Service-learning is a form of learning that combines the process of learning something with service to a community. It is typically considered a form of experiential learning, as it allows students to actively learn something through their own experiences, rather than simply through lecture or reading in a book. This type of learning can occur at all levels of formal education, but can also occur outside of a structured classroom with youth groups and social organizations providing numerous opportunities as well. Service-learning typically places equal focus on the process of learning and the process of providing a service, creating a synthesis of theoretical and practical knowledge.
One simple example of service-learning would be a science classroom in which the effects of pollution on water supplies are being studied. The students would learn about water supplies, such as lakes and rivers, and also about the different types of pollution that can often be found in the water and how that pollution can negatively affect the environment. In a type of education that was not focused on service-learning, the lesson would likely end there and the class would move on to a new subject. Through service-learning, however, the lesson extends beyond the classroom and the students would utilize what they have learned in a practical way.
For example, the students in a service-learning program could then go to a local river or lake that has had issues with pollution and apply what they have learned. They could collect samples of the water and take them back to the classroom for study and analysis. The teacher would likely guide them through the process, but allow the students to do the work and create their own meaning out of the experience. This is why service-learning is also typically considered a form of “constructivism,” as the students construct their own meaning and knowledge from the experience.
Once analyzed for pollutants, the students could then report their findings to local political figures or city councils. They could also make efforts to clean up areas of pollution or help local species of wildlife that may have been impacted by the pollutants. Ultimately, the students would provide a meaningful service to the local community, and the lessons learned would build on what was learned in the classroom. Service-learning can be potentially difficult to implement, since it is typically quite different from traditional classroom teaching methods, but the experience is often far more rewarding and meaningful for the students than learning only from a book or lecture.
