Textbooks:

• Education for Democracy: A Sourcebook for Students & Teachers, Barber & Battistoni, Kendall/Hunt Pub., 1999
• The Quickening of America: Rebuilding Our Nation, Rebuilding Our Lives, Jossey-Bass Pub., 1994
• Chicken Soup for the Volunteer’s Soul, Health Communications, 2002

Course Description:
This course introduces students to academic service learning as an approach to experiential learning. Students actively participate in meaningful civic service experiences that meet community needs and are coordinated with university and community organizations. Students meet in a structured class setting to read, think, talk, and write about the students’ service. In addition to class work, students perform approximately 40 hours of service.

Learning Outcomes:

• Synthesize learning through a final, written, reflective report.
• Articulate the reasons for and benefits of civic engagement.
• Create a journal of service time and observations.
• Evaluate the needs of a community organization and its clients.
• Develop an initial personal strategy for service.
• Apply the academic skills and abilities of DUES to experiential learning.
• Define concepts related to civic engagement and service-learning.

Davenport University Excellence System:
Davenport University believes that those students who successfully complete any certificate, associate, bachelor, or master’s program at the university should be able to demonstrate certain professional and academic abilities. These abilities embody both the key practical and theoretical skills taught and measured throughout all Davenport University academic programs and, in accordance with the mission of the University, prepare students for success in their chosen profession.

DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP
Leadership
Reasoning and Problem Solving
Teamwork

UNIVERSAL COMMUNICATION
Interpersonal Communication
Oral Communication
Written Communication
Global Perspective

PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
Honesty and Integrity
Computer Proficiency
Mathematical Literacy
Career Skills
Information Literacy

Student Responsibilities:

• Students are bound by all policies of Davenport University and should familiarize themselves with these through reading the catalog and student handbook.
• All students must complete the final assessment for the course, such as the final exam, project, or presentation. Students who do not complete the final assessment will receive a grade of F.
• Students are expected to be adequately prepared for each class session. It is reasonable to expect at least two hours of outside study for every hour spent in the classroom.
• Students are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. Therefore, free discussion, inquiry, and expression are encouraged. Behavior that interferes with the instructor’s ability to conduct the class or the ability of students to benefit from that instruction is not acceptable. This could include entering class late or leaving early; use of beepers, cellular telephones, or other electronic devices; talking in class without being called upon; talking while others are speaking; or arguing in a way that would be considered disrespectful to the instructor or other students.
• Children are not allowed in classrooms; nor can they be left unattended in any room in the building.

Instructor Methodologies and Class Policies

Introduction
Through the Service Learning Practicum, students take what they have learned and apply their learning in a real-world context. Service learning combines community service with critical reflection and analysis. Service learning is more than just doing a “good deed.” Through service learning experiences, the community becomes a classroom in which students work with members of the community to address community issues and needs and build on community strengths and assets.

Texts
Our basic text, Education for Democracy: A Sourcebook for Students and Teachers,
is an interdisciplinary anthology especially designed for courses like this one. Its wide range of materials, from philosophy and theology to poetry and literature to politics and sociology, represent differing perspectives on service, citizenship, and community. Our second book, The Quickening of America: Rebuilding Our Nation, Remaking Our Lives, focuses on contemporary examples of what the authors call “living democracy,” and includes exercises that will help us link theory and practice. Finally, our third book, Chicken Soup for the Volunteer’s Soul, consist of inspirational stories that demonstrate the results of service.

Format
Students will each be required to complete 40 hours of service, which must include community contact. This requirement will be met for those participating in the Alternative Spring Break trip. During the trip students will keep a log of their time and work, as well as their observations, thoughts and reactions. Those not involved in the Spring Break trip will choose, a local community organization (with instructor approval) in which to serve. The class will meet together each week of the semester for a two-hour seminar. The placement experience is structured by the roles and responsibilities the host organization agrees to provide you, your own interests and learning objectives, and this course design. It is essential that the relationship between the student and the host be as reciprocal as possible; the community organizations and leaders who share with us this semester should be respected as equal partners.

In our weekly sessions, we will explore community building and “living democracy” among ourselves. Sessions will include analyses of the readings; service highlights and presentations by members of the class; and dialogues with community leaders. In our discussions, we will integrate scholarly and community “voices” which are not always included in academic or public debates. During our meetings, we will work hard to express our views and to listen to the views of others.

Assignments and Assessment of Student Learning
The assignments are designed to encourage structured academic reflection upon our service experiences outside the classroom, and to create an active learning community in class. Accordingly, the evaluation process is designed to match the multiple ways in which our learning takes place. The course grade will be determined as follows:

1. Weekly Reading Journal: 20%. One of the most valuable tools for reflection is a journal in which you consistently record and analyze your reading and experience in light of the class materials. Each week you should write in your journal in response to the reading assignments and with your service in mind. Respond to at least 2 or 3 authors’ ideas from your reading before class so that you will be prepared for class discussion.

