Service Learning Project Guidelines
Objective: To increase communication skills while serving the community.
What is service learning?
Performing x-ray exams is a service. Sitting in class studying how x-rays are formed is learning. Taking some films and a view box to a middle school or high school classroom and telling younger students about imaging exams and how they are performed while exposing them to careers in imaging is service learning.
Service learning is defined as a teaching and learning method in which people learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiments that meet actual community needs that are coordinated in collaboration with the school and community.
Service learning is integrated with specific learning objectives and provides structured time for students to think, talk and write about what they did and saw during the actual service activity. It provides students with opportunities to use newly acquired skills and knowledge in real-life situations in their own communities. It enhances what is taught in school by extending student learning beyond the classroom and into the community and helps foster a sense of caring for others.
Service Learning Project
Each student will be required to complete a service learning project this semester. The student will select an area that he or she desires to perform a type of community service. The type of service learning project will have to be approved by the course instructor. The student will spend a minimum of 12 hours over a 2 day or more period performing the service. The project will have 4 phases:
Phase 1: A plan of action
In this phase, you will decide which service learning project you will pursue and get faculty approval. Your plan of action should include:
What service you will be providing
The name of the organization where the service will be provided, its history, and purpose.
How you envision that this service will benefit you and the community
How this service will enhance your level of communication skill with a certain group of people
It is your responsibility to contact the organization and make all necessary arrangements for the service. Your project must meet a need in the community and enhance your communication skills.
A list of suggested service activities is posted in Moodle. You may choose one of these or any other that will meet the objectives of the activity. If you have trouble interacting with pediatrics, you may want to go to an elementary school and give a presentation to the children. For example, if you are a dental assistant, you may choose to teach the children about proper oral care.
Think outside the box and look for an activity that will help you grow. Choose something that you have not done before even if it feels uncomfortable. It is the uncomfortable situations that make us grow.
You may not perform your service hours in your area of discipline. For example, if you work in respiratory, you may not serve in the respiratory department.
Submit this assignment to the Phase 1 drop box in Moodle.
Phase 2: Performance of project
In this phase, you will perform a minimum of 12 service hours. You must provide documentation of hours spent at the facility. There is a documentation form located in Moodle that must be signed by your contact person/supervisor of the activity. You must submit this form with the reflection journal on the due date listed in the course calendar.
**If you fail to meet a minimum of 12 service hours, you will receive a zero on the entire project.
Phase 3: Reflection Journal
This phase of the assignment will be done after the service hours are complete. This phase will identify what you learned, how your experiences were met or unmet, how the service learning project made you feel and how you will integrate what you learned into your health care career.
Your reflection journal must include the following sections:
Objective-
Describe in detail the nature of the project, what you did, observed or heard who may have been involved, what was asked of you and what happened as a result of your work. In this section you will tell everything about your service learning project including where it was performed, your contact person with the organization, the type of service you provided, etc.
Reflective-
Describe in detail any feelings you may have experienced as a result of your service project. You will describe your level of apprehension or confidence, your feelings of success or failure, and if you felt effective in the service you provided. You will also use this section to relay any similar experiences you may have had before that helped you perform this particular service.
Interpretive-
Describe in detail your thoughts while you were performing this service. Did you work with a particular group that made you change any pre-existing thoughts you may have had before your project? Describe in detail what you learned and how you will apply it to your radiologic science career.
Decisional-
Describe in detail your thoughts related to performing this service again or another community service project. What would you change? What are your opinions regarding community service learning? How will this project experience affect your career path or personal growth?
Your reflection journal should be double spaced, 12 point font, Ariel, Calibri, or Times New Roman with 1 inch margins.
Failure to include any of the above sections will result in a deduction in your grade. Feel free to include any additional information about your project that may have not been addressed in the 4 sections above. Please submit this assignment to the Phase 3 drop box in Moodle.
Phase 4: PowerPoint Presentation
Once you have completed the service time and finished the reflection phase of the project, you will develop a PowerPoint presentation with audio narration of their entire service learning experience and post the presentation in Blackboard under “Discussion Board” assignments.
The PowerPoint presentation must contain:
A detailed description of the project to include the service provided
Who was the service provided for? (Name of organization, history, what type of facility and who they serve)
The need that it met in the community (What you actually did and how it met a need in the community)
The learning that took place (better communication skills, reduced fear of specific groups of people, etc.)
How the learning will enhance your health care career.
How the experience made you feel (awkward, scared, confident, fulfilled, etc.)
The expectations you had prior to the activity and if they were met or unmet. Did you have any preconceived stereotypes?
Did you enjoy the activity, why or why not?
Photos or other information that you would like to share regarding the service learning project. Some organizations will not allow you to take photos, so make sure you obtain permission to do so. Your presentation must contain photos and audio narration. If you cannot take photos of the guests, patients, or others you helped, make sure you get one of the facility and of you with your contact person.
After you have posted your presentation in the discussion board, you must comment on the presentations of two of your classmates.
This project is worth 20% of your total grade and will be graded after all sections are submitted and according to the rubric posted in Moodle. Please see the course calendar for due dates on each section.
Last Completed Projects
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