Thank you for your interest in service-learning at Duke University! Though we work primarily with Duke faculty members, we aim to support community-based organizations by:

• Making faculty members aware of potential service-learning partners: maintaining a database of interested agencies and circulating information via our mailing list
• Teaching faculty members about best practices for community partnerships
• Functioning as a liaison between faculty, students, and community partners when appropriate
• Suggesting some materials and resources that can be used by community-based organizations to facilitate service-learning experiences
• Providing occasional opportunities for networking

 

If you’re interested in forming a service-learning partnership with a Duke faculty member, we’d love to hear from you.

 

What is Service-Learning?

 

Service-learning is an approach to teaching and learning that links academic coursework with service experiences in the community!

 

Duke service-learning courses involve structured service experiences that occur outside of class time but are integrated with the academic objectives of the course, for example:

• In Spanish 106A, Spanish for the Health Professions, Duke students improve their health-specific language skills while working with local organizations to enhance the provision of medical information to the Latino population.
• Students in Education courses have explored topics such as literacy, learning theories, and educational policy while tutoring or mentoring local schoolchildren.
• In Environmental Science and Policy 171, Food & Energy, Duke students work with on-campus clients to do research and evaluation projects aimed at decreasing Duke’s carbon footprint through changes in dining practice.

 

Service-learning goes beyond volunteer community service: through structured reflection and analysis, students are challenged to integrate their service experiences with the intellectual content of a course.

 

Faculty members who teach service-learning courses arrange specific service opportunities that both enhance the educational goals of a course and serve the public good by providing a needed service in the community.

 

Students taking service-learning courses commit to completing a certain number of hours of service work outside of class, and to reflecting on this work through class discussions and assignments.

 

Community partners receive assistance from students and often enjoy the intellectual stimulation of collaborating with Duke faculty members and students to support the academic goals of the course.

 

Why Service-Learning?

 

Participating in a service-learning partnership can:

• Facilitate collaboration with Duke staff, faculty, and students on mutually beneficial projects
• Increase awareness of your organization's impact, programs, and services
• Increase your pool of regular volunteers, including those with specialized skills, training, and support
• Inject new ideas, energy, and enthusiasm into your organization
• Involve you in developing the next generation of active, engaged citizens