Service Learning

Service learning is a means of outreach, and civic engagement is rooted in the Wisconsin Idea and the belief that education's influence should expand beyond the classroom to influence people's lives. The Wisconsin Idea rested on the conviction that students and university-trained experts could apply themselves to the problems of modern society and make democracy work more effectively. Service learning is a high-impact strategy and connects the curriculum to communities through by solving problems within. Marginalized communities benefit from expertise, free labor, resource allocation, and research support to promote inclusion, equity, and social justice. This chapter examines service learning in multiple social and professional degree programs. These projects include projects, embedded within various courses, semester-long service-learning classes, as well as a team projects. In addition to examining their programs' experiences, the authors present lessons learned and make recommendations about effective practices in managing these projects.