Structuring reflection in service-learning programs for work-study students
Abstract
Work-study students involved in community service-learning projects experience enhanced learning when reflection and exploration are highlighted in supervision. This paper by graduate assistants at the Center for the Study of Testing Evaluation and Education Policy at Boston College suggests various structural and procedural issues to consider when designing the supervision component of a service-learning program. Excerpted from Lessons Learned from the Development of Community Service Work-Study Programs by the Minnesota and Massachusetts Campus Compacts.Issue
In the context of service-learning programs, student learning is significantly enhanced when reflection and exploration are highlighted in supervision. When designing the supervision component of service-learning programs, the deliberate consideration of various structural and procedural issues can have a substantial impact on the effectiveness of the program.Action
Supervision structure
The program coordinator must decide whether individual or group supervision will be the most effective and advantageous method for promoting and enhancing participant reflection. Each method has pros and cons that need to be taken into consideration.
Individual supervision involves meeting with work-study students one-on-one to discuss their experiences. This method can be labor-intensive and time-consuming. On the other hand, the direct, personal contact facilitates the development of trust and rapport creating a safe environment for the students' personal growth. It also allows program coordinators to tailor sessions to address the specific needs of each student and may facilitate early detection of any difficulties.
Larger programs may opt for group supervision because it is time efficient and cost effective. It also allows one to use group process as a learning tool. However, the group setting will make it more difficult to meet the individual needs of participants, track the development of each participant, and build rapport between and among participants.
Program coordinators can opt to use small group exercises within the larger group setting. Small working groups may relieve fears of public speaking and thus enhance peer interactions and discussions. Program coordinators may also wish to offer an optional drop-in policy, inviting participants to visit their office during open hours.
Program coordinators also need to decide whether attendance at supervisory meetings will be voluntary or mandatory. A mandatory policy allows coordinators to track participants' developmental progress and maintains a more complete knowledge of program occurrences. A voluntary attendance policy allows participants to gauge their need for supervision and attend meetings whenever they require guidance or have questions that need to be answered. Voluntary attendance may be particularly useful for participants who have extensive experience in the program and/or demonstrate an ability to accurately judge their supervisory needs.
Supervision process
The coordinator's personal style will impact participants' ability to engage in exploration and reflection. One's level of comfort interacting in group settings and one's skill at encouraging large group discussion will impact the effectiveness of various reflection techniques.
The degree of structure can influence the supervision process. Coordinators must decide if they prefer to cover pre-arranged topics of discussion or allow the topics to emerge during the discussion of participants' experiences. However, even if a topic of discussion is planned ahead of time, unplanned issues will inevitably arise during the discussion of the topic.
Program coordinators must also consider the developmental level of the participants. If all the participants are new to service-learning work, they may have different needs than participants who have previous or more extensive experience. Further, as the year progresses, participants' needs change.
The use of a variety of reflective activities is critical to the transformation process in service-learning programs. Strategies include providing participants with structured and guided tasks such as weekly journal entries or reflective essays as well as opportunities for group discussions of their reactions to service work. The involvement of participants in various campus activities can also enhance reflection by requiring participants to express their motivations for engaging in service and the program's overall goals.
Context
This paper by graduate assistants Elizabeth Hill Warter and Kimberly A. Howard was based on a critical review of the available literature on service-learning and is grounded in the practice and experience of service-learning supervisors. The paper was contributed by the Center for the Study of Testing Evaluation and Education Policy at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.Citation
Hill Warter, Elizabeth and Kimberly A. Howard. "Structuring Reflection in the Supervision of Community Service-Learning Programs for Federal Work-Study Students." Lessons Learned from the Development of Community Service Work-Study Programs. Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota Campus Compact, 2000.Outcome
Coordinators of service-learning programs have the opportunity to contribute in significant and positive ways to the personal growth of program participants as well as their understanding of pressing societal issues. In doing so, they help to ensure the provision of thoughtful, skilled, and respectful service by their students.Posted On
October 19, 2001For More Information
Resources
Copies of the booklet, Lessons Learned from the Development of Community Service Work-Study Programs (#25H-425), are available by contacting Minnesota Campus Compact.
E-mail: info@mncampuscompact.org
2356 University Ave W, Suite 280
St. Paul, MN 55114
Phone: (651) 603-5082
Minnesota Campus Compact
From The Resource Center library:
Lessons Learned from the Development of Community Service Work-Study Programs
Item number: M1965
Related Practices
Related sites
U.S. Department of Education work-study website
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy