Service- Learning: Effec0vely Encouraging Engagement in Middletown Classes

Transcription

1 Service- Learning: Effec0vely Encouraging Engagement in Middletown Classes Virginia Wickline, PhD, Chad Dodge, & Edwin Shriver, PhD Scholar & Ar0sts Week (SAW) April 6, 2011

2 Virginia Wickline, PhD Who Are We? Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology Chad Dodge Honors student & paid researcher Psychology & sta=s=cs double major Edwin Shriver, PhD MU PhD alumnus Visi=ng Assistant Professor of social psychology

3 Experien0al Learning (Kolb, 1984)

4 What is Service- Learning (SL)? Students: Perform as part of a credit- bearing college course Meet a genuine community need through an organized service ac=vity Reflect on ac=vity to understand course content more deeply, appreciate the academic discipline, & deepen civic responsibility (Bringle & Hatcher, 1995)

5 Why do SL? Student Benefits About developmental disabili=es (DD) (Dolyniuk, 2002) Reduced apprehension Awareness of biases & stereotypes See similari=es between people Social responsibility; applica=on of course content in new contexts (Reeb, Sammon, & Isackson, 1999; Reed, Jernstedt, Hawley, Reber & DuBois, 2005) Mo=va=on, self- determina=on, knowledge & skills (Levesque- Bristol & Stanek, 2009) Academic achievement & learning (Kretchmar, 2001; Miller & Yen, 2005)

6 Why do SL? Community Benefits Shared vision, rela=onships, & social jus=ce for communi=es (Bringle & Hatcher, 2002) Encourage youth as community leaders (Nelson & Eckstein, 2005) Be]er prepared professionals (Dolyniuk, 2002) Posi=ve role models & meaningful rela=onships with clients (Reeb et al., 1999) Gain advocates (Etheridge, 2006)

7 MUM: What We Do Encourage interac=ons with people with DD Introduc=on to Psychology & Abnormal Psychology Reading/wri=ng about disabili=es in general & SL experience Guest panel of people with DD Host 2- hour party each semester on campus for guests w/dd Roughly guests per party Campus & community sponsors/partners

8 MUM: What We Do Have students create projects for health/mental health fair for elementary school children Introduc=on to Psychology & Abnormal Psychology classes Collabora=on with Nancy Kern- Manwaring, Nursing Pair students with English as Second Language (ESL) interna=onal & exchange students Psychology Across Cultures Collabora=on with Felice Marcus, Oxford Associate Director, Intensive English Programs Instructor of ESL- composi=on

9 - Food - Crahs & Games - Wii - Dance party - Good ol conversa=on - Other kinds of frivolity SERVE s Spring Fling Party with a Purpose! Thursday March 24 noon 2 PM Miriam G. Knoll Community Center (Johnston Hall) Get on the dance floor with our community friends with developmental disabili=es. It just may change your view about what disabili=es means when YOU get dragged out to dance! Make a new friend & make someone s day! Sponsored by: Miami University Parent s Fund, BCDD (Butler County Board of Developmental Disabili=es), SERVE (Students Engaging in Real Volunteer Efforts), PRISM (Reflec=ng Possibili=es), CIVIC (Campus Individuals Volunteering in the Community), General Electric IT Division, & myriad Miami University units

10 MUM: What We Do society s view of individuals with disabili=es really can be affected by a small group of individuals in a small place at one given moment in =me. (Dolyniuk, 2002, p. 5)

11 MUM: What We Do Through Crossing Borders, I changed my mind about American people. Before this project, I always think it is hard to get along well with American people. But in fact, I found that they while they are outgoing (unlike me), they also are willing to make friends with different people from different counties. American people are open, and they talk without restrictions. They like expressing themselves directly, whatever it is, happy or sad. However, Chinese people are traditional, and students like us feel limitations by their parents and teachers in expressing our own views. I don t like this restriction, and I want to find my own space to talk with others.

