Resources for Faculty

The Title III Office offers resources to assist faculty in implementing Community-Based Learning courses.  Please contact Sara Mehta, Community-Based Learning coordinator, at sgibbs@sxu.edu for more information or to discuss additional topics related to Community-Based Learning that are not included on this site.

General Education Community-Based Learning Curriculum Guidelines and Proposal Form

This document outlines the General Education Program's Community-Based Learning Curriculum Guidelines. To propose your course as a CBL course that meets the upcoming General Education CBL requirement (scheduled to be implemented for incoming students in fall 2013), please submit this proposal form to the General Education Program. View the Guidelines and Proposal Form.

Curriculum Development Resources

Course Design Worksheet

This worksheet is meant to help you reflect on the questions you will need to answer in order to develop your Community-Based Learning course.

What is a Mission-Based Learning Objective?

These sample mission-based learning goals and objectives may provide ideas for ways to develop student learning outcomes that are mission-based and reflect SXU's mission to "educate students to serve wisely and compassionately in support of human dignity and the common good." These learning goals are meant to be illustrative, not prescriptive. View the sample Mission-Based Learning Goals here.

SXU Resource Manual for Faculty

This manual compiles resources to aid SXU faculty in designing service-learning courses. Resources include: guidelines and definitions for Community-Based Learning at SXU; resources and procedures available through General Education and the Title III Office; theoretical foundations and best practices of Community-Based Learning; tips and tools for reflection; tips and worksheets to aid in course design; and sample syllabi.  View the manual here.

Sample Service-Learning Syllabi

View Sample Service-Learning Syllabi from universities around the country on Campus Compact's website.

Service-Learning Course Design Workbook

Rich with planning worksheets, this workbook provides a resource that walks an instructor through the process of designing and developing a service-learning course. Written by Jeffrey Howard, available in the Title III Office.

Reflection Resources

Principles of Good Reflection Practice

These principles of good reflection practice should serve as a guide for faculty when developing community-based learning courses. View the Principles of Good Reflection Practice (PDF).

Sample Reflection Techniques

View descriptions of sample reflection techniques (PDF) that could be used to meet your course learning goals. Resource developed by Loyola University of Chicago's Center for Experiential Learning.

Community Partnerships

The Community-Based Learning Coordinator can assist you with finding and developing a relationship with a community partner organization for your course. Please contact Sara Mehta at sgibbs@sxu.edu to discuss your community partnership needs.

Assessment and Evaluation

The Title III Office has developed an Evaluation Tool that we invite all CBL courses to use. The Evaluation is designed to 1) receive feedback on the students' experience working with the community partner organization and the CBL program, and 2) to assess the impact of CBL on student learning in key areas, including about mission-based values such as service and civic engagement. Faculty and community partners are also invited to evaluate their experiences with Community-Based Learning. The CBL Coordinator will handle all administration of assessments and provide you with the results after the semester ends. All responses are kept confidential. Please contact Sara Mehta (sgibbs@sxu.edu) for more details.

Community-Based Learning Orientation for Students

The Title III Office offers an Orientation to Community-Based Learning for all students in CBL Courses. This Orientation to Community-Based Learning will last approximately 30-45 minutes and will cover the following: An introduction to Community-Based Learning, training on respectfully "entering and exiting" a new community, working effectively with community organizations, and safety tips and emergency procedures. Student liability waivers will be signed and submitted during this Orientation.

There are two options for students to complete an Orientation to Community-Based Learning: Orientations to CBL can be scheduled during a class session (preferred, because we can customize to your course), or students in your course can be required to attend one of several out-of-class sessions offered by the CBL Coordinator. Contact the CBL Coordinator Sara Mehta at sgibbs@sxu.edu if you'd like to schedule either option for your course.

Additional Resources

Readings Available in Title III Office and SXU Library

The Title III Office and the SXU Library have a number of books and online resources for faculty interested in learning more about best practices in community-based learning. View a list of available resources.

National Organizations

• Campus Compact and Illinois Campus Compact
• National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
• Community-Campus Partnerships for Health
• National Society for Experiential Education
• Michigan Journal of Community Service and Learning
The MJCSL is a peer-reviewed journal focused on issues of service-learning and civic engagement across the curriculum. Full-text articles are available on-line in a searchable database.

Conferences

For a list of conferences related to service-learning and civic engagement, please visit the Campus Compact Calendar.


  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn