In order to assure that servie is linked to learning, a service learning activity should include opportunities for reflection, which are evaluated by the instructor. There is no one way in which to have students engage in reflection. Rather, as the instructor, you can choose among serval different strategies for reflection. What follows is a brief description of some of the methods in which this can be accomplished. Personal Journals present opportunities for students to express their thoughts and feelings about the servie experience throughout the semester.
Evaluation is based on the use and demonstrated understanding of the terms.
While labor intensive, this can provide regular feedback to students and prompt new questions for students to consider during the semester. Directed Writings require the students to consider the service experience within the framework of course content. You structure a question based on a specific reading and ask students to write a short paper integrating the point in the reading with their service experience. These can be done several times throughout the semester. From their experiences in the community, students can identify a particular social issue and then write an experiential research paper, in which they integrate their experiences with library research to fully explore the issue.