Workshop Program
All times are expressed in Central Time
Note: This workshop has already taken place. Presentations and outcomes are linked from the program below.
Jump down to: Day 2, Thursday| Day 3, Friday |Weekend Work |Day 4, Monday |Day 5, Tuesday
Day 1: Wednesday, February 3 - Inspiration and Introductions: Why are we here?
10:00- 11:00 Getting Started
- Introduction to the workshop (PowerPoint 400kB Feb3 10) - Review the workshop goals, expectations, and plan for the week - Dave Mogk, Montana State University- Bozeman
- Introduction to the technology used for the virtual workshop; introduction to the software, small group interactions, use of the Content Management System - Karin Kirk, SERC
- Icebreaker activity (PowerPoint 1.9MB Feb3 10) to meet participants and try out technology - Karin Kirk, SERC
- Continue the icebreaker discussion by telling us more about yourself and your plans in this icebreaker discussion thread.
In what type of course are you using, or do you plan to use service learning?
- high school science and math
- intro - non-major
- Moderator (David Mogk): Environmental Geology
- undergraduate, mostly non-science major intro course
- undergrad course - entire course
- soil and sustainability course
- undergraduate elementary education majors
- general education science
- undergrad-intro oceans, intermediate oceans
- High School level science and math
- college geology and teacher education science courses
- I use service learning in non-major science courses, some intro and some upper level
- Undergrad, capstone, geosci and geochem
The aspects of service learning that I find the most beneficial, interesting and exciting are...
- students are really engaged
- student engagement
- authentic research, public benefit with a consulting model
- increased engagement with material and connection to larger community
- Moderator (David Mogk): Using SL to see the relevance of science in personal lives (for non-majors)
- It enables me to be an active member of the community
- cross curricular outreach including community support
- changes my role in the classroom. no longer sage on the stage
- real world applications- hopefully generate interest in science
- helping students connect complex topics to real life situations
- students develop career skills
The aspects of service learning that I find the most worrisome, confusing and confounding are...
- logistics
- evaluations
- assessment
- help recruit students to become science teachers by giving them a teaching or tutoring experience
- group dynamics, splitting out the project pieces
- extra work for me and sometimes students
- human subjects?
- Moderator (David Mogk): Funding!!!
- Meeting rigorous educational goals
- lack of administrative support
- legal aspects - liability
- they take too much time
- same as everyone else but also less control over the outcome
Some things that would help me with the confounding part of service learning are...
- Moderator (David Mogk): Advice from folks who have "been there"
- places to get help
- examples of assessments that have worked (and haven't worked)
- how to make it rigorous and how to assess
- examples of successful service learning
- more ideas on assessment
- I want to develop a course around one project; still don't feel confident about course design
- how to connect with the community
- liability recommendations
- more ideas about activities and assessment
- data on impact of sl in science
- fitting into the academic calendar
- community resources, examples of service learning that has worked, how to develop a project that undergrads can accomplish
- Moderator (David Mogk): We have an opportunity to define grand challenges--and we'll set up groups to address these...
1:00-2:30 Opening Plenary and Discussion:
Watch the Screencast (MP4 Video 78.6MB Jul31 17)
- Pamela Gore: What is Carnegie Classificaiton?
- Moderator (David Mogk 1): HI Pam: Carnegie Classifications refer to Research I (big research institutions), Comrehensive (Master's and tech schools), Liberal Arts, Community Colleges...These classifications have recently been revised, but you get the idea--it's a profile about the central mission of an institution
- stephanie: could you please email me the link with the gis water quality and the southeastern educational program. where can I find more information
- Bill Locke: I'm lucky if I can get a product out - do you outsource publicity to the students?
- stephanie: hi my other question is how can we implement policy history and an environmental impact
- Lois Ongley: We have a PR guy on campus who helps send out info to the local papers.
- Linda Ruiz McCall: For high school students, could you provide comments on how service learning may be an asset to their college applications?
