The Global Studies Program has four tenets of global competence: investigate the world, develop multiple perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action. To help foster these, students are expected to participate in Global Experiences. Global Experiences are an opportunity for students to develop an understanding of and appreciation for other cultures that goes beyond what can be learned in a classroom. The goal of Global Experience Hours will be to increase student engagement with the service learning opportunities they choose by encouraging service learning that allows students to experience cultures different from their own and examine global issues from multiple perspectives. With Global Experience Hours, the focus will be on the quality of the experience instead of an accumulation of hours. Global Experience Hours should connect to one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals or to one of the four domains of global competence.

What are the Student Benefits of Service Learning?

Learning Outcomes

• Positive impact on students’ academic learning by learning to integrate or synthesize knowledge from previous courses

• Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned in “the real world”

• Allows students to actively construct new knowledge

• Allows students to transfer knowledge and skills to new situations

• Positive impact on academic outcomes such as demonstrated complexity of understanding, problem analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, and cognitive development

• Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity

Personal Outcomes

• Greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development

• Greater interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work well with others, and build leadership and communication skills

• Develop a connection between personal development and academic development

Social Outcomes

• Reduced stereotypes and greater inter-cultural understanding

• Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills

• Greater involvement in community service after graduation

Career Development

• Connections with professionals and community members for learning and career opportunities

• Greater academic learning, leadership skills, and personal efficacy can lead to greater opportunity

• Begin to foster networking skills

https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-through-community-engagement/