Creating buy-in among students of service-learning

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Abstract

Research shows that students who participate in high quality service-learning experiences typically become more engaged in learning as shown by increased attendance and motivation to learn. But how do educators "sell" the idea in the first place? This effective practice offers suggestions shared on the K12-SL (service-learning) e-mail discussion list in August 2005.

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Issue

Introductory activities that acquaint students with the concept of service-learning and that answer the question "Why do it?" are important in creating buy-in from students.

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Action

According to service-learning educators the following practices can be used to create student buy-in:
  • Need In Deed has an activity about assessing prior knowledge and moving forward — designed to help students brainstorm the questions that can guide their research into the causes and effects of a social problem.
  • Go online to http://www.needindeed.org/educators.php?ID=32&ref=%2Flist-activities.php to download a PDF of this sample activity.
  • Emphasizing student voice by involving young people in choosing the project's focus and shaping its direction has been a hallmark of Need in Deed since the organization's founding in 1987.
    • [Idea shared by Shelley Billig; e-mail: billig@rmcdenver.com]
The whole concept of "If I lived in a perfect world, what would it look like?" is a great springboard for service-learning activities.
  • Have students individually zero in on a specific issue (Examples: hunger, poverty, violence, homelessness, environment, diversity, access to health care, literacy). Students can work either individually or in small groups.
  • Follow-up by asking the question, "What would it take to make change happen?"
  • Identify "Who already works on this issue?" (Community based organizations)
  • Ascertain "authentic" needs.
  • Determine, "What could I/we do...?"
  • Have the class could adopt an issue.
  • Ask, "How should I/we start...?"
  • Have students reflect on "My role as a change agent in my world."
    • [Idea shared by Jini Loos; e-mail: jiniml@aol.com]

Give kids credible, exciting stories of people leading meaningful lives, then coach them to see (from the stories and perhaps from some model they've seen in their own lives), that the core of a meaningful life is service to others.

This provides a deep, significant context for the motivation. It also helps them see the difference between celebrities and real heroes.

  • Then ask kids what they care about in their neighborhood, community, city, nation, and world. Ask them to focus on public problems that really concern them, and for which finding solutions is meaningful to them.
  • Have them pick one as the source of a service project.
  • Have the kids design the project around solving this problem they already care about.
  • Having gotten this far, they are super-motivated. They want to work to create a service project that helps solve that problem, and they receive an immense amount of satisfaction when they do.
  • See the Giraffe service-learning materials at http://www.giraffe.org/ed.html.
  • Especially relevant are Chapters One and Two of It's Up to Us, the Giraffe Heroes Project's book for teens. http://www.giraffe.org/ed_uptous.html
    • [Idea shared by John Graham, President, The Giraffe Heroes Project; phone: (360) 221-7989 (Patty); e-mail: graham@giraffe.org]
Facing the Future has developed an "Take Action Projects" that help create student buy-in.Students are immediately enthusiastic when they are trained to manage an entire program.
  • Go to www.generation-fit.com.
  • Click on "For teachers."
  • Scroll down to "Vending" to read about mentoring programs that can be replicated in your classroom.
  • The resulting collaboration provides the students with mentoring and service-learning opportunities, project-based learning, and innovative technology applications. As a bonus, teachers enjoy on-site, sustainable fitness programs completely handled by well-trained students in grades 3-12. A pilot group using Generation Fit had a 25 percent reduction in absenteeism among at-risk students.
    • [Idea shared by Judy Shasek; e-mail: e.wally@bendcable.com; website: www.e-wally.org]

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Context

Service-learning combines service and learning objectives with the intent that the activity change both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge content.

Service-learning is a powerful tool for making change — both in the lives of students and in the schools and communities where they live and serve. What distinguishes service-learning from more project-focused tasks is the identification of a genuine need in the community, combined with a relevant service activity followed by reflection. Having students take responsibility for the development and implementation of projects from the ground up leads to increased motivation and enthusiasm.

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Outcome

Creating student buy-in early on helps engender:
  • Empowerment for students
  • Reduction in absenteeism
  • Less burden on already overworked teachers
  • Solutions to community problems

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Posted On

August 10, 2005

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Resources

The K12-SL e-mail discussion list provides a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the K-12 service-learning community. Some of the past discussions have involved project ideas, information requests, and current service-learning news. Those without web access can subscribe to the K12-SL e-mail discussion list by sending an e-mail message to join-k12-sl@lists.etr.org. This list is hosted by the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

Related Practices

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Related sites

National Service-Learning Partnership

Learn and Serve America

Topic Areas

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