Written assignments and readings augment the discussions as methods of reflection. Regular in-class reporting of activities, problems, and successes of the projects are subjects for group discussion. The course offers a method to assess the learning derived from the service. Credit is given for the learning and its relation to the course, not for the service alone. Assessments are done in both written and verbal form.
Students prepare written mission statements at the beginning of the quarter to set their goals.
At the end of the quarter they write a self-assessment paper based on these goals. They design the service contract in concert with the agency supervisor which includes a design for evaluation by the supervisor, the clients, and the student. Additional methods of assessment on learning issues beyond the service work include grades on papers and in-class participation. Service interactions in the community recognize the needs of service recipients, and offer an opportunity for recipients to be involved in the evaluation of the service. In addition, the junior high school teacher provided a one to one conference with the volunteer at the close of the project and wrote a letter of evaluation of the student's work.