Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement

(OSLACE)

Faculty and Staff Information

Thank you for your interest in service learning as a teaching pedagogy. Please contact the Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement for assistance in your planning and course development needs. Also, contact us if you are interested in joining a service learning Faculty Learning Community.

Benefits of Service Learning

The utilization of Service Learning as a teaching pedagogy is beneficial for all parties involved including students, faculty and staff members and community partners.

Faculty and staff members may benefit in the following ways:  

• Providing new areas for scholarship and research
• Linking course content to the real world
• Providing students with employment contacts
• Instilling a sense of civic responsibility in students
• Collaborating with the broader community
• Receiving additional sources of support from the Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement

Service Learning Course Development and Designation Process

1. Faculty member participates in Service Learning Course Development Training

   1. Offered through Service Learning and Community Engagement Office.
   2. Webinar available for checkout from the OSLACE throughout the year

2. Obtain department approval to have course designated as an SL course.

3. Develop course according to these guidelines:

   1. have a required service component that enables students to meet specific academic objectives of the course
   2. enable students to provide a needed service to the community
   3. include a structured opportunity for student reflection such as journals, writing assignments, formal discussions, or presentations
   4. identify a method of assessing student learning derived from the service activity(ies)
   5. ensure that no student is required to perform a service that pose him or her  a moral conflict.

4. Submit the following documents to SLACE committee

   1. Course syllabus
   2. Service learning course designation request form

5. SLACE committee reviews syllabus using course designation rubric and makes recommendation to UCSC.

6. UCSC formalizes the recommendation and submits course designation request to records office 

• List of Community Partners

• Books available for checkout from the OSLACE

• Links to Academic Journals

• Summer training materials

• Helpful Websites

  • Corporation for National and Community Service

  • Campus Compact

  • Learn and Serve America

   

The University of Montevallo Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement was named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in the community.