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To Whom Much Is Given

2007 Conference on Service Learning in Higher Education

Conference Schedule

Breakout Block II

10:00-10:45 Sessions

Reflection: A Discussion of Best Practices  (Birmingham Room)

A necessary component of all service learning is meaningful, structured reflection opportunities through which students can connect their service activities to the course curriculum and challenge assumptions in such a way to produce new understanding, raise new questions, and move toward new frameworks for problem solving.  This tools-based workshop will provide both new and experienced faculty members from all disciplines with resources and ideas to help develop these important experiences.

Marybeth Lima (Professor, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Louisiana State University)

Ashley McWaters (Instructor, English, The University of Alabama)

The Power of Narrative: Giving a Voice to Communities in Poverty  (Central Bank Room)

Broadening our Definition of Poverty While Combating It through Service Learning

Poverty is not just a matter of financial or social status. Presenters will discuss lessons learned from The West End Journal, a student-produced community newspaper, and the ways in which the Journal has opened a dialogue about poverty of knowledge, poverty of voice, and poverty of education. Participants should expect to take away research strategies on these issues.

George Daniels (Assistant Professor, Journalism, The University of Alabama)

Amanda Brozana (Instructor, Journalism, Stillman College)

Facing Poverty: An Interdisciplinary Service Learning Project

Faculty and students will explain their roles in Facing Poverty.  Participants interviewed and photographed families and produced a webpage to provide a better understanding of poverty by putting a face on those who struggle in low-income jobs.  Session attendees will learn how an interdisciplinary project to arouse awareness can be developed.

Barbara Starr (Associate Professor, Fine Arts, Spring Hill College)

Tom Loehr (Professor and Chair, Communication and Fine Arts Division, Spring Hill College)

Margaret Davis (Professor, English, Spring Hill College)

Janden Richards (Assistant Professor, Graphic Design, Spring Hill College)

Jolie Pollard (Student, Spring Hill College)

Alyson Gamble (Student, Spring Hill College)

George Sims (Professor and Provost, Spring Hill College)

Kathleen Orange (Associate Professor, Political Science, Spring Hill College)

Innovative Courses (A)  (Wilson Room)

Measuring Changes in Student Attitudes about Service Learning: Course Collaboration with City-Wide Pre-K Initiative

Preliminary results will be discussed from a pilot study in which service learning attitudes are investigated in a college course collaborating with the Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative. This study utilized a pre- and post- survey on service learning, and qualitative analysis conducted on course assignments and audio of classroom discussions.  Attendees will also learn about a multi-disciplinary University partnership with a city-wide Pre-K Initiative serving academically at-risk four-year-olds.

Cecile Komara (Assistant Professor, Special Education and Multiple Abilities, The University of Alabama)

Teaching Intercultural Communication Using Service Learning

Panelist will discuss how service learning enhanced students’ understanding of communication theory and increased students’ appreciation of the impact of culture and lifestyle of those served by the Church of the Reconciler.  Excerpts from students’ writing and a CD picture montage will be used to illustrate student learning.

Amanda Borden (Assistant Professor, Communication Studies, Samford University)

Incorporating Literature Circles into Student Centered Classrooms through a Service Learning Project

Literature Circles is a technique for teaching reading that improves reading skills and helps improve reading comprehension at all levels.  This presentation will describe how one professor along with teachers and pre-service education majors brought Literature Circles into a school.  The presentation will include the process for instituting such a service learning project, how teachers were involved, funding for the project and pre-service elementary education majors’ involvement.

Suzanne Stringer (Associate Professor, Education, Judson College)

Interim Service Learning Experiences  (Mason Room)

BSC Interims in Service Learning: 20 Years, 5 Continents, 880 Students

Beginning in 1987, BSC has offered service learning interim term courses in places like Woodlawn, Harlem, San Francisco, Honduras, India, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Mozambique, and Ecuador. Students are selected in the spring and spend the fall attending weekly meetings of intense orientation as well as fundraising. This workshop will discuss this model and lessons learned over two decades of local, national, and international service learning.

Kristin Harper (Director of Service Learning, Birmingham-Southern College)

Emmy Corey (Student, Birmingham-Southern College)

Learning and Serving in Alabama’s Black Belt: An Honors-Based Interim Travel Program

Black Belt Action is an action-oriented service learning experience for all University Honors Program students at The University of Alabama. For two and a half weeks during UA’s Interim term, UHP students live in and learn about Alabama’s Black Belt, engaging in educational and cultural opportunities followed by improvement projects in elementary schools in western Black Belt counties. In 2007 students from the University of West Alabama’s Honors Program joined the UA group; honors students from several other campuses will be invited to participate in 2008.

On the Radio: The Role of Local Media in Engaging Communities to Address Poverty and Promote Public Health  (Nichols Room)

The panel will explore how local radio can be used to promote social capital and community engagement toward addressing public health, poverty and other social concerns in poor communities.  Panelists will discuss their experiences in using radio for outreach and methods for developing community/university partnerships to implement successful programming.  Attendees will learn about issues surrounding both free press and community engagement and the importance each holds for the other.

Connie L. Kohler (Associate Professor, Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Frances Ford (Host of the BodyLove Radio Program in Marion, AL)

Dazon Dixon Diallo (Member of Radio Free Georgia)

Yong-Chan Kim (Assistant Professor, Public Health, University of Iowa)

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