- Ed Laine 1: Students often craft their resumes around their SL projects. It lets them demonstrate their skills
- Lois Ongley: I expect that students will do a public presentation to the community partner.
- Jen Houghton: Do you have a good method to demonstrate changes in attitudes of students as a result of service learning?
- Lois Ongley: For Linda: while a HS teacher a student and I did a short day of sampling.
- Lois Ongley: We sent our samples out to a lb to get irrefutable data. Ashley ended up winning a state prize and we took her work to a national competition
Discussion Thread Assignment: What is the role of service learning in the context of your instructional setting, such as your institutional mission statement, departmental curriculum, etc.? Reflect on how service learning can fit into the instructional fabric of your institution. What other service-learning resources/courses are part of your institution's curriculum?
Wednesday "Roadcheck" Evaluation: tell us how the workshop is going so far.
Day 2: Thursday, February 4 - Implementing Service Learning in Your Course
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10:00-11:30 Panel presentations and discussion: Three case studies which demonstrate a variety of approaches to service learning projects
Watch the Screencast (MP4 Video 109.9MB Jul31 17)
Jennifer Houghton Presentation:
- Renee Faatz: Have you experienced any objections from parents or faculty that are more conservative politically? I experienced this when my students did water testing....
- Federica Raia: do you have any reflection assignments in place?
- Bill Locke: I suspect that when the project gains momentum (several years of data) it will become a lot easier to make and maintain community and outreach connections!
- Linda Ruiz McCall: Did you have safety concerns for exposure to your students to contaminants?
- Suzanne OConnell: Re apathy, could you show pictures of what happens to people who eat contaminated fish?
Stephanie Maes Presentation:
- Bill Locke: It is my experience that no one will value your work if it looks bad. This includes not only writing style and mechanics but graphical display as well. I would usually value it in any class, at any level, at 20% or more!
- Federica Raia: do you have samples of written reflection?
- Federica Raia: great point Bill, especially if your present to the community
- Moderator (Monica B): Very neat! I did a similar project with my former 4th grade classes looking at their river and streams' electrical conductivity, pH, water/air temp, and benthic macroinverts -- they LOVED it ... and they were able to share their findings by making a scientific poster (with help from me and their main teacher) and doing a community presentation at the end of the year
- Renee Faatz: Awesome project!
- Jen Houghton: Rhodes has many separate groups that do community service and they all seem to have their own way of sharing/celebrating, but there is no coherent effort like Ed describes - this is a great idea!
- Dave Mogk: Here at MSU we commonly do a campus or community wide poster session, and we always try to provide refreshments as an incentive for folks to walk in the door. Feed them, and they will come!
Pamela Gore Presentation:
- Jen Houghton: that's a great idea - documenting themselves doing it!
- Dave Mogk: I will start a new threaded discussion on faculty rewards...following on Pam's point about becoming part of the faculty academy for service learning, and Bill Locke's earlier comment on his Intro thread about lack of institutional recognition and rewards...
- Linda Ruiz McCall: The coolaboration between colleges and high schools is wonderful!
- Renee Faatz: Yes I agree. I am inspired to include our local schools.
- Linda Ruiz McCall: Is the link with high schools also considered "peer" learning?
General:
- Dave Mogk: VERY INSPIRING TALKS, ALL! THANK YOU
1:30-3:00 Presentation (PowerPoint 8.7MB Feb3 10) and activity: Using the 8 Block Model - Ed Laine, Bowdoin College
Watch the Screencast (MP4 Video 86.5MB Jul31 17)
Q1. Which would you like to hear more discussion about:
A. Project Management (0)
B. Community Partners (2/19)
C. Building Community (2/19)
D. Problem Statement (2/19)
no response (13/19)
Q2.Which would you like to hear more discussion about:
A. Project Management (0)
B. Assessment (2/19)
C. Building Community (2/19)
D. Reflection (2/19)
all of the above (from chat window) (1/19)
no response (12/19)
On Service Learning Community Partners:
- Bill Locke: Although some projects require a community partner, I am unclear as to why ALL SL projects need that.
