My Web Resources
Here are some great links to help you understand the philosophy behind service-learning and how others have used and implemented service-learning programs. I have included resources for all levels of education. Many of these sites are geared towards educators and service-learning professionals, however, I believe that all browsers will find these sites to be valuable resources. These sites provided me with a great deal of insight when I was beginning my research about service-learning methodology. Due to the enormous amount of information about service-learning and community-based education on the web, these sources are just a start. I selected these sites to assist educators, community partners, and students in their understanding of service-learning methodologies and philosophies, as well as assist with the planning and implementation stages of their projects. Start with these sites and you will have a solid base of information. Check them out!
Government Organizations Committed to Service:
The Corporation for National Service
This is a valuable resource for schools, colleges, and non-profit organizations to learn about grant opportunities. This government agency has a strong foundation of successful service-learning programs. With the renewed interest in service and its benefits to schools and society, the Corporation is a "must-browse" for those of you interested in starting service-learning programs and for those of you in need of support for on-going projects.
This a government agency that offers federal funding for
community service programs. The programs funded by the Corporation for
National Service are selected through a highly competitive process and
address community needs in the areas of education, public safety, human
needs, and environment. Some of the programs funded by the Corporation
are: Americorps ,
Learn & Serve , Senior
Service Corps , and America
Reads . The Corporation also offer competitive national service scholarships.
http://www.cns.gov
Learn and Serve America
This is a valuable resource for schools and institutions of higher education to learn about grant opportunities. A component of the Corporation for National Service, Learn and Serve provides grants teachers and community agencies who participate in service-learning programs.
This federally-funded grant program involves students of all levels of education in service-learning projects. The Learn and Serve America grant programs for school-age (elementary and secondary school students) youth who are managed by two different sets of organizations- The School-Based programs and The Community-Based programs.
Learn and Service America also fund programs in higher
education organized by the host college or university or non-profit organizations.
These programs "address local needs while developing the students’ academic
skills, their sense of civic responsibility, and their commitment to the
community." http://www.cns.gov/learn/index.html
The Close Up Foundation
This organization focuses on program development and training of service-learning participants. Close-Up is an excellent resource for consultants, training and technical assistants, especially for students and teachers who are implementing new service-learning projects. This organization provides on-site consultants and numerous training manuals and models to assist with the planning and implementation of the projects.
This national foundation is dedicated to helping teachers
and students to develop and improve their service-learning initiatives.
It provides training, workshops, program development seminars, curriculum-writing
institutes, and resources such as student guide books and teacher manuals.
The training is designed to meet program and community needs for all the
participants of the program- educators, students, community partners, local
businesses.
http://www.closeup.org/servlern.htm
Organizations Dedicated to Service-Learning
Research:
National Service-Learning Cooperative Clearinghouse (NSLC Clearinghouse)
This site is one of the most valuable resources about service-learning on the web. Funded by the Corporation for National Service, the National Youth Leadership Council, and in collaboration with the University of Minnesota and 14 other organizations and universities, I believe that the NSLC Clearinghouse is the authority on service-learning.
Its mission is to assist K-12 Learn and Serve America
funded programs and other educators and community agencies to develop,
implement, and expand service-learning opportunities. Look to this site
for information about grants, resource materials, program ideas and models,
and success stories.
http://www.nicsl.coled.umn.edu
National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE)
This site is a resource for experience-based teaching/learning methods used in schools, colleges, universities, and community agencies. NSEE is a professional association of educators, primarily post-secondary and secondary and others who work to promote active forms of learning as an integral part of education.
NSEE is devoted to developing best practices for effective
integration of service-learning and other experiential education programs.
This site includes information about the organization, how to apply for
membership, conference announcements, publications, resources materials,
NSEE Quarterly- the organization’s journal, and consulting and training.
NSEE membership includes faculty, administrators, and directors of experiential
education programs at colleges, universities , schools and businesses,
government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
http://www.nsee.org
Organizations in Higher Education Dedicated
to Service-Learning
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
The AACC has a grant through the Corporation for National Service to strengthen the service-learning infrastructure in community colleges. AACC provides training for community college faculty members about the development and implementation of service-learning programs.
