Service Learning

Constructing Service Learning Projects:A step by step approach from first thought to inceptionGateway Computer Service and Repair

Before we begin, I would like to elaborate on the words Service Learning. Service-learning is a program that involves students in organized community service that addresses local needs, while developing their academic skills, sense of civic responsibility, and commitment to the community. They are put in place to give students the training and real world experiences that they would face in their field of study. 1

Service Learning Team Members

Courtney SanchezComputer Information Technology

Ras TafarIComputer Information TechnologyShaunna HutchinsonBusiness Administration

First, I would love to introduce to you our current service learning student workers participating in the Gateway Computer Service and Repair Business.

From left to right we begin, Courtney Sanchez, Courtney is a Computer Information Technology major and currently works at the front desk. Following her, we have Ras TafarI, who is also majoring in Computer Information Technologies. Ras is one of veteran technicians and has been with us since the start of the business. Next, we have myself, Shaunna Hutchinson. I am a Business Administration and Management major, and just like Ras I have been with the business since it started, only I work the front desk. Last, we have Daniel Siglock, Daniel is another one of our technicians who is also majoring in Computer Information Technologies.

Now that you know our team, we can proceed further into our service learning project. 2

The Foundation Comes Together.Founder: Ronald Haysbert

Good hands on training for CIT and Business majors

College Wide and free clinic

This Service Learning Project was created by Mr. Ronald Haysbert, who believed there was a need for this business. That this service learning project would be a great experience, as well as training for CIT and Business students. Engaging in this business would help these students in their career paths and gain the knowledge they will need to be successful in their fields with hands on training.

The Business Plan was created by Mr. Haysbert. Who offered a free clinic as well a presentation at College Wide to ensure that there was a need for this service learning project based on observation.

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What we started withStudents must be Ready-To-Work or Federal-Work-Study A+ Certification and following the standard hiring procedure. The only method of payment accepted was cash and was recorded in the Access Database created for the business. Access DatabaseThere was only one form for customers to fill out when dropping off their products. No way to track progress on current jobs

When the service learning project Gateway Computer Service and Repair first began, it was a learning experience in itself to establish the project into a fully functioning business. This is all part of the experience.

As you can see we started from the bottom, as does every company, which is where are learning and hands on training begins. There were only a few technicians at the start of the business, all were required to have at least their A+ certification through CompTIA.

All employees at the business must be Ready-To-Work or Federal-Work-Study, to be eligible for the position. Ready-To-Work is a program at Gateway that helps single, low income parents currently enrolled in school-who are receiving benefits from the state, be able to attend college and provide for their families. This program is also a service learning project in a way because it is designed to prepare students for the real world after college, and give them the skills that they need to succeed.

Federal Work Study is almost the same as Ready-To-Work, except that these students do not receive certain benefits from the state. Instead, in this position the student works at a work site and their hours worked count toward their financial aid, making college more affordable.

At the time that we started we were only able to accept cash, this was recorded in the database that Mr. Haysbert created for the business. *Show Database*

Also, there was no way to track progress on the product we were servicing, which is also something that we will talk about in just a moment.

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What we started with continued.Completely student-runOnly able to service students/Faculty/StaffWe will never deny a customer because we consider it a learning experienceNo business students to assist with day to day paperwork and/or to follow up with customers.

We pride ourselves on the fact that we are a completely student-run business. We believe that this gives us the full experience of service learning to prepare us to use our individual skills in the workforce. However, because we are completely student run, and we are students in a service learning project, we feel that it is best that we only service students/faculty/and staff, due to our low prices and that we are still learning.

One of our practices for the business is to never turn down a client, even if we do not know the solution. That is what we are here for, to learn and experience these situations. This teaches us problem solving skills, to go out and research a solution and not give up just because we may not know the answer right off hand.

The last point that I would like to make, is that when the business started, there were no business students hired, that is something else that we will discuss in the next moments.5

Becoming EstablishedBusiness students maintain and manage the businessAdvertising-flyers, business cards, conferences for College Wide. The business begins to take off to new heights.More elaborate and detailed forms:Work Order-Waiver Form-Initial Quote-Checklist for Intake-Invoice-Sharepoint-Shared Email-Electronic Cash register.Methods of Payment expandedWeb Page

As referenced early, we did not hire business students to assist with our service learning project. However, through experience we learned that there was also a need for business students in the business. This would give business students that skills, experience, and hands on training of running/maintaining and improving a business. Which are all necessary skills to have in order to succeed in the business world.

Through the assistance of the business students collaborating with the advertising department at the college, we began development with advertising for our business from flyers to business cards-and also by participating in other service learning projects (which we will talk a little bit more about later).

These business students also helped with the development of more detailed paperwork, using access, Microsoft Word, Excel Spreadsheet, SharePoint, our own web page and so on. Again, this all ties into skills that they can leave the college with to enter into the workforce and succeed.

Let it also be noted that we have now expanded to accept Cash as well as checks now. Giving these students the experience of how to account for checks in a business. We are now filling out a reconciliation for the business to hand in to the business office.6

Intake ProcedureHave customer fill out info sheet and fill out access database new customer forms and give customer a quote.Check product for noticeable damage.Have customer read and sign all forms and then give customer copy of all forms Put job on job board and put in incoming bin in tech room.Record the intake on the work board with date of intakeVideo of Intake

Looking back at the definition of service learning we know that most of what we learn is through customer interaction, in any business really. It is how we learn where we need improvement and our strengths. We want our students to have those soft skills needed for the workforce, and to be able to deal with customers on a day to day basis. First impressions last forever, that is why the intake procedure is a crucial part of what we do here. When the client walks through the door we want them to know that we are there to help, to ensure that we care about their situation, and to make them feel like everything is going to be okay.

