Service Learning Summer Institute
The USI Service Learning Program and the Center for Academic Creativity have co-sponsored three Service Learning Summer Institutes in May or June 2008, 2009, 2010 and plan on sponsoring a fourth institute in summer 2011. The goal of the institutes is to increase faculty and staff proficiency in using service learning pedagogy as part of USI’s commitment to community engagement. We encourage participants to not only enhance their teaching but to also make productive connections between their teaching and their scholarship.
The institutes have included these components:
- Basic orientation to service learning.
- Best practices and tips for success.
- Introduction to USI’s Service Learning Program.
- Revision of a course taught in at least one of the next three semesters to include a service learning project.
- Work with project community partner during the institute.
- Advice on devising projects to optimize impact on faculty scholarly/professional programs and success.
- Consideration of curricular impact.
Participants are asked to identify a particular project with a specific partner to work on during the institute. Partners are invited to join us for lunch and stay for a short time to work on the project.
Proposals are evaluated on the on the following criteria:
- Demonstrates connection between the learning goals of the course/program and the project.
- Good plan to integrate the project into the entire course/program.
- Addresses an important community need.
- Incorporates the campus’ service learning criteria and learning outcomes.
- Shows chance of a significant impact on some aspect of the curriculum of the campus, either Core Curriculum or the curriculum of one’s department or program.
- Advances USI’s mission of serving the local or global community.
- Advances an individual’s overall professional development program, especially by showing a connection with the issue of community engagement.
Site Map
Co-Curricular Calendar
Click on the links below to download calendars of current and past co-curricular projects.
Course List
Each semester, USI offers a variety of service learning courses for academic credit. Courses integrate community service, faculty instruction, and structured reflection.
For a list of past and current credit-based courses, click on the links below.