Civic Engagement
Division
of Student Affairs
What disciplines can
service-learning be incorporated in?
Service-learning can be
incorporated into virtually any discipline.
Information about developing service learning
courses in a variety of disciplines can be found in
the American Association of Higher Education's
series on "Service-Learning in the Disciplines."
Towson faculty have access to this 19 volume online
series through the ERIC (Education Resources
Information Center) system. Additional volumes that
are not currently online but are in print can be
found at the Albert S. Cook Library on the 4th floor
at LC 220.
At Towson University faculty
integrate service-learning in numerous disciplines.
Below are examples of service-learning projects from
the 2008-2009 Towson University Service-Learning
Faculty Fellows cohort:
Foreign Language
- Advanced
Spanish Composition; Lea Ramsdell
Students work with the Center for
Transnational Women’s Issues to develop mentoring
programs for Latina girls and women in middle
school, high school and college. Students take part
in the research, development and mentoring aspect of
the project. They also volunteer with English as a
Second Language programs at Dumbarton Middle School
and a local high school, developing relationships
with Latina students and their teachers. Students
also take part in the data collection portion of the
project, interviewing students, teachers and parents
about the perceptions and needs of Latina girls in
the education system. Students are required to write
reflections in Spanish about each experience they
have in the community. They discuss their
experiences in class and write a report based on the
collected data. The data is also distributed to the
Spanish-speaking students, parents, and community
partners.
Electronic Media & Film
- Audio
Documentary; Elsa Lankford
Students work with nonprofit
agencies in downtown Baltimore to make audio
documentaries. They interview members of the
agencies as well as patrons of the nonprofits to
gain a wider knowledge of downtown Baltimore and
community needs. Students strengthen their research
skills by developing appropriate interview questions
as well as increase audio editing skills by
recording outside of a studio, in the real world.
Reflection occurs through class discussions as well
as in a written paper which includes the students’
process, what they learned, what went wrong, etc.
The documentaries are shared with the community
organizations at a premiere party.
Art Education
- Media and
Techniques for Art Teachers: Elementary and
Secondary; Kay Broadwater
Education
students work with the New Song Academy, a new
initiative school in Baltimore City. Towson
University students spend the first half of the
semester preparing for a visit from the
elementary/middle school students. They create art
lesson and workshop plans. During the second half of
the semester, approximately 50-60 children aged 8-14
come to campus from the New Song Academy. During
these visitation sessions, TU students implement
their lesson plans and engage the NSA students in
art education. This service-learning project not
only provides art education and teaching experience
for the two groups of involved students, but aims to
break down stereotypes and encourage urban youth to
continue their education at the college level.
Reflections include a weekly log as well as
classroom discussions.
To view the complete listing of
service-learning projects from the 2008-2009 TU
Service-Learning Faculty Fellows:
Civic Engagement
Administration Building, Room 236C
Phone: 410-704-3921
Fax: 410-704-3441
E-mail:
kfaris@towson.edu
|
