What is Service Learning?
Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.
Service Learning at Georgia Highlands College is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, promote academic excellence, and teach civic responsibility while serving genuine community needs.
Service Learning is Not:
- Volunteer work
- Completing minimum service hours in order to graduate
- Service assigned as a form of punishment
- Only for high school or college students
- One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community
Why is Service Learning Important?
National studies suggest that students in effective service-learning programs:
- Improve academic grades
- Increase attendance in school
- Develop personal and social responsibility
- Address actual needs within a community
(Adapted from www.servicelearning.org, 2010)