Service Learning
Host service learners
By partnering with service learning classes, UW-Extension faculty and staff enhance the ways they meet the needs of Wisconsin citizens. Service-learning partnerships not only provide more hands to get work done, but also bring new ideas, new energy and new resources.
Though there are many benefits to service learning partnerships, there are also some challenges and much to consider when building a partnership. Use the resources and links here to successfully develop your service learning partnerships.
Jump to one of these topics below
- Partnering with Higher Education Institutions
- Community-Based Research
- Partnering with K-12 Schools
- Other Resources
Partnering with Higher Education Institutions
Higher education institutions throughout Wisconsin can provide you with knowledgeable and skilled faculty, staff and students that can bring many benefits to your programs.
- Understanding service learning in higher education
- What does service learning require from you?
- Types of student involvement in the community
- Benefits of service learning for students and institutions
- Three criteria for academic service learning
- Partnership Tips: Working with Colleges and Universities, Points of Light Foundation
- Principles of Good Community-Campus Partnerships, Community Campus Partnerships for Health
- Finding service learning partners
- The different types of higher education institutions
- Wisconsin Campus Compact member campuses
- Other tips for making contact
- Planning a service learning partnership
- Example project proposal from UW-Eau Claire
Some campuses prefer that groups interested in establishing a partnership submit a project proposal. - Tips for planning a service learning partnership from the UW-Madison Morgridge Center
Includes ideas for how to plan for positive communication, funding activities, marketing the partnership, evaluation, and celebrations. - Questions to ask before starting a partnership
- Tips for working around the academic calendar
- Managing service-learners
- Suggestions from the UW-Madison Morgridge Center
- Expectations for All Parties when a Service Learning or Community-Based Research Project is Undertaken
- Developing a Job Description
- Keys to Retention
- Sample agreements and forms
- Service Learning Placement Agreement - Ripon College
- Service Learning Agreement, UW-Milwaukee
- Timesheet, UW-Milwaukee
- Reflecting on service learning
- Reflection and Community Agencies, UW-Madison Morgridge Center
- Evaluating partnerships
- Tools and Methods for Evaluating Service Learning in Higher Education fact sheet, National Service Learning Clearinghouse. Written for primarily K-12 and higher education audiences, but good ideas to help you and your partners jointly plan evaluation strategies.
- Learn and Serve America toolkit
- Ideas for evaluating at the host site, Learn and Serve America
- Sample form for evaluating students, Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Sample partnership feedback form, UW-Madison Morgridge Center
- Funding partnerships
- Raising Funds for Service Learning Partnerships fact sheet, National Service Learning Clearing House. Written for primarily K-12 and higher education audiences, but good ideas for you and your service learning partners when seeking funding.
- Risk Management and Liability
- Risk Management and Liability in Higher Education Service Learning fact sheet , National Service Learning Clearinghouse. Written for primarily K-12 and higher education audiences but important issues for you and your partners to consider.
- Identifying and Managing Risks, UW-Madison Morgridge Center
- Informed Consent for Service-Learners, UW-Madison Morgridge Center
- Sample liability form, Ripon College
- Examples of higher education service learning projects
Community-Based Research
Get higher education faculty, staff and students involved in your community-based research projects! Use these resources to plan successful community-based research partnerships.
- Information from the UW-Madison Morgridge Center
Partnering with K-12 Schools
There are many opportunities for service learning partnerships with your local K-12 schools. In addition to the benefits to you and your office, these partnerships encourage positive youth development in your own community.
While many of the ideas for K-12 partnerships are like those of higher education partnerships, there are some unique things to consider:
- Suggestions from the Points of Light Foundation