Service Learning

by Renee Tonquest
Health Science Cluster Specialist

Service learning is an important key to health science education success.  It is an instructional strategy that combines curriculum with community service.  The U.S. Department of Education defines service-learning as an educational activity, program, or curriculum that seeks to promote students’ learning through experiences associated with volunteerism or community service.

You could say service-learning sounds a bit like community service or volunteerism, but it really takes volunteerism and community service to the next level by including educational objectives.  There is intent and purpose that the service-learning project changes both the student giving the service and the receiver of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities.  Students can participate as individuals or in groups or teams. Their service can be to one individual, groups of individuals, or to entire community organizations. 

For example, donating blood is a service.  Comparing blood samples under a microscope is learning.  Organizing a blood drive and kick-starting a local program to keep a blood shortage from happening again after a presentation to the city council is service learning.

You may be asking why it is important to implement service-learning in your school or your HOSA program.  More and more research shows that effective service-learning programs foster a sense of social responsibility for students. A sense of caring for others is achieved and students begin to understand how they may “fit” in their community.  As they grow as individuals, so does their self-confidence and self-esteem.  

Service learning is a perfect fit for Health Science Education and HOSA. 

Here are some online resources for service learning:

National Dropout Prevention Center www.dropoutprevention.org  - sponsors the guide, Reflection: A Guide to Effective Service-Learning. which offers tools and ideas for creating learning environments and facilitating reflection during each step of a service-learning project

National Service-Learning Clearinghouse www.servicelearning.org  - A collection of books, research, tools, program descriptions, and many other ideas for planning and  implementing service-learning projects

National Youth Leadership Council  www.nylc.org  –one of the most well established organizations in K-12 service-learning, website offers many types of training resources, books and technical assistance opportunities for teachers, including an annual conference

Students in Service to America  www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org  –collection of resources and tools for designing and implementing service projects and service-learning programs, also contains Students in Service to America (SISTA): A Guidebook for Engaging America’s Students in a Lifelong Habit of Service

Service Learning Texas www.servicelearningtexas.org/   - Offers several resources to help teachers plan service-learning projects

U.S. Department of Education www2.ed.gov/students/involve/service/edpicks.jhtml - Offers several resources to help teachers plan service-learning projects