How and why do we bring learning out of the traditional classroom context and into broader communities? In what ways does this process expand what counts as knowledge? What skills of intercultural communication are necessary to facilitate bridging these different cultures, and what abilities does one develop as a result? And how do issues of hierarchy, status, power, and identity play a role in diverse interactions among students and community partners? Service-learning is an innovative pedagogical methodology in which students actively participate in civic engagement to enhance their academic curriculum, and share in critical reflection throughout their service to community organizations; it is a means to bridge theory and practice throughout one’s educational experience. In this 2-unit elective you will identify historical philosophies and contemporary paradigms associated with service-learning and civic engagement, along with a number of successful case studies & models. You will also have the opportunity to become a short-term service-learner in a community partner organization, engaging in critical reflection throughout the process. Overall, you will develop relevant knowledge, skills, and dispositions to approach service-learning in critical, respectful, and ethical ways as a means to building meaningful and sustainable partnerships.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify historical philosophies that underpin international & domestic service-learning and civic engagement

2. Distinguish various contemporary civic engagement paradigms (e.g., volunteerism, internships, immersive learning, traditional SL, critical SL, “alternative spring breaks”)

3. Examine case studies & models for service-learning and civic engagement in international & domestic contexts

4. Identify the multiple knowledges involved in these case studies & models, and assess how these knowledges could be conflicting and/or complementary

5. Participate in meaningful short-term service-learning projects

6. Practice essential intercultural communication skills, including active listening, perspective-taking, and audience coalescence

7. Analyze & evaluate your own experiences with service-learning through ongoing reflection (individual, group, anonymous, shared)

8. Identify elements of your identity that may shape your intercultural interactions and reflect upon the multiple identities of those with whom you work

9. Integrate course material through application to future service-learning projects in which you and/or your students will participate

10. Collaboratively create an intercultural communication toolkit that can guide interactions across diverse contexts (including ethnographic field methods like observation, field notes, and interviews)