South Omaha Seminar: A Service Learning Project for Professors

May 8 – 12, 2006, a dozen UNO selected professors will step into the role of students, studying the history and culture of South Omaha and complementing that study with service-learning projects at community-based organizations.

Program Objectives

• To create within an interdisciplinary faculty group an understanding of the South Omaha community, its complex cultures and its composition;
• To increase that faculty group’s knowledge of refugee resettlement, immigration, the housing shortage and poverty in the South Omaha area;
• To develop the group’s understanding of the missions, activities, and organizational cultures of selected community-based organizations in South Omaha, and
• To create service-learning courses responsive to South Omaha’s issues. An additional goal is to create a replicable model of experiential faculty development, preparing faculty to teach service-learning courses by engaging them, as learners, in service-learning projects.

Process

• In partnership with several community agencies, the UNO Service Learning Academy is collaborating to develop a May 2006 faculty experiential seminar to educate participating faculty about the culture and issues of South Omaha and about the agencies’ missions and programs. From January through April, we are meeting monthly to plan the workshops and to design appropriate service-learning projects for participants. Faculty members will complete an application process. We will then select 12 faculty members to participate in the South Omaha Seminar.
• Participating faculty will devote five days to the workshop. During the intensive seminar, faculty will spend 3 days in the South Omaha Community and at the agency partners’ offices to learn first hand about the issues and the people served. After this instruction and orientation to service learning, they will be placed with partner agencies to spend about 8 hours observing and contributing to the work of organizations. The final morning of the workshop will be devoted to collective reflection on the experience. In the summer, faculty will consult with SLA staff to consider whether and how they might build service-learning opportunities in South Omaha into their courses.

Role of Community Partners

• Designate a person or persons to be involved with the project planning and implementation.
• Identify meaningful projects for faculty participants. Ideally, the projects will encourage interaction with the agency’s clientele.
• Provide on-site supervision for faculty members placed with the agency.

Roles of the Faculty

• Complete brief reading assignments prior to workshop starting date.
• Attend every session.
• Participate in a community-based service project under the direction of a SOS community partner.
• Complete brief pre- and post-tests.
• Keep a journal for reflection.

Key Dates

• March 1-2 South O Seminar orientation for faculty interested in participating.
• March 20 Deadline to turn in applications.
• April 3 Notifications of selection will be sent out to participants.
• May 8-12 Training and service placement, followed by initial reflection on experience and evaluation of workshop.
• Summer 2006 Faculty members will consult individually with SLA staff.
• August/September 2006 Faculty members, either individually or in interdisciplinary teams, create new S-L courses for the 2007 academic year, with service components in the South Omaha community.

For more information go to the Service Learning Academy website

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