Introduction to Community-Based and Service-Learning: Implications and Applications for Student Affairs Practitioners
Instructor: Dr. Jason Laker
CLOSED
Course Overview:
It has been very fashionable to discuss Service-Learning, Civic-Engagement, and other forms of campus-community programs for students. However, there has not been enough preparation and discussion relating to solid rationales for whether and how to do them-and particularly how to do them well. This course will provide an introductory overview of ethical considerations, effective methods, best practices, and implications relating to these forms of teaching, learning, and programming activities. This course is appropriate for those interested in the possibility of pursuing such programs, and those who wish to assess and refine current programs. Participants working in higher education organizations are encouraged to include community partners-taking and discussing this course together, which is itself one of the key ethical and pedagogical issues being explored.
Course Outline:
This is a no-pressure three-week course encouraging approximately 3-5 hours of study each week. During the first week, students will become acquainted with each other and the fundamentals of Community Service-Learning theory and practice. Week two will focus on deeper understanding of specific issues and literature useful to designing and improving Community-Based and Service-Learning programs and services for college students. Week three will entail case studies and planning exercises, intended to end with a concrete plan for a modest program, or a plan for refining existing programs.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
A basic understanding of the literature associated with Community-Based and Service-Learning Pedagogy and Programs.
A basic understanding of ethical and practical issues relating to developing and sustaining Community Service-Learning programs.
A framework, and/or a plan for developing, executing, and sustaining a Service-Learning program.
Instructor Bio: Dr. Jason Laker is the Chief Student Affairs Officer at Queen's University, a national research university of 20,000 students located in Kingston, Ontario Canada-having moved from the U.S.
to take up the post in 2006. He also teaches in Women's Studies and is an Affiliated Faculty member in Cultural Studies.
Previously, he was the Dean of Campus Life and Instructor in Gender and Women's Studies at St. John's University in Minnesota. He also taught undergraduate general and honors courses about community engagement, gender, race,
and ethnicity and graduate-level courses in the Student Development graduate program at Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) - and is a recipient of SCSU's Honors Teacher of the Year award by vote of students.
He holds a Ph.D. from the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Arizona, an M.A. in Community Counseling from Adams State College (Colorado), and a B.S. in Organizational Communication from Central Michigan University. His dissertation, which received the ASJA Dissertation-of-the-Year award and the ACPA Standing Committee for Men Research Award, related to the socialization of Student Affairs professionals and their perceptions of male students. He has presented over 100 sessions and/or keynote talks at international, national, regional, and local professional conferences. In June 2007, Jason began service as the Scholar-Practitioner in Residence for NASPA's Men & Masculinities Knowledge Community. He has also held consulting engagements at several universities, providing training and presentations about various aspects of students' experiences and issues.