- Federica Raia: The partners will meet with me and students to define questions and project -but i designe it so that student learn negotiating also
- Bill Locke: seems like a trade-off - tighter goals but tougher logistics working with a community partner.
On Number of Students in a Service Learning Classroom:
- Lois Ongley: Ed, How many students do you have in a given SL course
- Ed (voice) : 36
- Lois Ongley: 36 seem like a lot
- Jen Houghton: I have 22.
- Federica Raia: I have 20
- Lois Ongley: I like fewer 6 or so, I have to do it all
- Dave Mogk: Billl Locke and I have 40 and now 60 in our Environmental Geology Course. TA for lab sections, but mostly on our own.
- Lois Ongley: I'd like to know more about working with lots of students
On Implementing the Problem Statement and on Student Motivation:
- Jen Houghton: Is it possible to implement the problem statement (from the partner) after we start. This is something I didn't think of and I'm finding this semester is preventing student motivation. Will it help to do it now after we started anyway?
- Lois Ongley: Jen - YES
- Lois Ongley: Or get the partner to come in and ask for the help
- Jen Houghton: I'm trying but scheduling might prevent her from coming in until much later - not what I was expecting.
- Dave Mogk: One of my motivators: let's all buy in to doing this project in lieu of taking standard midterm/final exams...you'll like this a lot better than taking my exams
- Federica Raia: winner!!!
- Jen Houghton: I was criticized by my boss for not having enough rigorous assessment - I don't think that will work for me this semester.
- Federica Raia: My students came to class with a lot of ideas
- Federica Raia: so I told them to negotiate with partners
Questions/Comments that were not discussed (feel free to start up discussion threads!):
- Jen Houghton: ownership by students when we were the ones to set up logistics and project?
- Lois Ongley: In very small classes, how would one handle a student who was not pulling their weight. For instance, not showing up for classes
- Jen Houghton: I have the same question - particularly in lab groups - do I force them to rotate lab groups or does this break the community?
- Pamela Gore: Need more examples of guided questions
- Linda Ruiz McCall: Do you have any examples where the students proposed a problem to solve that was not appropriate for your SL course? How did you handle it?
- Review (click your way though) the components of the 8 block model listed under the heading "A Practical Approach to Incorporating Service-Learning Exercises and Projects into your Geoscience Course" on the How to Use Service Learning in the Geosciences page.
- Choose any one of the three presentations from this morning's panel discussion and analyze them in view of the 8 block model. It might be most helpful to construct your own 8 block (here is an editable 8-block diagram (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 11kB Jan29 10)).
- Now do the same analysis for your own service learning activity When you are finished, please post a discussion post that contains summary of the issues and insights that arose from your analysis to the Using the 8 Block Model Discussion Thread. Please attach your 8-block diagram to the post so that we can all see what you have done. A discussion of these posts will take place over the course of Thursday afternoon and evening.
- Review the Using the 8 Block Model Discussion Thread to see other people's worksheets and read their posts. You are encouraged to post follow-up comments.
Assignment 1: Participate in threaded discussion of opportunities for using service learning in the geosciences.
Assignment 2: Finalize the overview and goals sections for your service learning activity. There is an instructional page about editing your activity that includes a short video tutorial. You must have a SERC account created in order to edit your page.
Day 3: Friday, February 5 - Considering Community Involvement and Assessment
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10:00-12:00 Getting Community Partners on Board
- Panel presentations and discussion showing two different approaches to working with community partners, paired presentations by faculty member and community partner -
- Finding Community Partners (PowerPoint 1.1MB Feb5 10) - national and campus resources to help you locate partners - Kathryn Tanner, Office for Community Involvement, Montana State University
These links will open in a new tab on your browser:
Watch the Screencast (MP4 Video 90.1MB Jul31 17)
Rhonda Spidell Presentation:
- Federica Raia: (The garden will) reduce run-off
- Suzanne OConnell: Do you have to be concerned about harmful chemicals in your mulch? Carpeting can some, especially formaldehyde, but maybe that just evaporates.
