Community-Related Terminology:Just what is the difference between these programs?Many of the programs on this website describe different forms of experiential education. It is helpful to distinguish between these forms, keeping in mind that it is often difficult to draw a clear line between them. The following definitions seek to provide clarification. Each definition is followed by an example of where that form of experiential education might take place at UVM. (The following definitions are summarized from Furco, A. (2000) Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education in Introduction to Service-learning Toolkit. Campus Compact. pp 13-14.) Volunteerism is engagement in activities where the primary emphasis is on the service being provided and the intended beneficiary is the service recipient. Example: Many of
the one-day service activities that UVM programs sponsor are designed
to meet an immediate need in the community. While some of these
projects make an effort to infuse critical concepts of Service-Learning
into the experience, moving beyond volunteerism, most are aimed
primarily at meeting a community need.
Community Service is the engagement in activities that primarily focus on the service being provided as well as the benefits the service activities have on the recipients (e.g., providing food to the homeless during the holidays). Students performing community service receive some benefits by learning more about how their service makes a difference in the lives of the service recipients. Community Service programs involve more structure and student commitment than do volunteer programs. Example: At UVM,
Community Service frequently takes place through programs in the
Department of Student Life, such
as Volunteers in Action. Some
community service programs take active steps to move closer to
Service-Learning by integrating intentional learning goals, reciprocal
partnerships, and enhanced reflection.
Internships engage students in service activities primarily for the purpose of providing students with hands-on experiences that enhance their learning or understanding of issues relevant to a particular area of study. Example: At UVM,
the Office of Career Services
coordinates many internship
programs. Some of these programs are infused with the principles
of
Service-Learning, and would fall into the Service-Learning category,
and others are aimed primarily at providing students with valuable
experiences that relate to their area of study or career interest.
Field Education programs provide students with co-curricular service opportunities that are related to, but not fully integrated, with their formal academic studies. Students perform the service as part of a program that is designed primarily to enhance students’ understating of a field of study, while also providing substantial emphasis on the service being provided. Example: There are many departments at UVM
in which students are required to complete field study hours in order
to qualify for their degree, such as social work and education.
Service-Learning programs are distinguished from other approaches to experiential education by their intention to equally benefit the provider and the recipient of the service as well as to ensure equal focus on both the service being provided and the learning that is occurring. To do this, service-learning programs must have intentional learning goals and be designed in such a way that ensures that both the service enhances the learning and the learning enhances the service. As such, Service-Learning frequently (though not singularly) occurs within academic coursework. Example: UVM’s
office of Community-University Partnerships
and Service-Learning helps
faculty members to integrate service into their coursework as an
integral learning experience that is closely connected with the goals
of the course.
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Last modified October 26 2004 01:19 AM
