This course will provide an opportunity to work with other students, community members, and community agencies in organizing and carrying out a service learning project that addresses an existing community issue or need. Students will learn the theory and philosophy behind service learning as a teaching pedagogy as they become more aware and engaged in the community. This course is required of students seeking the Service-Learning Scholar designation. Repeatable for credit.
Service-learning is an experiential teaching pedagogy--an alternative to traditional classroom lecture and lab work--and is a vibrant program at most USHE institutions. Snow College is a member of the Utah Campus Compact, an organization dedicated to increasing the level of civic engagement, community service, and service learning in academia.
Service-learning helps Snow College fulfill its mission of creating an "atmosphere of engagement." The class introduces service-learning to students and thereby facilities the implementation of service components into courses across the campus.
Similar courses are offered at other USHE institutions, including UGS 3025, Service-learning Scholar Seminar, at the UofU.
This course will cover current social issues facing the College, the community, the United States, and the world; varied approaches to recognizing needs in the community and addressing those needs; leadership and organizational skills; difference between volunteerism and academic service learning.
Topics for readings and discussion might include hunger, poverty, natural hazards, discrimination, current events both locally and globally.