Why Use Service-Learning in the Geosciences?

Service-learning Students, Bowdoin College, Photo by Ed Laine

My favorite aspect of this project was that we got to do real, potentially useful research. This is the only course I've taken at Bowdoin where I have done anything that had a larger purpose than merely educating or evaluating me. I took a lot of satisfaction in doing something useful for once. I also really enjoyed reading the academic papers and articles that pertained to my project. It was very interesting to see what real oceanographers do and discuss.... I really liked being a part of a service learning project, and I think there should be more of them.

Physics major, Bowdoin College, Oceonography Course

Service-Learning:

• Facilitates Active Learning. Active learning is a pedagogical tool that promotes student-centered education. Students are encouraged to solve problems, answer questions, formulate questions of their own, discuss, explain, debate, or brainstorm during class (from Active and Cooperative Learning). Active learning has been shown to improve education (Felder et al. 1998).
• Facilitates Experiential Learning. Experiential learning based in the idea that learning begins in concrete experience, based on David Kolb and Fry (1975) learning cycle with four components: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract hypotheses, and active testing.
• Promotes Theory-Practice Connections. Students have an opportunity to practice what they learned in class and apply theories to the "real world".
• Improves Student Satisfaction. Students have shown to be more satisfied with service-learning classes. (Astin et al, 2000)(Eyler and Giles, 1999)(Eyler et al 2001)(Lui, 2004).
• Develops Workplace Skills: Service-learning has a positive effect on interpersonal development, the ability to work well with others, leadership and communication skills (Astin & Sax 1998)
• Promotes Civic Engagement . Many colleges and universities are beginning to emphasize that educating society about civic responsibilities is a crucial element, if not the purpose of education (London 2001; Wingspread Declaration 1998; Boyte 2002; Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land Grant Universities 2002. Service-learning explicitly incorporates civic engagement with academics and joins the three parts of the tripartite mission of higher education: teaching, research, and service.
• Meets Institutional Intentions. Colleges and university administrations find that service-learning is a way to:
  • Improve town/gown relations,
  • Realize the civic mission of the institution,
  • Build learning communities,
  • Encourage interdisciplinary work,
  • Improve instruction,
  • Fulfill the service and outreach mission of the institution,
  • Provide realistic capstone courses,
  • Help with recruitment and retention of minorities (Furco & Holland 2004)(Zlotkowski & Saltmarsh 2004).