Incorporating Service Learning into a Non-Majors

Environmental Biology Course

 

Dr. Lissa LeegeProfessor of Biology and

Director, Center for Sustainability Georgia Southern University

What is Service-Learning and How Does

It Work?• Apply course content to service

• Learn course content through service

• Reflect on service and how it relates to content

• Gain skills, confidence, sense of self-worth

• Deeper understanding of content

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I

understand.” –Chinese Proverb

“Service, combined with learning, adds value to each and transforms both.”

-Honnet & Poulsen (1989)

Service Learning: appropriate for all

levels and class sizes• Large non-majors (235)• Medium upper level (20)• Small graduate seminar (<10)

• Large enrollment (230) Environmental Biology classes

• 3 hours required environmental service, reflective paper

• Reinforces course content• Schedule of events with community partners

• Fall 2011: 460 students ~1,580 hours

• Overwhelmingly positive response

Environmental Biology Service-Learning Model

The Assignmenthttp://www.bio.georgiasouthern.edu/bio-home/leege/serviceinstructions.html

The Calendar

The Assignment

The Assignment

Environmental Biology Service-Learning Model

• All students can participate -- numerous and diverse opportunities

• Encourages involvement in the local community

• Portrays Georgia Southern students positively to local community

• Provides students with a structured introduction to service

Leege, Lissa M. and Michelle J. Cawthorn. 2008. Environmental service learning reinforces classroom concepts and engenders environmental responsibility. Journal of College Science Teaching 37: 54-58.

Does it work?

• Pre and post tests in classes with and without service-learning component– Positive impact on worldview– Increase some environmentally sustainable behaviors

– Improve learning outcomes

Cawthorn, Leege and Congdon. 2011. Improving learning outcomes in large environmental science classrooms through short-term service-learning projects. J Environ Stud Sci (2011) 1:75-87

Finding Community Partners

• Keep America Beautiful• Outreach centers (museum, garden, wildlife center)

• Riverkeeper• Local organic/ecological farms

• Recycling activities at university

• Farmers market

Making Partnerships work

• Keep task simple and relevant

• Ask partner to provide educational information, training if needed

• Keep it positive• Provide incentive for students to show up (or penalty if they do not!)

Campus Projects -- Get Pumped:

Tire Inflation Campaign• Mandatory training• Large, busy parking lot (RAC)

• Educate drivers about the benefits of checking tire pressure monthly

• Teach how to find proper pressure, how to use tire gauge, how to pump up tires

• Provide reminder (window cling) and pledge

• Send over to pumping station if tires are low

• Pump tires if needed

A Bright Idea:Campus Relamping

• Campus Relamping Project– Training sessions– Students teamed up to replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents in all offices and conference rooms on campus and in residence halls

– Provide education, pledge card, change bulb

– Partnership with Georgia Power, Center for Sustainability, Sustainability Manager, and Physical Plant

• Paired with Sustainability Seminar Series speaker: Ed Begley Jr. - provided kickoff and some great publicity

• Establish need• Simple is best• Partnerships are key• Provide incentives (build environmental service-learning into courses, volunteer credit)

• This generation of students wants to do service

Guiding Principles: Service-Learning for Environmental

Science

Contact InformationLissa M. Leege

Director, Center for Sustainability &Professor of Biology

Georgia Southern UniversityPO Box 8042912-478-0800

leege@georgiasouthern.edu