6
FOUR MYTHS ABOUT ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING
To clarify the conceptualization of academic service-learning, as well as
to distinguish it from other community-based service and learning
models, we begin with four common misunderstandings about this
pedagogy. 1
1. The Myth of Terminology: Academic service-learning is the same as
student community service and co-curricular service-learning.
Academic service-learning is not the same as as student community
service or co-curricular service-learning. While sharing the word
“service,” these models of student involvement in the community are
distinguished by their learning agenda. Student community service,
illustrated by a student organization adopting a local elementary
school, rarely involves a learning agenda. In contrast, both forms of
service-learning – academic and co-curricular – make intentional
efforts to engage students in planned and purposeful learning related
to the service experiences. Co-curricular service-learning, illustrated
by many alternative Spring Break programs, is concerned with
raising students’ consciousness and familiarity with issues related to
various communities. Academic service-learning, illustrated by
student community service integrated into an academic course,
utilizes the service experience as a course “text” for both academic
and civic learning.
2. The Myth of Conceptualization: Academic service-learning is just a
new name for internships.
Many internship programs, especially those involving community
service, are now referring to themselves as service-learning programs,
as if the two pedagogical models were the same. While internships
and academic service-learning involve students in the community
to accentuate or supplement students’ academic learning, generally
speaking, internships are not about civic learning. They develop and
socialize students for a profession and tend to be silent on student
civic development. They also emphasize student benefits more than
community benefits, while service-learning is equally attentive to
both. New service-learning internships are on the rise, specifically
developed to engage students in civic and personal
development.
1
Excerpted from JeffreyHoward,ed.,Michigan JournalofCommunityServiceLearning:Service-LearningCourseDesignWorkbook (AnnArbor,MI:OCSLPress,Summer2001:10-11).