CEWIL Resource Hub: Service Learning

Students participating in community service learning integrate meaningful community service with classroom instruction and critical reflection to enrich their learning experience and strengthen communities. In practice, students work in partnership with a community-based organization to apply their disciplinary knowledge to a challenge identified by the community.

Service learning program profiles

Students are paired with a local graffiti artist to create a graffiti mural in downtown St. Catharines.

Students complete courses with a community service learning placement at a local non-profit, community organization, or school.

Computer Science students create customized apps for residents of Northwood, a retirement community and long-term care facility.

Students complete a project for a community organization or school over reading week.

Human Resources students solve a complex human resources problem for a local community organization.

Relevant literature

• McNatt, D. B. (2019). Enhancing public speaking confidence, skills, and performance: An experiment of service-learning. The International Journal of Management Education, 17, 276-285. 
• Dharamsi, S., Espinoza, N., Cramer, C., Amin, M., Bainbridge, L., & Poole, G. (2010). Nurturing social responsibility through community service-learning: Lessons learned from a pilot project. Medical Teacher, 32, 905-911.
• Taylor, A. (2017). Service-learning programs and the knowledge economy: Exploring the tensions. Vocations and Learning, 10, 253-273. 

You can view more relevant literature on service learning by visiting WatCACE's WIL research portal.