Service Learning

Service Learning in the
Classroom:
What play can do for you!
Dr. Heather Von Bank
Assistant Professor of Family Consumer Science
Child Development Family Studies

What is your experience with
community service/volunteering?
• Who were you serving?
• Why do you do it?
• What do you get out of it?
• What are the positives? Negatives?
• Do you encourage your students to
volunteer?

What’s the Difference?
Service Learning
• Academic component
• Includes reflection
(writing, discussing)
• Collaboration between
agency & participants
• Learn about social issue
Community Service
• No academic component
• Reflection is done by
agency NOT participants
• Agency responsible for
planning
• “Learning” is not goal
Example: Student created activities for a Community PlayDay
http://www.nccu.edu/administration/academicaffairs/acslp/community/com_difference.cfm

The Engagement Continuum
Experience
95
80
65
75
90
50
50
35
20
20
30
Retention
5
5
10

How play can work for you:
PlayDay
• What is the
community need?
• How will the need be
addressed in
curriculum?
• What are the learning
goals?
• How will students be
evaluated?
• Unstructured play
opportunities for children
• Role of Play in Child
Development, Parent-
Child PlayDay
• Understand the benefits
play for kids & parents!
• Student created
activities

Service Learning Aspects
Applied to PlayDay
1. Organized activity with community
collaboration.
2. Curriculum with reflective components.
3. A) Enhances the curriculum & provides
B) service to the community
4. Students apply knowledge in a real-world
situation as “experts”.
http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/CounselCharacService/documents/FAQ/032542.pdf

1) Community Collaboration
• Mankato Parks District, Rasmussen
Woods-Elk Nature Center
• Southern Minnesota Children’s Museum
• Guest speakers
– Musical Play, Musikgarten instructor
– Play therapy, licensed Play Therapist
– Play for Children with Autism
– Elementary Physical Educators/Adaptive
Physical Education

2) Reflective Component
• Daily writing assignments
– “What is play and how do you define it?”
• Personal play projects
– Visit a toy store & write short paper
• PlayDay activity
– Write paper about their activity and
observations & present to class

3a) Curriculum
• Lectures on developmental theories
• In-class activities
– Games & culture
• Playful learning...
– Science/Math
– Literacy

3b) Service to Community
• Parents and caregivers learn about…
– Benefits of play
– Ideas for activities
– Community resources available
– Collaborations between university and
community

4) Real World Situation
• No/low cost activity for children & parents
• Posters provide information
on developmental milestones, &
history or cultural significance

PlayDay IS Service Learning!
Service Learning
• Integrate academic
study w/community
• Includes reflection
(writing, discussing)
• Collaboration btw.
agency & participants
• Learn about social issue
& become experts
Example:
• Theories of child
development
• Q of Day, papers, poster,
presentation
• Children’s museum,
ECFE, clinics
• Play is important for
families and become play
advocates!

What can service learning
do for YOU!