*Go over the intake procedure*

We want our student workers to know why these steps are important, and why these forms are in place. These forms give student workers experience about what limited- liability, time management, and correspondence. The same as they would see in a full time position with their degree.7

Technician Methods

SharePoint, technotes, and LyncGateway Computer Repair TimeClockReference Job boardCorrespondence on SharePointCommunicating with the front desk and customersResearching new problems, to find solutionsTech Methods Video

We have covered most of what they business students workers, the next part of the procedure is the technicians methods. We use the word Methods because every technician is different to us, they all have their own way of finding the solution to a problem. This is also a learning experience for all the techs because they learn from each other, which teaches them about teamwork and communication skills.

All of our student workers correspond with each other on SharePoint as well as Lync. We have learned through trial and error that corresponding and collaborating with each other is just as important as it is with the customer. We keep track of in actions taken on the product and anytime the customer contacts us and visa versa.

To give the students the feeling of working a full time job, we have integrated a timeclock into the business, for them to clock in and out of work, as well as for lunch. This ties back to punctuality and time management skills needed for the workforce.8

Pick-Up ProcedureChange quote to invoice and check for additional services performed. Retrieve job from tech room. Print invoice and have customer check product.Take payment and give customer receipt of payment. Record payment on copper cash register.

The only thing that I would like to point out about the pick up procedure is that this helps our business students with skills in money handling, accounting, customer service, problem solving, and reconciling the imprest cash fund. Not to mention that our business students in turn learn basic IT skills, such as diagnosing a product, and using software programs such as Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Access Database. 9

Service Learning ProjectsMental Health America Local High schoolsHPOG (Health Professions Opportunity Grant)VA

Early we spoke about involving our student workers in other service learning projects, and thus far, we have managed to do so with other places of business. We worked with Mental Health of America and set up their entire network, as well as work for local high schools during tours and showing them our business and how it is in place to give students the necessary skills needed in the workplace. We have the Health Professions Opportunity Grant in setting up their recipients computers for them to use to further their studies while in college. All of these opportunities have integrated one of the most important skills needed to succeed in the workforce, which is networking. Our student workers enjoy the opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge learned at the business, while assisting these companies.10

Service Learning tools used by techniciansHitman Pro and Malware Bytes Portable Apps SuiteHirens Boot SuiteBelarc Advisor Ccleaner Recuva

Hitman Pro and Malware Bytes 1st and 2nd opinion virus and malicious program detection.Portable Apps SuiteUSB enabled diagnostic software and apps (no installation needed)Hirens Boot SuiteBootable USB, used when OS not available on client MachineBelarc Advisor Used to benchmark system and provide license keys for Installed software.Ccleaner Used to clean system of unnecessary files before return to customerRecuvaUsed to locate missing or deleted files even after a new OS installation.

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At the top of the listWhat is our most requested services?

Virus RemovalScreen RepairFresh Install of Operating System

I wanted to point out our top three most requested services by our clients, which is virus removal, screen repair and fresh install, to show that there is a need for this service learning project. The most requested, as of late, would be virus removal. The unique characteristic of this service is that every virus is different, and there are always new and more vicious ones being created. This is an excellent source of experience and training for our technicians-when they go out into the world and they run into these problems they will, by then, have the knowledge and a procedure to deduce the best course of action.

A close follow up would be screen repairs, we have at least 2 screen repair products brought in a week. A broken screen that needs replaced on a phone, laptop, or tablet takes time and patience. Every brand has their own way of removing their screens. It is up to our technicians to research this procedure and then apply the knowledge to remove the screen. This is a perfect example of researching skills and hands-on-training.

Lastly, we have what we like to call Fresh Installs, which is needed when a system is running slow and is having a lot of error messages. Many people do not know how to do this and end up wiping their system clean of all their files, documents, photos, etc. Therefore, our technicians provide this service to them. This is where patience and compassion play a big role, because we are handing another persons life at this point.12

Looking Toward the FutureDigitizing paperwork entirelyElectronic Signature PadSocial Media FacebookExtend methods of payment with Credit Card machineOpen more opportunities for service learning projectsHire employees full-time and become self-sustained

Our business is thriving and our students workers are prepare for just about anything it seems like, there will always be room for improvement. That is what one of the main points that we want to make to our student workers involved in this service learning project. We have asked our students workers what they would like to see happen next for the business, and listed here were some of their ideas.

In order to become economically friendly we find that it is better to try and digitize all paperwork, by using electronic signature pads, emailing paperwork to clients, and installing a credit card machine.

Now that we are advertising the business, we would also like to start our own Facebook page to show what is new with the business and the progress our student workers have made as a whole.

Our student workers, as stated before, love working with other companies and would like to see us more involved in other service learning projects. They enjoy helping other people and apply their knowledge.

Mr. Haysbert would eventually, also like to be able to hire our student workers full time and become self-sustained. He feels as though our student workers have come along way and it would be nice to return the appreciation by hiring the student workers full time, to assist the new student workers and train them so that we can continue to offer this service learning experience for incoming students to the college looking for hands on training and experience, just as our current student employees were when they walked through the door.13

The experienceRass Experience in the Service Learning Project

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from the clientQuick, easy, and very knowledgeable-Karen MannProfessional Advisor

Very cooperative and understanding..-Kacy LunsfordStudentIts all about customer service.everyone was great!-Ricky DanielsStudent

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Questions, comments, concerns

Thank You!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for allowing us to share our experiences with you through this service learning project, and hope that you are able to implement the same experience for your students. If you have any questions, please ask now, and we will try to answer them to the best of our ability, thank you for your time.16