Criteria for Designation of Service-Learning Courses

The University of Vermont has agreed upon the following criteria for designating a course as "Service-Learning." This definition builds upon the research, theory, and institutional work of campuses nation-wide.

The major goal of identifying and publicizing a standard set of criteria for "service-learning" courses is to clarify communications with students, faculty, staff, and community members regarding the meaning of "service-learning" designation. Such clearly defined designation may also help in assessment and monitoring activities, illustrating standards and best practices of service-learning, highlighting special characteristics of certain curricular activities, and public relations.

A course will be designated as a Service-Learning Course when it meets all of the following criteria:

1. It is a credit-bearing undergraduate and/or graduate level course.
2. It integrates service and academic course content so that each significantly informs and enhances the other.
   
   
3. There are planned benefits for the community partner and the students; and the service addresses a need and follows processes that are mutually agreed upon by the partner agencies and the instructor.
   
   
4. Student course assessment and credit are based upon the demonstration of student learning including critical reflection regarding the integration of the service and the academic course content.
   
   
5. The course actively guides and supports students in critical reflection regarding the integration of the service and the academic course content.

Fall 2013 Service-Learning Courses

Course designation requests for Fall 2013 SL classes are now being accepted on a rolling basis. First-round designations and S-L TA request were due in February. At this time, you may still designate your course and receive the support of the CUPS office and formal transcript marks. However, the S-L TA hiring process has now ended. 

Spring 2014 Service-Learning Courses

Course designation requests for Spring 2014 Service-Learning Courses will be due on September 27th.  This submission deadline:

• guarantees inclusion of your course in all printed as well as online course catalogue materials
• assures that you will receive information about opportunities available to you as you create and implement a service-learning course
• allows you to apply for a Service-Learning Teaching Assistant

Later designations will be accepted, but courses will be posted only online and may not have access to all of our support programs.

If you would like to preview the survey, click here.

IMPORTANT CHANGES YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT 2013 COURSE DESIGNATIONS

We have made a few changes to the Course Designation Request Form that will enable us to support service-learning more effectively. Most importantly, we are now asking that faculty fill out the full Course Designation Request Form for all service-learning courses, not just newly-proposed ones. This means that for all Summer and Fall 2013 service-learning courses, faculty now need to provide the following:

• the course description
• the intended service-learning project or project ideas
• your intended service-learning partners, if possible, or the type of community partners to be sought
• your plans to include reflection in your course
• your agreement to fulfill the 5 designation criteria for service-learning classes

In light of this change, we have been able to make the deadline slightly later in the semester and our long-term plan is to arrange our work to allow for a mid-semester deadline. We deeply appreciate the work that you are doing as service-learning faculty. The information we are asking for will help us support service-learning more effectively. Currently, with staff turnover, we are not all familiar with the 80+ service-learning courses offered each year. The information will allow us to more effectively publicize service-learning courses both internally and externally, to assign your courses to an appropriate liaison in our office, and to communicate with Service-Learning TA candidates more accurately about your particular course (if applicable). There are some other formatting and software changes; please do not hesitate to let us know if you experience any challenges or glitches in using this new form.

Thank you in advance--and for the work you do to support service-learning on campus.

Susan
CUPS Director