The goal is to interact with the authors’ arguments with your own opinions and relevant personal observations or experiences. Ask yourself such questions as: How do the readings help me to understand my experiences? In what ways does my service tend to confirm or refute the readings? The key to effective use of a journal is to write immediately and frequently – don’t leave it until the day of class!

The journal should be typed or word-processed, double-spaced, and should be brought to class every week. At the end of the semester, you will submit the entire journal.

2. Community Service/ Log: 40%. The log is a record of your service. During the Alternative Spring Break trip, students will keep a log of their work time as well as their observations, thoughts and reactions For those serving weekly in local organizations, after each session at the organization, you need to record the date and times, and a brief report of your activity. All students should write 1-2 pages of critical reflections. These may include (1) how a class reading or discussion related to what you did that day, (2) a critical incident that occurred during the week or work session, (3) an activity or dialogue that took place, (4) the significance of the work to your own life or career, (5) a moment of self realization or (6) other critical analyses of your personal growth and learning.

3. Final Reflections Essay (20 %). This essay synthesizes your academic and service learning and incorporates the DUES. You should use examples from your experiences and observations “in the field” plus relevant points from the readings. Your essay will answer the question “What were the most important things I learned?” (4-5 pages double-spaced).

4. Community/class responsibility 20%. Because this class is experiential as well as academic, your full participation is essential. So, I will ask you to gauge the extent to which you have met your responsibilities to our own democratic learning community, as well as to your host organizations. Your evaluation, along with those of the instructor and your supervisor, will be the basis for this part of your final grade, depending upon a procedure to which we all agree. Below is a suggested standard for evaluation of community/class responsibility:

• living up to our commitments to our community host organizations
• diligent class attendance and active participation in our discussions
• completing required reading by the date assigned
• completing written assignments on time
• conducting oneself as an equal member of a democratic community

 

Schedule
(Selections from Education for Democracy noted with *, from Quickening as Q)

1/12 Introduction to service, citizenship, community Learning through service
Community dialogue: Finding a Career Through Service, Laurie Hess

1/19 Service 1 What is service? Why do I serve? What is public life?
Community dialogue: National Relief Network
Readings due: Coles, “The Call of Service” 184; Mother Teresa 192*; Q 1 and 2

1/26 Community 1 What is community? What makes communities work?
Does self-interest have a place in community?
Community dialogue: Habitat for Humanity
Readings due: Fuller 194, Bellah 94, Kemmis 111 *; Q 3

2/2 Service 2 What is “good” service? Who should serve? Who should receive service?
Community dialogue: Dr. Jackie Taylor
Readings due: Addams 595, King 601, Hesburgh 215

2/9 Democracy 1 What is democracy? What is power? What is democratic leadership?
Readings due: Barber 163, Boyte 173*; Q 4

2/16 Community 2: Diversity — Who belongs and who doesn’t? What approaches to community promote or discourage inclusion? How does your site address diversity?
Readings due: Ellison 257, Steele 281, hooks 301, Reich 307*
Reading Journal due (Cumulative and typed)

2/23 Democracy 2: Citizenship and service — How does service lead to civic engagement? What are skills and tools are needed?
Readings due: Tocqueville 553, Putnam 571, Coats et a1582*; Q 10-13

SPRING BREAK – Disaster Relief Service in North Carolina
Read Chicken Soup for the Soul

3/8 Individual reports on service experiences in Disaster Relief

3/15 Service 3: Service challenged — Can servanthood be bad?
Readings due: Rand, Illich 453, McKnight 459, Rand 413, * Q 10-13

3/22 Community 3: Community challenged — Is community always a good thing?
King 395, Jackson 381, LeGuin423,* Q 10-13

3/29 Democracy 3: Democracy challenged — Does civic responsibility at a local level undermine global responsibility? Does our responsibility extend beyond human beings?
Community dialogue: Senior Refugee Advocacy Agency of W. Mich.
Readings due: Barber 635, Leopold 645, Berry 659* Q 10-13

4/5 The resurgence of service and citizenship — How are ordinary Americans participating in their workplaces and the economy, making themselves heard through existing media, providing social services in new ways, becoming more active in local government, and educating real-world problem solvers? Should national service be a requirement?
Readings due: Eberly 212, Chapman 465, Morris 547* Q, 5-9

4/12 Reflecting on service and learning
Due: Draft of Reflective Essay for peer review

4/19 Final Reflections on reading and service
Reading and discussion: Q 5-9
Connect readings with personal service
Share most inspiring Chicken Soup story

4/26 Due: Final Draft of Reflective Essay, Reading Journal, and Service Log Presentations of Final Reflections