Service Learning
About Service Learning
Service learning is a teaching and
learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service
with classroom instruction and reflection. Service learning can
be applied in all courses and it can involve individual students
or groups of students. Service learning has been proven as an
innovative and effective education methodology that is grounded
in scholarship. Further information on this definition of
service learning can be found on the Learn and Serve America
website at:
Service learning provides many benefits
for students, faculty and community agencies.
For students, service learning provides
opportunities to:
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Experience learning in the “real world”
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Develop critical thinking, writing skills.
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Develop civic responsibility.
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Experience social and personal development.
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Confirm (or not) an area of interest.
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Learn about potential employment
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Help with admission to 4 year colleges, and scholarship support.
For faculty, service learning:
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Can revitalize teaching efforts and can bring new directions and
confidence to the teaching and scholarly pursuits of the faculty
involved.
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Reinforces concepts and theories introduced in class and
promotes “deep learning” as students use skills and knowledge in
real life situations
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Can provide links to academic content, standards and SLOs
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Improves interaction between faculty and students
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Extends campus resources into the community and reinforces the
value of the scholarship of engagement.
Supports the mission of Palomar College:
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“Palomar College is an educational leader committed to quality
learning. We provide our community the knowledge, information,
skills and aesthetic appreciation necessary to live responsibly,
effectively, and creatively in an interdependent and changing
world.”
At Palomar we have identified community
partners who have agreed to have our students work on projects
in their agencies.
Click
here to see a
listing of partners, along with their contact information and a
basic profile.

