Selection Of The Service Learning Project

A Service Learning project is one of the project requirements to complete the Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree through Ferris State University (FSU). My Service Learning experience was completed at the VA Medical Center (VAMC) in November, 2014. This paper includes details of the facility along with the contact information for the coordinator of the project. A description of my role as a volunteer, critical reflection of my experience, and a synthesis of the Service Learning are also included.

It is also a “boundary spanning” activity in that it requires active involvement from people both within and outside of the classroom context, often resulting in participant contributors who represent a variety of generations, ethnicities, social groups, and experience levels (Billig and Furco, 2002, p.vii). Service-learning is designed to reduce the boundaries between an institutional campus environment and the community around it. It is designed to connect learning to real experience through service and reflection (Ball and Schilling, 2006; Becker, 2000). As a baseline to facilitate this development, service-learning is distinct from other types of community service and civic engagement experiences in that the service-learning experience must not only have a service and reflective component but also be clearly tied to the curriculum through learning objectives and theoretical underpinnings (Bloomquist, 2015; Pritchard, 2001). As Barbara Holland, former Director of the U.S. National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, shared, “Service-learning is all in the hyphen. It is the enrichment of specific learning goals through structured community service opportunities that respond to community-identified needs and opportunities.” (Kenworthy-U’Ren, Taylor, and Petri, 2006: 121).

Before deciding where I wanted to do my service learning, I knew I wanted to do something that had some relevance to my degree that I will be receiving in healthcare management. I was eager to gain more experience and become more knowledgeable of how an organization operates as it relates to healthcare management. I was able to secure an opportunity to volunteer at the Dallas Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital. After completing the required VA forms, I got partnered with Mr. Alonzo Price Jr. who is a Management Analyst in Ambulatory Care, which is the department that oversees the Primary Care Providers.

When I began my Civics class, thinking it potentially difficult and boring, I did not initially look forward to this project. However, as I did each activity, I found myself enjoying each and every one. From sitting in a board meeting to collecting trash, I discovered something new in all of the ways I volunteered. Not only did the people I volunteered for gain something through my service, but I feel that I gained a lot as well.

The meaning this service learning project provided me with was how important it is for us, the Hamline University, to build a meaningful relationship with Hamline Elementary. This was invoked because of the impact the students seemed to have due to us being there and working with them. The students were excited for a communal learning experience, and I think that is going to help encourage them to pursue a college career. Because I work at Hamline Elementary and have been doing so for the past 2 years, I have made strong connections with the students and faculty and think highly of them all. The experience was very similar to what I do at Hamline Elementary on a daily basis. Given this, I had a feeling that the content may have been a bit of

Through out my service-learning project there were different activities and sites my cousin and I visited in the community. The first site my cousin and I had our activity in was in my home in Boyle Heights, where we had a conversation about his diabetes and talked about his experiences with type1 diabetes as a teenager. I decided to choose my home as our first activity because it was the perfect place to ask my cousin to participate in my project and make him feel comfortable enough to share his experiences with me. The second activity we arranged was a lunch date at Outback Steakhouse in Glendale. Having lunch at a restaurant was my cousin’s idea because he wanted to show me how different and difficult it can be from eating a home made meal.

As a member of this group we are given a plethora of opportunities to serve the underprivileged. One of my experiences with community commitment included going to an elementary school and assisting faculty members with overgrown foliage and installing shelves in a supply room. In addition to the opportunities provided in HES I found service through the Christian organization, Cru at OSU. During my time with Cru I got the chance to travel to Indianapolis for IndyCC. During the conference, I participated in a day of outreach where a we would donate food boxes provided by local churches to underprivileged people in the city. One couple was gracious enough to invite my group into their home and share their life stories with us. It was an eye opening experience, revealing a secondary form of service, being in the present. Service doesn’t have to be tangible, it can be conversational as

Today I met with Teri to present my service learning project to her. I explained to her that I had made a brochure to present all the information about depression to her and that she could keep it. I felt nervous and anxious about presenting. In my brochure I included a brief definition of what depression is, predisposing factors, signs/symptoms, complications, treatments, medications, prognosis, ways to relieve stress/anxiety, and resources to gather more information on depression. As I was presenting my project I began to feel more relaxed and at ease. I tried to make my brochure as brief as possible, so that it was easy to understand, but include all the information needed as well. I feel that I did a pretty job of meeting this goal. I went

The topic for the Service Learning Project which I have selected to write about is about The Spinal and Thoracic Treatment and Research (STTAR) Center at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, which conducts research related to the function of a child's spine and chest. I will accomplish this SLP by focusing on four key areas. Those areas are as follows: the establishment of the learning outcome of the SLP, the mechanics of the SLP, the community relationships resulting from the SLP, and the personal effects of the SLP. An analysis of these areas will reveal how The Spinal and Thoracic Treatment and Research (STTAR) Center at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio conducts clinical studies that analyze the chest in unique and unprecedented

Throughout the experience of participating in a whole-class service learning project, the emphasis was always placed upon teamwork. As a future educator, the ways in which we were able to come together and meet a community need was truly a humbling experience. The entire project was thoughtfully organized. This type of professionalism is what I want to embody.

I was very intrigued when I found out I was going to partake in a service learning project. I feel that when someone participates in service learning, it is a great opportunity for them to become active school. It also allows one to grow and apply what is learned. I truly feel that service learning is an exceptional opportunity for someone who is ready to take advantage of everything learned and apply it to help out in school.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in." Service learning is an educational strategy that integrates community service with instruction and reflection to enrich learning experiences, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer at the Middletown YMCA as an Academic Tutor and the Mental Health Association as a Crisis Intervention counselor. Helping out an innumerable amount of people through service learning has made me learn a considerable amount about others and most importantly, myself. Having done a lot community service throughout high school and with the Honors Program, being exposed to the lifestyles of other people, made myself as a volunteer more aware of the needs of the less fortunate. As an immigrant from Paramaribo, Suriname, I have experienced great adversity, developed independence, and responsibility. Coming from an underdeveloped country has enabled me to realize the countless opportunities I have here. As a result, my past experiences have given me the drive and ambition to give back to anyone in need of assistance.

Service-learning involves students in community service activities and applies the experience to personal and academic development. Service-learning course objectives are linked to real community needs that are designed in cooperation with community partners and service recipients. Service-learning engages students in a three-part process: classroom preparation through explanation and analysis of theories and ideas; service activity that emerges from and informs classroom context; and structured reflection tying service experience back to specific learning goals. Volunteering is any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition

My completed my at the VITA site two hours on Saturday, April 9th, from 9am -11am. Being, that it was the last Saturday they would be open for service I figured it would have been busy while I was there. When I got there Ms. Silver seemed to be really busy. The tasks she gave me was to file the papers documents by last name that were filled out by those who were getting their taxes done and to greet people when they arrived.

This volunteer experience has changed my view on service learning. I now realized there different levels of service. Although in class we read about the different kinds of services, I did not quite understand the difference until I analyzed my own service learning. This experience was definitely more of a charity act, since I feel like I helped a bigger organization with their goal, and they essentially made the difference with a bit of my help. I feel like I am just a small part of the big plan to help those with intellectual disabilities. After this experience I was able to compare it with previous volunteer work and this experience felt a lot less personal. Previous to this I volunteered at Sunrise Hospital and there I was able to tend to patient’s needs. I was actually able to connect with them by speaking to them about what they were going through and sharing my thoughts with them.