Students research a need in the community, authenticate it and then develop a plan to meet the need.
Community partners are sought and identified.
Students conduct interviews to find out about themselves and peers. They make an inventory of skills, interests and talents.
Stage 2
Preparation and Planning
Stage 1
Investigation
- Students engage in the topic. By researching and exploring the topic students:
- Identify and acquire needed skills
- become more familiar with the problem
- Use primary sources to build awareness
The Five Stages of Service Learning
A Meaningful and Successful Service Learning Experience.
The presentation should be a public display and can involve some type of celebration as long as it doesn't distract from students demonstrating their growth.
Students present their project in some fashion. They take all of the work they have done through the different stages and synthesize it in their presentation.
The action is a result of planning and preparation. This experience should provide the student with an opportunity to apply their learning in some way.
Stage 3
Action
Stage 5
Demonstration
In the process of implementing their plan students become:
- active members of their communities
- problem solvers
- networked in the community
Students are able to make realizations about how to improve their current and future projects. They gain insight with and connect themselves to a world that they were not aware of before.
Students take time to analyze the impact of their efforts on themselves and on their community.
Students get to see the results of their efforts.
Stage 4
Reflection