Final

GU299

October 23, 2018

Service Learning

Introduction

Service learning is a form of experienced-based learning that requires students to put what they learned to practice in solving one or more problems experienced by the community. Service learning offers students the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned and identify effective ways of dealing with problems facing the community. Service learning can be used both in a classroom setting where students are required to theoretically analyze community problems and in practice where students deal with community problems (Mitchell, 2008). Unlike field education, service learning not only intend to equip students with knowledge, but also aim to provide valuable services to the community. Community partnerships are collaborative projects that students may undertake within locals in their immediate community. Common challenges that students may face include dissatisfaction with the work they are required to do and time constraints as community work can be quite demanding.

Community Partnerships

The education trust partners with multiple organization with the goal of improving education policy in the country. Partners include both local partners in different areas where the organization maintains operations and national partners that operate all over the country. Through this partnerships, the education trust is able to tackle specific problems that both students and educational institutions face in society. Due to the fact that local partners have a better understanding of the problems that the education sector in their area faces, they can provide valuable inputs to the organization that can enable it to identify effective solutions. For example, the organization has partnered with a number of organizations in the state of Illinois to improve teacher quality (Peske& Haycock, 2006). Partners also provide additional resources that increase the reach of the organization and enables it to reach more students and academic institutions. The organization partners with different types of organizations both in the public and private sector and has not ended any active partnerships. The organization, however, partners mostly with the private sector and non-governmental organizations and is yet to partners with the government on any major project. Enlisting the government as a partner will provide the organization with more resources and increase its reach throughout the country.

Volunteers

The Education Trust’s main projects are based in schools, where teachers and school heads voluntarily agree to take part in projects meant to improve their skills as teachers and to boost the capacity of individual schools to provide better education. As a non-governmental organization, the education trust does not have the capacity to implement any of its policy recommendations in school districts and school boards but instead relies on the voluntary cooperation of these school bodies to implement policy changes that will improve the standards of education. The organization also conducts a great deal of research on education issues and enlist the cooperation of volunteers to gather information on these issues. The organization, for example, works with a number of volunteer organizations in the implementation of its projects (The Education Trust, 2014).

Conclusion

Service learning offers students the opportunity to learn while providing valuable services to the community. Through service learning, students get the opportunity to put in practice what they have learned by tackling real problems that exist in their community. The Education Trust is a national organization that mainly works through community partnerships and volunteers. Due to the nature of its work, it can provide a great deal of service learning opportunities for students.

References

Mitchell, T. (2008). Traditional vs. critical service-learning: Engaging the literature to differentiate two models. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 50-65. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ831374.pdf

Peske, H. G., & Haycock, K. (2006). Teaching Inequality. A Report and Recommendations by the Education Trust. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED494820.pdf

The Education Trust. (2014). Partners. Retrieved from The Education Trust: https://west.edtrust.org/who-we-are/partners/