (taught partially online) senior-level business seminar, which is moving to a fully online format. The format pairs business students with existing community partners that have defined projects
and tasks for volunteers. Delivery strategies to engage students in civic and social organizations are presented along with benefits to students and to the community. Strategies for including college students in volunteer projects as an
initial service learning experience are included. Areas for future research are also presented.

Service Learning Projects in Online Courses PDF

Service Learning Projects in Online Courses
The California State University Center for Community Engagement

About the 3 part webinar series: Higher education instructors and students around the world recently made a rapid transition to remote teaching and learning. As we prepare more thoughtfully for Summer and Fall 2020, we now ask "How do we create virtual or remote Service Learning experiences that meet requirements?" Together we will outline how the key components of service-learning pedagogy (e.g., preparation, action, reflection, evaluation) can be adapted to online environments.

Session 1: Developing a Remote Learning Course (With Service Learning in Mind)

Session 2: Enhancing Remote Learning Through Virtual Service Learning Experiences

Session 3: Incorporating Critical Reflection Into Online Service Learning

Putting Service Learning Online - Resources

 

Additional Resources:

A list of recommendations from Campus Compact

Service Learning During Coronavirus: Easy Ideas for Every Subject

How College Students Can Help Reopen America

Because it has before, university service-learning will lead our recovery

FB group of community engagement and service learning professionals in Higher Ed.