service-learning pedagogy.

Service-learning involves students in community service activities in addition to class time. It is a form of experiential education aimed at enhancing and enriching student learning of course material. When compared to other forms of experiential learning like internships, field placements, student teaching and cooperative education, it is similar in that it is student-centered, hands-on and directly applicable to the curriculum. The critical difference is service-learning's emphasis on both student learning and addressing community needs that are otherwise unmet.

Course objectives are linked to meaningful learning through service. Course activities such as lectures, readings, discussions, and reflection inform the student service, and in turn the service experiences are brought back to the classroom to inform the academic dialogue and student comprehension. The students work on real community problems that make academic learning relevant while simultaneously enhancing their social skills, analytical ability, civic and ethical responsibility, self-efficacy, and career development.

Through community involvement, service-learning addresses the outreach mission of UNO as a metro institution. It is also an effective teaching strategy that increases faculty/student contact while contributing to student development. As pedagogy, it is a departure from the traditional lecture-driven, faculty-focused curriculum. It requires student participation in developing learning goals and confronting real life in a way that challenges their assumptions and forces critical thinking. It requires faculty to share control over learning outcomes while affording them a closer relationship to students.

Service-learning pedagogy is commonly described as a continuous learning cycle, fostering meaning and comprehension through:

• Concrete Experience
• Reflective Observation
• Abstract Conceptualization
• Active Experimentation