Service Learning in an Introductory Oceanography Course Ed

Service Learning in an Introductory Oceanography Course Ed Laine Cutting Edge July 15-17, 2008

Marine Environmental Geology Geo/ES103 Environmental Studies – Introductory science requirement Inquiry in the Natural Sciences – Bowdoin distribution Geo major – Must have 101 (Physical)

Numbers 36 students – 2 lab sections of 18 Mainly non-science 60-75% women

Fall semester Fall diatom bloom Fading hypoxia Episodes of reverse estuarine circulation Breakdown of stratification of water column

Community partners Friends of Casco Bay Town of Harpswell Bowdoin Buoy Facility Harpswell Heritage Land Trust

Projects Documenting dissolved oxygen changes Studying estuarine circulation patterns Studying the evolution of plankton blooms Groundtruthing backscatter texture maps Groundtruthing instrumental chlorophyll

Approaches to Service & Experiential Learning Recipient Service Beneficiary Provider Focus Learning Service Learning Community Service Volunteerism Field Education Internship (Furco, 1996)

SERVICE learning service LEARNING SERVICE LEARNING (Sigmon, 1984)

Problem-Based ServiceLearning Students address a problem for a community partner The process delivers part of the traditional content of a course Two way street between school and community

Important PBSL Features Community partner Student learning and logistics faculty responsibility Problem statement jointly written Meets learning goals Team work required

PBSL Model - 8 steps Come to the poster Project design Community partners Building community Building capacity Problem statement Project management Assessment Reflection

Role changes Font of knowledge Mentor Advance planner Deliver knowledge “just in time” – Bag of tricks Observe and mentor Initially link to community

Back to Geo103 Writing Proposal Draft report Poster Sharing Symposium Report Structured reflection

Quantitative Owning their data – – – – Plan Collect Analyze Report Prepared for graphs/analysis

Why as an educator might you choose SL? Process of science Engagement Problem solving Quantitative Writing Learning community

Surprises Initial costs Heterogeneity Quality Resumes Recommendations

More to consider Losing content Safety Group dynamics Grading group work

Other reasons to choose SL College/University Goals – Strategic plan – Mission statement Retention Community relations

Resources Campus Compact – Find your state Campus Compact office Community service office on your campus – Teaching resource center – Service learning office – Community relations office

A practical guidebooks for SL practice Gordon, R.Ed. (2000). Problem Based Service Learning: A Fieldguide for Making a Difference in Higher Education, Campus Compact for New Hampshire (Sponsor)

Another guidebook (free) Seifer, S. D., and K. Connors, Eds. (2007) Faculty Toolkit for Service-Learning in Higher Education (Higher Education Starter Kit), Community-Campus Partnerships for Health for Learn and Serve America’s National Servicelearning Clearinghouse