- Linda Ruiz McCall: Yes !!!! Positive message and call to action. Great.
- Jen Houghton: This seems like a great place to have a graduation ceremony too.
- Jen Houghton: how long did it take to put together all the partners and find the money? This is huge but SO cool I want to help do this here in Memphis!
- Moderator (Karin Kirk): Love the overall design and the photos of the engaged, hardworking students
- Suzanne OConnell: Are you familiar with "KidsGardening.org" . They sometimes have grants.
- Federica Raia: with a group of teachers I am working on a similar project but on green roof with a group of teachers. can I get in touch and brainstorm with you and my partner teachers? we are not as advanced as you are !!!
- Linda Ruiz McCall: I would love to see the lessons for students that you developed as classroom learning activities to tie into this SL project.
- Moderator (David Mogk): I've been trying to get xeriscopic gardens implemented here at MSU for over a decade. As an Agricultural College you would think that they would have a clue!
- Ed Laine: I loved seeing the Sandia granite!
Renee Faatz Presentation:
- Jen Houghton: me too - lots for languages and social issues are easy to connect but science is harder here
- Suzanne OConnell: Interesting, I find science courses are among the easiest to develop service learning components for.
- Moderator (David Mogk): When I started my SL work ~10+ years ago, it was almost unheard of to do a science-oriented SL project. SL was almost completely directed towards humanities and social sciences. But, as we're exploring at this workshop, opportunities abound in applying geoscience to the communities around us!
- Suzanne OConnell: Here in CT (recycling is mandatory) we have a Trash Museum and its so popular that they also built a Garbage Museum. Recycling is a big component of the museums. I can provide information if anyone is interested.
- Ed Laine: Our landfill is rapdily filling up and satet regulations are tough so we have single stream re3cycling (and it doesn't go to an incinerator). Single stream is so convenient.
- Suzanne OConnell: We have a contamination problem here with what goes into recycling bins. As a result we use clear plastic bags in the recycling bins so we can see if the material is contaminated.
- Jen Houghton: I agree about the time - I have to keep participating in the community in as many ways and as often as possible so they don't feel like I've abandoned them. It doesn't just end at the end of the semester...
- Suzanne OConnell: Are you familiar with recycle mania?
- Moderator (David Mogk): Has the culture of recycling become accepted on your campus? Or is it still suspect in some quarters?
- Moderator (Karin Kirk): I use an "eco-quiz" that quizzes students about recycling rules on campus and other environmental choices. It can be a fun way to kickoff awareness. I'll post it in a thread.
- Federica Raia: it would be nice to have this list of speakers as an example on connection with recycling
- Suzanne OConnell: Here's the url for recyclemania. It says a school in Qatar is participating. http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/Index.htm
Kathryn Tanner Presentation:
- Ed Laine: Furco's rubric was very helpful at Bowdoin when we were getting started
- Suzanne OConnell: Kathy I agree. That's what's so useful about our SL office. It's part of Center for Community Partnerships which includes all of the outreach efforts. We really learn from each other and share resources.
- Moderator (David Mogk): We used some Campus Compact support funding to buy resources that supported our SL project (slide sets on earthquake hazards), and this then became a valued part of our departmental teaching collections. A nice legacy of a singular event!
- Ed Laine: Americorps Vista has had a big impact on campuses around Maine. Great program which attracts fantastic people
- Linda Ruiz McCall: Are your SL courses 1/2 hour courses? 1 hour courses? more?
- (Audio answer from Kathryn: So far they are 3-4 credit classes and the model has students doing 10 service hours per course credit. We don't have an optional add on " such as a course offering and an additional credit offered for service learning " it's all or nothing right now)
- rhonda spidell: Great resources, can't wait to share them with some our folks who are trying to get service learning going. I can see this as a part of our Senior projects... Students have 5 weeks to pursue a project of choice.
