Service-Learning Program
@ Dominican University of California
WHAT IS SERVICE-LEARNING?
The mission of Dominican University of California’s Service-Learning Program is to centralize resources and support for faculty, students, partner organizations and the diverse communities they serve in order to advance education and social justice through shared learning and collaborative action.
Our Service-Learning (SL) designated courses integrate meaningful community engagement with academic curriculum. Through partnerships with community organizations, schools, and government agencies, students have the opportunity to learn about the lives of others as well as the larger contexts and root causes of issues that ultimately impact the well-being of all. Instructors of SL-designated courses intentionally design course discussions and assignments that make connections between course concepts and the students’ experiences in the community.
QUICK FACTS
Dominican offers 18-25 SL designated courses each semester. The majority of the classes are in our General Education (Core Curriculum).
200-300 students each semester enroll in SL designated courses (400-500 students each year).
Every student in an SL designated courses commits to a 2 hour/week community engagement opportunity with an established community partner.
Each semester we work with approximately 35 “core” Community Partners (NGOs, schools, government agencies) with whom we have established, long-term reciprocal relationships. Ongoing relationship = meaningful student learning experience + increased community impact.
Community partners are co-educators. Service-learning is not volunteering. It is important civic education (See our social justice framework below.)
We also have major and minors with community engagement as a central component: Social Justice major, Community Action & Social Change minor, Latin American and Latino Studies minor.
OUR SOCIAL JUSTICE FRAMEWORK
Community-engaged learning with the awareness that "understanding equity is not enough--it is about interrupting inequity." (Tinkler et al, 2019)
Recognition that cultural knowledge is the basis for building effective social-emotional connections and safe space in community engagement. (Hammond, 2015)
Focus on leveraging the existing strengths and resources within a community to foster sustainable development and positive change.
(Kretzmann & McKnight,1993)
Uplift and prioritize the unique cultural resources and strengths that individuals bring from their backgrounds and experiences (Yosso, 2005)
DUC SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
Community Engagement addresses community-identified interests: SL staff/faculty meet with existing and potential Community Partners (CP’s: schools, non profit organizations, government agencies and community groups) to co-design structured community engagement opportunities (2-3 hrs/week for the duration of the semester. Approx. 25 hours/semester).
Community engagement is aligned with curriculum: Community engagement opportunities with CP programs are matched with specific SL designated courses across the disciplines.
Community Engagement is integrated into course content: All SL designated classes address SL Program Learning Outcomes (SL PLOs; see below).
Design and assessment for ongoing learning and improvement: Faculty development and Student Orientation are designed around SL PLOs (see below). Each May all SL faculty gather to read and rate final papers from across the curriculum.
Community of Practice: No SL faculty or student is alone. SL Program staff meet with faculty to determine which community partners they would like to work with for their class(es). We also support faculty in developing new partnerships or projects for specific classes. Information is centralized on GivePulse, a database platform that all stakeholders can access. The SL Program provides infrastructures, clear processes, and oversight so that faculty, community partners, and students can focus on quality community engagement.
Celebration: At the end of each semester, we host an SL Symposium where students share their learning and insights. Often community partners also share the importance of the partnership with Dominican. Additionally and in the works, students will be able to access their Community & Civic Engagement Transcript through GivePulse.
For more information on the Service-Learning Program, the Social Justice Major, the Community Action & Social Change Minor, and the Latin American & Latino Studies Minor, visit DUC's Official Site.