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Academic Service-Learning Process

Seasoned and novice ASL faculty alike are encouraged to use the following process/resources in order to coordinate and promote your ASL course.
 

Academic Service-Learning Designation

Apply to have your ASL course designated as such in the course catalog. This designation has several benefits, including:
  • Attracting students who actively seek courses or sections of particular courses that include a service learning component to meet the Experiential Learning Requirement.
  • Accommodating service-learning pedagogy by instituting a 25-student cap for course enrollment.
  • Identifying students and service-learning courses for the purposes of institutional research and assessment.
The Academic Service-Learning Advisory Board meets each semester to determine the ASL course designation. Please look for an e-mail announcing the process, or contact Sharon Hodge, Kernodle Center Faculty Development Fellow for Academic Service-Learning. 

 

Student Community Placements

Assistance from the Kernodle Center’s professional and student staff enables faculty to focus on teaching rather than troubleshooting. Our staff is well versed in innovative practices in the field of service learning and applies these practices to the context of Elon University and our surrounding community. A typical placement process involves the following actions:

 

Semester prior to ASL course

  • Complete the ASL request form. This form provides information to the Kernodle Center staff in regard to course objectives and needs.
  • Meet with Kernodle Center staff to discuss your course and brainstorm possible placements, integration ideas, reflection activities, etc. 
  • Kernodle Center staff will begin contacting interested agencies and communicating your needs with them. You will be invited to meet with partners to discuss your course. 

During semester of ASL course

  • A week or two prior to classes starting, you will receive the ASL recommendation e-mail. A description of the agencies and service experiences, contact information and the number of students they can accommodate will help you determine the best course partners.
  • ASL student coordinators will contact you to schedule the ASL presentation. This student-led presentation reviews general ASL information, the ethics contract, agency placement process and tips for successful service learning experiences. During this presentation, students also distribute service hour validation sheets for participating students to track their service hours.
  • ASL student coordinators will serve as a point of contact between your students and the agency should challenges arise.
  • ASL student coordinators will check in with you throughout the semester to ensure things are running smoothly and service learning placements are going well.
  • You will receive end-of-course evaluations and assessments via campus mail at the end of the semester or a student leader will come to your class and facilitate the assessment. Please have your students fill out this information and return to the Kernodle Center.