Are all Service-Learning courses the same?
Do I have to have instructor approval to take Service-Learning courses?
Are Service-Learning courses required?
Why are Service-Learning courses under the prefix AST?
Can I pick any non-profit agency to do my service hours at?
Can I use my current job as a service site for a Service-Learning course?
Can I complete my service hours at more than one service site?
What service sites are approved by the Service-Learning program?
How far in advance should I start preparing/registering for a Service-Learning course?
What are Summer Immersion Programs?
Service-Learning is a teaching and learning method in which students provide meaningful service in the community to help them better understand what they are learning in their college courses. Service-Learning focuses on critical thinking, problem solving, personal development, and community responsibility. General layout of Service-Learning courses requires 60 hours of direct service and seminars throughout the semester.
No; some Service-Learning courses are more general and focuses on a broad view of service and the sites to choose from vary by subject area; other Service-Learning courses are issue based, which means that the course focuses on one specific issue and the service sites are related to that issue; and other Service-Learning courses are project based, which means that the service is not necessarily contained to one site, but may span across sites in order to complete a specific project.
Instructor approval is required for some Service-Learning courses because you need to sign up for a service site and fill out the necessary paperwork. Please contact the Service-Learning Graduate Assistant because approval may be obtained via email or phone communication.
Service-Learning courses are not specifically required, however, if you are working from the new general curriculum (effective fall 2006) than Service-Learning courses can fulfill either an ECCE Engagement or ECCE Elective general requirement.
ECCE stands for Engaged Citizenship Common Experience and refers to a set of courses tied to UIS' heritage, mission, vision, and values. All undergraduates are required to take a minimum of 13 hours in ECCE. These courses provide a distinctive element to the baccalaureate education at UIS, and encourage a commitment to making a difference in the world. Most of the coursework in this category is interdisciplinary and is designed to help students recognize the value of multiple perspectives. See the following link for more information: ECCE Information
You can take one Service-Learning course to fulfill either the ECCE Engagement and ECCE Elective requirements. If you are wanting to fulfill both requirements with Service-Learning than you must take two Service-Learning courses.
Yes; you can take a Service-Learning course as an elective.
AST stands for Applied Study Term; Service-Learning and AST are both a part of the Experiential and Service-Learning Programs (EXS-L). Currently we are working on changing the prefixes for both of these programs to an EXS-L prefix.
The Service-Learning Program has pre-approved sites to chose from. If you wish to do your service hours at another site you will need to contact 217-206-6640 to get your site approved. A determining factor in site approval is the ability of the agency to provide feedback to you (the student) and to the professor at various times during the semester.
No- The purpose of Service-Learning courses is to provide needed service to the community, and if you are already working and getting paid at an agency than that need is already filled.
In order to provide the best quality service, and to make your assignments easier, only one service site per course is allowed.
Sites that have been approved in the past include St. John's Breadline, Animal Protective League, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Special Olympics, and the Regional Office of Education, to name a few.
Service-Learning courses can be registered for at the same time that you register for your other classes. However, if you plan on doing your service hours at Big Brothers Big Sisters than you need to start a month or more in advance because it takes a few weeks for background checks to go through. You can still serve at this site even if you do not start early, however, you cannot complete any of your service hours until the background check is done, which puts you behind on your hours and you have to catch up throughout the semester.
Summer Immersion courses involve students becoming fully immersed in a service experience. The Service-Learning program offered its first Summer Immersion Program in the Summer of 2008 with the course AST 202: Learning and Serving Homelessness in L.A. Students who were enrolled in this course worked with the non-profit organization, Union Rescue Mission, in Los Angeles, CA, where they provided much needed assistance to the homeless individuals that the Mission serves.
Summer 2009 Immersion Course:
Any currently enrolled UIS student is welcome to take the trip and taking the course for credit is optional. 60 hours of community service is a requirement for this course. Approximately 40 hours will be completed on the trip which leaves an additional 20 hours of service to be completed by the student at a local agency of their choice dealing with homelessness and/or hunger. (This is only required of students taking the course for credit.) Trip costs are approximately $900 plus UIS tuition for 3 credit hours. (includes travel, lodging and 2 meals a day) (Blended course; trip June 13th-20th, 2009)