- Renee Faatz: Our SL course at Snow College are typically 3 credit courses where SL has been added as a component of an already existing course.
- Renee Faatz: Thanks for the information Kathy. I know we have access to Americorps volunteers here and want to look into having a position.
1:30-3:00 Assessing Student Learning in Service Learning Projects
- Panel presentations showing various strategies for assessment. Dave Mogk (Presentation (PowerPoint 282kB Feb5 10)), Ed Laine (Presentation (PowerPoint 264kB Feb5 10))
Group Assignments, Phone Numbers, and Workspace Pages for Reporting
After the introduction to assessment strategies presented by Dave Mogk and Ed Laine, we will work in small groups to brainstorm assessment strategies you could use as you develop your own Service Learning activities. The conveners will be available for feedback if desired.
"Capture" your discussion by having your group's reporter record your comments on the assigned Workspace. Click the link from the Workshop 2010 Navigation Bar (left side); use the link at the bottom called Workspace Pages to open the list of workgroup pages. We'll be working with the "Brainstorming Assessment" set " so find your group number and go to that workspace. **It's best if only one person type information into the Workspace area to avoid "saving" over another person's work. Remember to save often.**
At 3:00 we will reconvene as a whole group (main workshop call in number and Elluminate connection) and have a brief report out from each of the groups.
Small group activity: Brainstorming assessments (Microsoft Word 24kB Feb4 10)
- 3:00 pm - Report out and whole group discussion
Watch the Screencast (MP4 Video 65MB Aug2 17)
Dave Mogk Presentation:
- Federica Raia: how do we measure ownership?
- Lois Ongley: Where can I find the GCI?
- Moderator (Karin Kirk): GCI https://www.msu.edu/~libarkin/gci.html
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- Bill Locke: how is the group captain selected/designated?
- (Audio " Dave Mogk: a small group is formed and they form a consensus on who the leader will be)
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- Suzanne OConnell 2: Is this a type of project that you can only do once? Or can you build on it in subsequent years?
- (Audio " Dave Mogk: this project is due for being repeated " so you can build on it in subsequent years.)
- Suzanne OConnell 2: How successful are you at getting community partners to submit their responses?
- Linda Ruiz McCall: If you work in cross-curricular teams, how is the assessment for students run? Credit for different classes?
Ed Laine Presentation:
- Suzanne OConnell 2: who comments on the drafts?
- (Audio " Ed Laine: Peer-review by students)
- Lois Ongley: Glad someone else has trouble with drafts too
- Renee Faatz: I think you can get around the problem with drafts by setting clear expectations for even a draft.
- Lois Ongley: How big are your groups?
- (Audio " Ed Laine: class size, 2 lab sections of 18 students broken into ~6 small groups of 3 ea)
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- Linda Ruiz McCall: if you receive grant funding, would that change your reporting requirements?
- (Audio " Ed Laine: work with community partner to add data to their records, so it benefits them as well)
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Regarding Using Posters to Show Results (and potential cost barriers):
- Lois Ongley: print posters on 8 x 11
- Federica Raia: you can show Posters in PPT
- Lois Ongley: If you can't read it the font is too small
- Moderator (David Mogk): Or review e-versions of posters on computer....
Friday Roadcheck Evaluation: Tell us how the workshop is going so far.
Weekend Individual Work
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Assignment: Complete a first draft of your activity and submit prior to 10:00 Central time on Monday. These drafts will be reviewed by the members of your working group.
Asynchronous Sessions: Threaded discussion to address common challenges. Start your own threads for other new questions on the discussion board
Day 4: Monday, February 8 - Problem-Solving and Feedback
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Complete your revisions to your activity sheet by 10 AM (Central Time)
10:00-11:00On-line discussion of challenges. Where do you need help? What difficulties did you encounter? What resources do you need?