American Association of Community Colleges is the primary
advocacy organization for the nation’s 1100 two-year degree granting institutions.
With a grant from the Corporation for National Service, AACC developed
the Service Learning Initiative. The Initiative is currently working on
its Learn and Serve America project Community Colleges Broadening Horizons
through Service Learning. This project aims to build support for and promote
the theory and practice of service-learning. AACC serves community colleges
across the country providing model programs, technical assistance and training
to all participant institutions. http://www.aacc.nche.edu/spcproj/service/service.htm
An active member of AACC is Miami-Dade
Community College. Miami-Dade
is a "Horizons Mentor Model" for other community colleges in the Horizons
project. MDCC provides training and technical assistance for these projects.
It is an excellent resource for educators in higher education who are interested
in service-learning models, practices, and ideas. Visit MDCC site for its
Center for Community Involvement and Civic Literacy.
http://www.
mdcc.edu/servicelearning
Campus Compact National Center for Community Colleges (CCNCCC)
This is a membership organization which supports the community service participation at community colleges across the country. CCNCCC is currently working on a service-learning project entitled 2 + 4 = Service on Common Ground. As an advocate for community college faculty and students, CCNCCC helps community colleges sustain their service-learning programs. By assisting with grant writing and faculty development, CCNCCC is a wonderful resource for community college administrators and faculty.
This project builds upon its successful models and initiatives
to create service-learning programs at community college campuses across
the country. The project aims to create service-learning projects through
faculty development, technical training, assessment tools, and the dissemination
of resources. This site would be helpful for those interested in service-learning
research and models.
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/academic/compact
Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL)
This organization helps students build their community service programs. This organization provides students with the support to plan, implement and maintain service-learning programs started by STUDENTS. Students interested in service-learning must visit this site for more information about grants, training, mentoring models, and technical assistance. A great resource for students!
Campus Outreach Opportunity League is a non-profit that
helps college students start, strengthen, and expand their community service
programs. COOL currently works with hundreds of campuses across the country.
Through workshops held on the students’ campus, COOL’s staff assists students
to encourage and promote programs that get students involved in community
service. http://www.cool2serve.org/homeofc/home.html
http://www.cool2serve.org/
American Association for Higher Education (AAHE)
The American Association for Higher Education is an individual membership organization that helps colleges and universities with the necessary changes to ensure that the institutions prepare their students effectively for the "real world." This site is an excellent resource for higher education faculty for networking opportunities, many American colleges and universities associate with AAHE.
AAHE provides training, resources, and technical assistance
to its members. For obvious reasons, service-learning has become an important
focus of AAHE. AAHE coverage of service-learning topics and information
is included in its Series on Service-Learning in the Discipline.
http://www.aahe.org/srv-lrn.htm
The Service-Learning Center at the University of Colorado - Boulder
The University of Colorado at Boulder
is an excellent example of a successful service-learning university. With
great support from its administrators and faculty, the university has established
an excellent interactive web site for novices of service-learning to experts
in the field. This site provides links to dozens of service-learning projects
and organizations. An interested student, faculty member, or community
partner could subscribe to a service-learning listserv and receive all
the current news about service-learning. THIS IS A MUST-BROWSE!!
http://csf.colorado.edu/sl
A Site Devoted To Serving Non-Profits
Action Without Borders- The Idealist Project
This site connects you to non-profit organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. By supplying the location of your program, The Idealist Project will provide a list of non-profits in your area based upon the distance from the project and the focus of your project. (A site that is 50 miles away from the school and works with frail older adults.)
This sites aids in the search for a non-profit to match
the needs of your program, as providing materials and publications about
non-profit work. This is a great site to make connections for a service
project outside your area- especially helpful for locating organizations
for Alternative Spring Breaks. http://www.idealist.org
http://www.idealist.org
A Site Devoted To Educators
Education Week
This magazine on line provides K-12 educators with all the latest news about educational issues, including service-learning. Although not completely dedicated to service-learning, Education Week is an important resource for educators to stay current on issues relating to education.
Designed specially for educators, this site contains articles
and resources about service-learning methodologies and models. It details
the philosophy of service-learning and its importance to the curriculum.
It discusses the latest trends in education including service-learning.
http://www.edweek.org