12 MUM: Results & Impact In 4 semesters: 160 students & 100 community guests & volunteers have now a]ended a Party with a Purpose 60 students part of Crossing Borders partnerships 2 classes achieved SL designa=on (PSY 210 also has global i.e., G- course, approval) Have raised over $6,000 from campus & community sponsors/donors Hired videographer w/dd to document most recent event h]p:// e6agtq Media/press coverage 4 newspaper ar=cles 1 local TV spot

13 MUM: What We Do

14 MUM: Results & Impact Started 1 new student group SERVE (Students Engaging in Real Volunteer Efforts) Started September 2010 now 2 nd largest on campus 12 ac=ve members list of over students have won regional & Oxford service awards, scholarships, & honors Chad Dodge MUM Student of the Month Oxford Scholar Leaders Program, 1 of 50 for Jody Hall & Tricia Neu Oxford Second Year Achievement Awards, of 9 awarded in 2011 Tricia awarded MUM Student of Month 2

15 MUM: Results & Impact Research projects: How do SL impact students? Pilot data collected Spring 2010 Students narra=ve responses in reflec=on papers Quasi- experimental, pre- post data w/non- equivalent control group currently being collected 6 students have performed independent studies on the topic Student presenta=ons: Na=onal, regional & campus venues

16 MUM: Results & Impact DD Research: Themes in student narra=ves Personal enjoyment Future professional inten=ons Increased self- awareness Respect for people with DD Tripar=te Model (ABC) of aqtude change: Affect (A), Behavior (B), Cogni=on (C) A : Posi=ve aqtude change/feelings for people w/dd B: Reduced anxiety/heightened comfort level C: Breaking down stereotypes/seeing individuality

17 MUM: Results & Impact From this experience a whole new world opened up to me that I had no idea existed. Now that I have this power, I am using it to educate my peers together I hope we at Miami can collec=vely make an impact on the world & get the word out there that our words have power and it is our responsibility how we use them.i have been able to gain some invaluable knowledge that will not only help me with what I am learning in the classroom, it will also stay with me for the rest of my life. Thanks to this pedagogical experience, I now feel that working with people with disabili=es is something that could be in my near future and something I will not rule out when I plan for my future career. Chad Dodge

18 MUM: Results & Impact Chad is now: A paid researcher in two offices at Oxford & regionals Conduc=ng & presen=ng research on DD One of 50 Oxford Scholar- Leaders for Applying for departmental honors Advoca=ng for people with DD in the community Volunteering (and having his daughter par=cipate) Working with people with DD during study abroad Presen=ng to faculty & community partners about SL pedagogy Career planning: Americorp VISTA?

19 Take Home Messages Be crea=ve! How can YOU get students involved with SL at MUM? J While SL takes =me & effort, it doesn t have to be a massive or =me- consuming project to have large impact for students & community SL projects can be meaningful & helpful for students personal & professional development

20 Many Thanks! Virginia Wickline Chad Dodge Edwin Shriver

21 References & Other Readings Batchelder, T.H. & Root, S. (1994). Effects of an undergraduate program to integrate academic learning and service: Cogni=ve, prosocial cogni=ve, and iden=ty outcomes. Journal of Adolescence, 17, Bringle & Hatcher (1995) Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2002). Campus- community partnerships: The terms of engagement. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), Dolyniuk, C.A. (2002). Experien=al learning for students with and without developmental disabili=es: Reflec=ons on real life. Down Syndrome Quartlerly, 7 (2), 1-5. Etheridge, E. A. (2006). Service learning and advocacy. Mentoring & Tutoring, 14(1), 1-3. Hagan, M. (2004). Accultura=on and an ESL program: A service learning project. Journal of MulBcultural Counseling and Development, 32, Kretchmar, M.D. (2001). Service learning in a general psychology class: Descrip=on, preliminary evalua=on, and recommenda=ons. Teaching of Psychology, 28(1), Levesque- Bristol, C. & Stanek, L.R. (2009). Examining self- determina=on in a service learning course. Teaching of Psychology, 36(4),

22 References & Other Readings Marchel, C.A. (2004). Evalua=ng reflec=on and sociocultural awareness in service learning classes. Teaching of Psychology, 31(2), McKenna, M.W., & Rizzo, E. (1999). Student percep=osn of the learning in service- learning courses. Journal of PrevenBon & IntervenBon in the Community, 18(1-2), Miller, K.K., & Yen, S- C. (2005). Group differences in academic achievement: Service learning in a child psychology course. Teaching of Psychology, 32(1), Nelson, J.A., & Eckstein, D. (2008). A service- learning model for at- risk adolescents. EducaBon and Treatment of Children, 31(2), Reeb, R.N., Sammon, J.A., & Isackson, N.L. (1999). Clinical applica=on of the service- learning model in psychology: Evidence of educa=onal and clinical benefits. Journal of PrevenBon & IntervenBon in the Community, 18(1-2), Reed, V.A., Jernstedt, G.C., Hawley, J.K., Reber, E.S., & DuBois, C.A. (2005). Effects of a small- scale, very short- term service- learning experience on college students. Journal of Adolescence, 28, Reifsteck, J. (2002). Straight from the heart: Integra=ng service values with the study of psychology. North American Journal of Psychology, 4(3),