Abstract
Description of Teaching Practice and Relevance: During the Fall 2023 semester, I incorporated service learning as a course objective for my Violence Against Women course (CRIM 403).
Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that combines meaningful community service with class instruction and reflection (National Service Learning Clearinghouse/ National Youth Leadership Council). The purpose of service learning is to enrich student learning by teaching civic responsibility through connections to course content. There are several benefits to service learning, including providing opportunities to apply course content to community needs, increase awareness of resources in the community for populations in need, and strengthen connections between the university and local community. With funding from a Community-Engaged Alliance grant, my class was able to organize and host a roundtable on domestic violence in our community. Panelists included representatives from local DV organizations, a DV nurse, and an EVPD detective. Students were responsible for all parts of this roundtable: room reservations, catering orders, communicating with and coordinating with panelists, and advertising for the event. Additionally, smaller groups of students completed individual service-learning projects for each of the DV organizations that participated in the roundtable. Students completed these smaller service-learning projects throughout the semester, submitted a report detailing their contributions and reflections, and then presented their project as a group.
Presentation Purpose and Takeaways: The purpose of this presentation is to describe the process of service learning at our institution, present assignment descriptions and rubrics, and provide reflections on student work as well as the service-learning process in general.
Participants will learn more about service learning, the benefits of utilizing service learning in their classes, and are encouraged to provide feedback on the assignment descriptions and rubrics.