P-16 Initiative Project Examples

Explore the links below to learn more about P-16 Initiative service learning project examples and guides

Bullying, Technology, and Education Project Example
Music, Reading, and Families Project Example
Psychology, Language, and Animals Project Example

Bullying, Technology, and Education Project Example

Members from South Omaha Boys & Girls Club and graduate students from Dr. Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo’s Teacher Education Course, Language, Culture, and Power, collaborated for three weeks this past summer on projects that addressed the impact of technology on today’s youth. The Club members, in partnership with the UNO students, spent time collaborating on a presentation of their choice that explored topics such as bullying, education, creative personal expression, and online safety when using technology. Jessica Gall with the Anti-Defamation League of Nebraska spoke to all of the students on the topic of technology and why it is important to address how the advanced technology of today is affecting younger generations. She encouraged the students to ask for help if they or someone they know is being bullied or harassed.

This partnership was also an opportunity for the UNO students to offer support to the Boys and Girls Club members by encouraging personal talents and interests of each student whether that be through painting, photography, research, or writing. On this most recent collaboration of this long-term partnership, Paco Fuentes, South Omaha Boys and Girls Club Unit Director reflected, “The UNO and South Omaha Boys and Girls Club service learning partnership is a win, win, win! The Club members learn from the university students, the university students learn from our Club members, and the UNO faculty and Boys and Girls Club staff learn from the university students and Club members!”

_{D'Agosto, K (2013), Empowering youth in the cyber age. Service Learning Academy Newsletter, 4(2),}

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Music, Reading, and Families Project Example

Dr. Ashley Vaughns wanted to create an opportunity for the students in her Family-Centered Partnerships course to work with young children and their families from the Omaha community. This idea led to her partnership with Ms. Janet Ashley of the Love’s Jazz and Art Center and Ms. Anne O’Hara of the Learning Community Center of South Omaha. Through their collaboration, they created a two-night family event which took place in January and February at the Love’s Jazz and Art Center, named after local jazz musician Preston Love. Families with young children, ages four to eight, attended the event to work with the UNO students on family friendly activities related to reading and jazz. In January, children’s author Gregory Christie read his book Jazz Baby to the program participants and led jazz-related activities. In February, the UNO students created books about jazz with the children and their families.

“The arts are so important for students, all students, to help with creativity,” Dr. Vaughns said, “It’s about engaging with families and using resources in the community to engage families.” Dr. Vaughns hopes to continue the project and create a program that will not only benefit Omaha families but also provide an opportunity for her early education students to learn how to work effectively with young children and their families.

_{Jacobsen, E. (2014). All that jazz: Bringing families together through art. Service Learning Academy Newsletter, 4(2).}

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Psychology, Language, and Animals Project Example

Dr. Rosemary Strasser’s Learning Laboratory students at UNO learned and served with Mrs. Cathy Nelson’s English students at Blackburn Alternative Program to clicker-train dogs at the Nebraska Humane Society. The students rewarded the dogs when they showed desirable behaviors. By using conditioning techniques taught in the classroom, students were able to train the adoptable dogs to be calm and quiet when potential “families” came through the kennels. Students also monitored the extinction of undesirable behaviors. Dr. Strasser’s course required students to use systematic reinforcement to change behaviors and demonstrate the learning process. Mrs. Nelson’s course required students to collect data, compile their findings, and present their results.

Expanding the learning to his personal life, one Blackburn student said that, “We learned a way to teach others how to reinforce behavior the right way, such as if you clean your room, you can get a snack. Like with children, if you yell, hit and don’t show them how to do things differently, it makes problems such as being afraid of punishment if they make a mistake.” Within their service learning project, “Reality Bites”, both the high school and university students were able to apply the concepts they were learning in class, and the Humane Society received valuable service—many of the dogs involved in the project were adopted. Through structured critical reflection activities and presentations, students shared course-based learning outcomes, learned about a valued community organization, and applied course concepts in other curriculum areas.

_{Tourek, K. (2011). Reality bites. Service Learning Academy, 2(1).}

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