CALL IN DIRECTLY TO YOUR ASSIGNED SMALL GROUP, and record your best advice using the workspace page (use the link on your group's name)
Group 1: Small Groups: Creating, Managing, Assessing
Stephanie Maes, Mary Cosgrove, Julie Martin, Lois Ongley, Anasa Scott
Group 2: Reflection--Documenting Personal Growth of Students
Frederica Raia, Linda McCall, Bridget Cameron, Stephanie Freeman, Pam Gore
Group 3: Motivation and Buy-In (students, department/colleagues, community)
Bill Locke, Renee Faatz, Jennifer Houghton, Rhonda Spidell
Group 4: Tech Support--Call in if you have uploading/formatting issues
11:00-12:00 Challenges and Opportunities
Reassemble as a whole group
- Report out of small group recommendations Workspace Page.
- Introduction to review process and review materials - Karin Kirk
- Suzanne OConnell: Who at Bentley College? There close to us, so I might like to contact the person.
- Lois Ongley: maybe Ed Zlotkowski?
- Linda Ruiz McCall: Would you use a letter of agreement to help manage the project? Could we take a vote?
- Jen Houghton: I like the idea of the pre-course - it would work here as a 1 credit course - but probably would work best if multiple courses will be coordinated.
- Lois Ongley: I at least do an informal conversation and ask the partner to come to class to explain their perspective
- rhonda Spidell: I like that approach of having the community partner ask the students for help.
- Lois Ongley: It makes it important
- Suzanne OConnell: re student buy-in. Several of our SL courses are small (12-16 students) and students have to apply to get in. Then there's a committee that reds the applications.
- Linda Ruiz McCall: Also -Ask students to reflect on how they can make a difference in the community? Did they feel that they actually made a positive change?
Important parts of Service Learning Projects/Activities:
- Maureen Padden: student enthusiasm
- Suzanne OConnell: clear instruction and design
- bridget cameron: keep students engaged
- rhonda Spidell: Establishing a "need to know" that hooks students
- Renee Faatz: chunking.
- Linda Ruiz McCall: real world problem
- David Mogk: A good class is measured when the students won't leave the class, and continue their conversations out into the world, and I see them still talking about the topic in the student union over coffee
- rhonda Spidell: When they take initiative " I was thinking about my students who created the EOTC Education Outside the Classroom website. Totally on their own,but using the service learning project
- Pamela Gore: changes the student's perceptions of their place in the world
1:00 - 3:30 Review of Activities
- 1:00-2:00 Read and prepare reviews (if you haven't done this earlier in the day)
- 2:30-3:30 Small group sessions share reviews in your small group's Workspace Page - THIS IS REQUIRED
Round-robin review by small groups of revised activities. Check posted review criteria, utilize the activity review checklist. Each of you will be assigned to a review group of three or four people.
Please have your review prepared and sent to the author no later than 2:00. All members of the review group should be on the phone call at 2:30.
If there are cross-cutting themes that emerge that you would like to discuss with the larger group, do not hesitate to start a new discussion thread.
3:30 - 4:00 Whole group session and report out
Assignment: Make final changes to your activity so it is complete and ready to go live on Tuesday at 12:30.
Day 5: Tuesday, February 9, 2008
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Morning: Personal work time - Edit your activity based on feedback from reviews.
Final submissions posted at 12:30 and made live.
1:00 Online gallery walk of revised activities. Please post at least one comment on every activity providing feedback to the author. These comments are for the workshop group only, they will not be part of the live collection.
2:00 Contribute to final threaded discussions
3:00-4:00 Closing phone call. Reviewing lessons learned web page and discussion.
Final assignments We need everyone to complete these two steps, so expect us to chase you down if you don't submit them both.
1. Action plan: Please use this action plan (Microsoft Word 54kB Feb8 10) to sketch out your personal next steps following on the workshop (When will you use your activity? Are there things left to finish? Are there other things you plan to do based on your participation in the workshop?) Please upload your completed action plan.
2. End of Workshop Survey: Please complete the online form.