Students
Are you currently enrolled in, or considering taking, a service learning course? Service learning courses provide an opportunity for students to collaborate with a community partner in a real world setting.
Read more...What is the Service Learning Program?
At MSU Denver, service learning is defined as a form of experiential learning in which students combine classroom experience with community-based service that:
- Meets an identified community need,
- Provides a structured opportunity for students to reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content,
- Balances student goals and community goals through collaborative development of course content and service opportunity, and
- Engages students in structured preparation for, participation in, and reflection on the service experience.
Mission
The mission of the Service Learning Program is to assist MSU Denver faculty in the design and implementation of service learning, a high-impact instructional practice, and to integrate it into the curriculum across disciplines at all levels. To fulfill this mission, the Service Learning Program staff provides course design assistance, training, and administrative and other program support to faculty; develops and sustains community partner connections; and collects data on all dimensions of service learning.
Dr. Lori McKinney speaks about Service Learning in this informational video
Faculty
Traditional courses that become "service-learning" typically originate with one common idea: that students will derive more substantial benefits from the subject matter if they can connect it with personal experience and actual circumstances. From there, faculty redesign their syllabus, conceive of new writing assignments, and seek out opportunities for their students to get involved in the community. The function of the Service Learning staff is to assist faculty in this process by providing resources and assisting with logistics such as site identification.
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Community Partners
Community partners bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our students while increasing civic responsibility and awareness on broader social and cultural issues in the community. MSU Denver’s program for Service Learning is committed to facilitating these high-impact instructional practices for our students, faculty and community partners. We appreciate your involvement with Service Learning and look forward to a rewarding partnership. Please contact us to learn more.
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