“Building A Global Public Community: Service Learning Projects that Span the Distance”

Shyam K. Sriram Tamra Ortgies Young

Georgia Perimeter College

The Democracy Project and Democracy Commitment

Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX

June 8, 2012

Workshop Objectives

• Why Global Connections?• Service Learning Projects• Project Essentials:

– Finding a Community Partner– Course Learning Objectives– General Education Outcomes– Challenges to Success– Tips for Success

• Resources• Questions

Why Are Global Connections Important?

• Institutions of higher education are moving to internationalize curricula to better develop student competencies for a global future.

• Issues surrounding immigration have increased the need to connect native students non-native English speakers (NNES) and other immigrant groups in the classroom.

• GPC is a very diverse, multi-campus public institution serving the greater Atlanta Metropolitan area. Due to large refugee demographics, GPC’s Clarkston campus, for example is sometimes referred to as the “United Nations” of Georgia. This student diversity provides opportunities and challenges for service learning implementation.

Why is Service Important?Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act Signing, April 21st 2009

“We need your service right now, at this moment in history. I’m not going to tell you what your role should be; that’s for you to discover. But I’m asking you to stand up and play your part …if you do, I promise you your life will be richer, our country will be stronger and someday, years from now, you may remember it as the moment when your own story and the American story converged, when they came together, and we met the challenges of our new century.”

-President Barack H. Obama

Global Service Learning Projects @ GPC:A Continuum from Service to Service Learning:

• Extra Credit for Community Service

• Community Action Projects

• Nigerian Text Book Drive

• MARTA Public Transportation Projects

Extra Credit for Community Service:Model: Service Imbedded in Multiple Sections

• Student were eligible for up to fifteen points of extra credit for up to fifteen hours of community service

• American Government - eleven course sections (2008 to 2009)

• Participation rate was 32%.

(122/385) • The community received 1,481 hours of

service or 12.13 hours per student• All students completed critical reflection and

assessment

Extra Credit for Community ServiceExample Service Opportunities

• Three focused global-cultural service opportunities:– Refugee Family Services (RFS) After-school tutors for children or

family literacy tutors for stay-at-home moms.– Project Downtown preparation of halal meals for homeless

people in downtown Atlanta .– Day of Dignity distribution of food, bedding, and hygiene kits;

help with voter registration; event security; and crowd control.

• Other service activities included:– Teaching soccer skills to young Latinas– Helping an under-privileged girl prepare for her quinceanera– Packaging toys for children abroad– Computer and Internet setup for NNES – Muslim cemetery clean-up– Teaching children Arabic.

Community Action Projects:A Step Beyond Service

• Building on the previous service projects, the program was enveloped in a formal service learning construct.

• “American Government” and “Intro to Political Science” class vehicles were designed with service learning components to better tie service to the academic learning outcomes through class discussions, campus events and focused reflection.

• Participation rates varied but a total of 79 student took part in service-opportunities.

Community Action Projects:Surveys to Transform and Record

• Students completed a survey based on a format described by Howard (2001) to determine impact and inspire reflection.

• Survey measured community engagement, inter-personal learning objectives, and course objectives.

• Sample Question:“Based on your experiences with service learning, what recommendations would you make to a local, state or federal legislator to improve government services to the population you served?

Howard, Jeffrey. 2001. Service-Learning Course Design Workbook. Ann Arbor: OCSL Press.

Community Action Projects:Student Reflections

• Day of Dignity Volunteer (20)

“It felt so good to see so many of my fellow classmates there helping people and dedicating their time to help those less fortunate. It makes me feel like there are still good teens/young people in my generation, despite what has been said about us.“

• English Tutor to Refugee (18)

“[I] didn't know that these kids go home to a 2 bedroom apartment with six people in it … I had no idea people lived that way, live in a place that should have been torn down. They are here and making it the best way they can."

Nigerian University Textbook Drive

• Partnership with Nigerian Nonprofit in Atlanta Area

• American Government and Global Issues Classes

• Digital Storytelling Critical Reflection

• Team Project• Cross College Competition

Book Drive Project:Student Reflections

• “...gives me more understanding and better insight to certain areas of topics I might have overlooked due to my limited experience in the world.”

• “I liked the bookdrive, in the fact that I could give back...”

• “I now know that there can be something done to help out other countries, whether it be a book drive or just giving back in general...I feel like I could make a change in the community if I truly want to.”

• “We can connect with the global community by making a little contribution as we did with book drive for Anambra State University ...With these new skills I have now acquired, I can make a bit difference by helping the no voice people to get their rights.”

MARTA Projects

• Partnership with Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Agency

• Global Issues and Sociology Classes

• Team Video Projects (POLS) or Research Project (SOCI)

• Video Screenings

Course Specific Learning Outcomes:Book Drive Learning Objectives (Example)

Upon completion of the book drive learning activity, students will be able to – Exhibit increased habits of civic

engagement.– Knowledgably discuss issues with a

global view including poverty, outcomes of war, and international governance systems.

– Explain in a comparative narrative, governmental systems, social structures and educational systems.

General Education Outcomes

Service Learning Projects Enhance:

• Group skills

• Critical thinking

• Initiative and motivation

• Writing skills

• Community awareness

• Classroom community

• Media Literacy

Challenges to Success

• Faculty time commitment

• Logistics and communications

• Politics & campus buy-in

• Marketing

• Financial considerations

• Maintaining Momentum

Tips for Project Success

• Create a Strong Community

Partnership

• Design Critical Reflection

• Superb Organization

• Remain Flexible

• Celebration and Rewards

Resources

• Atlanta Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning:

http://depts.gpc.edu/engage/• The Institute for Anambra Development:

http://www.tifad.org/• The Center for Digital Storytelling:

http://www.storycenter.org/z• Microsoft Digital Storytelling Teacher’s Guide:

http://www.microsoft.com/education/en-us/teachers/guides/Pages/digital_storytelling.aspx

• The Idealist http:///www.idealist.org

Questions?

Contact Information:

• Shyam Sriram

Department of Business and Social Science

Georgia Perimeter College - Clarkston

shyam.sriram@gpc.edu

• Tamra Ortgies Young

Department of History and Political Science

Georgia Perimeter College - Dunwoody

tamra.ortgies-young@gpc.edu