In the Zone This Month: April 2009
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Education for Citizenship: The Service-Learning Connection
by Nancy Nestor-Baker
Ohio State’s motto is education for citizenship. I have always loved that phrase. It speaks to a purpose bigger than self, a future larger than just today, and a connection with others that transcends time and place. But education for citizenship belongs to us all, Buckeyes or not. Many of our state constitutions have language that identifies education as a primary means to effective citizenship; our state standards include civics and citizenship; the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) includes knowledge of civic life, politics, and government and knowledge of the roles of citizens in democracy and global affairs. From our founding to the current day, as a nation we have understood the need to foster citizenship in our young people.
Learn and Serve America points out that “service-learning combines service objectives with learning objectives.”
For years, civics classes were the main way we learned about being United States citizens. We learned about bills and legislatures, identified governance structures and began to understand the concept of “the public good.” For a lot of us, that learning was a function of books and lectures with an occasional movie. (Or filmstrip. Do any of you remember those?)
But in the late 20th century, a new connection between academics and citizenship arose. Civics instruction grew larger than the classroom: Service-learning became a reality.
Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (servicelearning.org) says, “Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.” In other words, service-learning is a tool for citizenship.
Service learning projects give clear answers to that age-old student question, “Why do we have to learn this?” while bringing creativity, energy, and academic knowledge to real life issues and concerns. As the National Youth Leadership Council (nylc.org) says, service learning is a way to “work across generations and cultures to strengthen your community.”
The strongest results arise when service-learning is tied to academic standards, the service-learning goals are clear, and the students are directly involved with the community.
Administrators are often confused by the service-learning term. Is it service-learning when the students spend a day cleaning up abandoned properties? What about when they volunteer for election campaigns? Or when they help with natural resources’ fish counts?
It depends on the definition of service-learning. Learn and Serve America points out that “service-learning combines service objectives with learning objectives.” In other words, service-learning links the development of content knowledge and service in ways that meet real-life needs of a community. Students build understanding, learn application, analyze and interpret results, and communicate findings and possibilities. Educated citizenship at work!
Stymied for ideas? Suggestions for service-learning projects focused on citizenship abound, ranging from oral history partnerships with senior citizens to partnerships with town councils to improve neighborhood development plans. We have identified some service-learning resources for you, with projects that incorporate real-life experiences and needs with academic requirements.
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, a program of Learn and Serve America and the Corporation for National and Community Service, offers project ideas and recommended reading for service-learning programs at the elementary, middle school and high school levels. Website >
Learn and Serve Ohio website >
- What is Learn and Serve
- How to Apply for Funding
- Current Programs
- Program Managers
- Students
- Resource Center
- News and Events
See the Toolbox for more >
That sounds good. But does service-learning work? Does it help meet standards AND help build citizens and communities? Positive evidence is mounting, although more research is certainly needed and more studies are currently underway. In 2004 Shelley Billig, from RMC Research Corporation in Denver, considered the body of service-learning research. Gains in academic engagement have been found in programs from Michigan to California. However, gains are contingent on the quality of the service-learning efforts. As you might expect, high quality appears to link to higher achievement and engagement. The strongest results arise when service-learning is tied to academic standards, the service-learning goals are clear, and the students are directly involved with the community. The Billig analysis found that school-based service-learning is an “enormously promising practice” and “the evidence…is compelling enough to encourage all schools to try it.” (See Professional Readings for more research findings about quality in service-learning.)
There has never been a better time for service-learning focused on citizenship. From the Carnegie Corporation to the work of researcher Robert Putnam to the National Association of Secretaries of State to the Education Commission of the States, we are presented with evidence of a society in need of a connected citizenry, of citizenship in need of participation. Education for citizenship is as important now as it ever has been.
Nancy Nestor-Baker is Director of the P-12 Project at The Ohio State University
