Service learning can take a lot of time and energy to incorporate into one's curriculum. From experience, I know, but the benefits are endless. Let me give you the 10 reasons why I think service learning is so important in higher education:
1. It introduces you and your students to different nonprofits in your area. Many students aren't even aware they exist!
2. It makes students get out of their comfort zone. Students become comfortable attending class, sitting quietly taking notes, and then leave. Students are required to leave the classroom, but continue their learning in an active environment.
3. It encourages groups to work together for the common good. If you create a service learning project with a group of students, they have a common purpose: to help those in need. This can support a strong bond between class members that may have never interacted with. This can create strong friendships.
4. A sense of achievement (not found in a test) occurs. There is a certain feeling of success when helping other people.
5. Instructors/professors have the opportunity to be creative. Service learning is all about active learning. We have an opportunity to be creative on how we incorporate community service into the curriculum while meeting our course objectives.
6. You have the opportunity to change a student's life. There is the chance that once they volunteer, they will continue to do so even when the class ends.
7. You are educating students on community problems that they have to power to change.
8. You're making a difference. By sending out your students to support/help a cause, they are positively affecting those in need.
9. You're meeting your course objectives!
10. When you have the opportunity to serve someone else, why not? Statistics show that serving others makes one happy. Everyone needs to be happy :)
1. It introduces you and your students to different nonprofits in your area. Many students aren't even aware they exist!
2. It makes students get out of their comfort zone. Students become comfortable attending class, sitting quietly taking notes, and then leave. Students are required to leave the classroom, but continue their learning in an active environment.
3. It encourages groups to work together for the common good. If you create a service learning project with a group of students, they have a common purpose: to help those in need. This can support a strong bond between class members that may have never interacted with. This can create strong friendships.
4. A sense of achievement (not found in a test) occurs. There is a certain feeling of success when helping other people.
5. Instructors/professors have the opportunity to be creative. Service learning is all about active learning. We have an opportunity to be creative on how we incorporate community service into the curriculum while meeting our course objectives.
6. You have the opportunity to change a student's life. There is the chance that once they volunteer, they will continue to do so even when the class ends.
7. You are educating students on community problems that they have to power to change.
8. You're making a difference. By sending out your students to support/help a cause, they are positively affecting those in need.
9. You're meeting your course objectives!
10. When you have the opportunity to serve someone else, why not? Statistics show that serving others makes one happy. Everyone needs to be happy :)