What is Service Learning?

CSUCI is dedicated to providing students with experiential and service learning experiences.  Service learning is a teaching and learning method that links course content to "real-life" experiences that centers around a community need or issue. Through reflection activities students are given the opportunity to understand what was learned and experienced, and how the community was benefited.

What Characterizes Service Learning at CSUCI

Service learning and experiential learning can provide opportunities that reflect a community interest; however, service learning has certain characterizing elements that differentiates it from other forms of experiential learning (e.g., internships). The Center for Community Engagement will provide support and resources to service learning courses that are characterized by the following elements; as stated in the CSUCI Service Learning Policy:

CSUCI service learning courses must:

• serve a genuine community identified need/issue
  
  
• integrate teaching and course objectives with service-learning activities throughout the semester - service opportunities that allow students to better understand the content of a course so that they can reflect about their service experience in class assignments or use their service experiences to support their learning of theory and application
  
  
• integrate a service project that serves a community need and has been developed in collaboration with University approved community partners
  
  
• incorporate community projects that are more than a one to two time volunteer visit
  
  
• provide credit for academic learning and not service
  
  
• generate for each student, before placement, a Student Learning Plan, signed by student, faculty instructor and University-approved community partner, that identifies course and service objectives/goals
  
  
• provide a description of the service learning component of the class in the syllabus, stating whether service learning is a required component or not

Please click here to help you decide if it's service learning or another form of experiential learning (PDF, 23KB)