The Service-Learning Program supports Duke's commitment to knowledge in the service of society by connecting civic engagement to the curriculum. Our goal is to provide instructional support and logistical assistance to departments, programs, and individual faculty members seeking to integrate service-learning into their academic objectives. We are pleased to be working with the student group LEAPS, which has shaped the Duke service-learning movement since its earliest days, and to partner with many vibrant community agencies and other Duke civic engagement initiatives.

Formerly a unit of Trinity College, the Service-Learning Program is now housed within the Duke Program in Education. For more information about us, click here.

News & Events

In the Service of Learning: A Conversation about Civic Engagement and the Undergraduate Experience

In conjunction with the board meeting of the International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education now housed here at Duke, the Program in Education and the Service-Learning Program sponsored a colloquium on Monday, November 2nd on the role of the university in creating and sustaining opportunities for engaged learning. Andrew Furco, Vice President of Public Engagement at the University of Minnesota, and Elson Nash, Acting Director of Learn & Serve America, discussed the national service agenda, the focus on civic engagement in higher education, and the proven outcomes of service-learning. The audience of over 100 students, faculty, and staff from Duke and neighboring institutions raised some excellent questions during the ensuing dialogue. Opening and closing remarks were delivered by Lee Baker, Dean of Academic Affairs of Trinity College, and Betsy Alden, one of the founders of the service-learning movement at Duke.

View the recording of this important event!

ASSESSING THE OUTCOMES OF SERVICE-LEARNING PART 2: A Conversation about Academic Rigor, Learning Outcomes, and Moving Forward Here at Duke

Monday, November 16th, 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Flowers 201 (West Campus)

Though student course evaluations are only one of many ways in which we assess the impact of our work as faculty members, analysis of student responses can help us to develop more targeted assessment questions. What do (or don’t) course evaluation data tell us about student perceptions of academic rigor in service-learning courses? What is the relationship between student and instructor perceptions and ratings? If there is a disconnect, how might we begin to address it? Of course, academic rigor isn’t the only goal for service-learning courses. What else do we hope students gain from these experiences, and what outcomes does the research predict? Which of these are important to us here at Duke, and how can we begin to measure them? Join us to discuss these data and questions, and to help shape the future of assessment at Duke. Light refreshments provided.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Kristin Wright, Service-Learning Program Coordinator.

Service-Learning Program 2008-09 Year-end Report

2008-09 was a pivotal year for the Service-Learning Program at Duke. Among other activities, we worked with the Arts & Sciences Course Committee and with the Registrar’s Office to label 11 new service-learning courses for the spring and fall of 2009; we interacted with and supported over 100 faculty and staff members in about 50 Duke departments and offices through our brown bag lunches, individual consultations, funding, and other logistical support; and we sponsored the student group LEAPS (Learning through Experience, Action, Partnership, and Service).

We invite you to read our 2008-09 year-end report, which outlines our mission, accomplishments, and activities and highlights our priorities for 2009-10. Please feel free to contact us with your questions and feedback.