Service-Learning in Asia:

Models and Best Practices in

Course Design and Evaluation
Dr. Yap Meen Sheng
Director, UC
Singapore University of Social Sciences
Contents
• Background
– Evolution of Service-Learning and Community Engagement in Singapore

– SUSS full-time programmes

• Course Design
– Implementation of Service-Learning at SUSS

• Course Evaluation
– Transformation to Service-Learning and Community Engagement at SUSS

• SUSS Graduate Certificate in Service-Learning

3
Evolution of Service-Learning and
Community Engagement in Singapore
Service-Learning and Community Engagement in Singapore
Increase in meaningful
community service
Episodic programmes.
community
service However, programmes
activities. greatly varied in form,
approach and learning, with
learning foci influenced by
what was articulated to be
important

Increase in student voice

as students were
encouraged to choose
community issues they
were concerned about,
understand the issue, and
decide on their choice of
action. 5
SUSS full-time Programmes
Our Educational Philosophy

Professionally Socially conscious Self-directed learner

competent and job with a desire to with strong work
ready with strong make a positive ethics and values
applied skills impact in society

7
Learning Ecology

Part-Time
Programmes
Working Adults

Continuing
Full-Time Education
Programmes Working Adults
School Leavers
 The SUSS Difference: Other Notable Points
Learning Architecture

Cross pollination with working

professionals

Two modes of study

Wider range of learners gives students and educators a broader

view of society. Graduates develop a unique, socially-oriented point
of view that leads to socially-relevant innovations.
Course Design:
Implementation of
Service-Learning at SUSS
11
Central Claim of Service-Learning

“Service, combined with learning,

adds value to each and transforms
both.”

Page 12
Honnet & Poulsen (1989). Principles of Good Practice for Combining
Service and Learning 12
3 Principles

1. Those being served control the service(s)

provided
2. Those being served become better able to
serve and be served by their own actions.
3. Those who serve also are learners and have
significant control over what is expected to
be learnt.

Page 13
Sigmon, R. Service-Learning: Three Principles, Synergist
(Spring, 1979) 13
5 Key Elements of Service-Learning

14
Service-Learning Sectors

15
Characteristics of Service-Learning in SUSS

16
Service-Learning Programme Structure

17
Serving through Professional Majors

Accountancy Business Analytic Early Childhood Finance

• budgeting • financial literacy • education • financial literacy
• tax returns • impact investing • mentoring • impact investing
• intergeneration

Human Marketing Social Work Supply Chain

Resource • social enterprise • volunteer • social enterprise
• volunteer • product development and management • supply chain
management marketing • advocacy management
• training • marketing • logistics
• mentoring communications
• advocacy
Collaboration between Professional Majors to tap on diversity of skills, strengths & talents
18
Programme Structure and Process

19
Programme Evaluation
Pre-Service
• To gauge the each student’s experience, starting point and development for mentoring needs,
students complete a service-learning projection form to begin articulating their service-learning ideas
and interests.
• Students organise themselves in groups, and the group leaders will submit a service-learning
project proposal for approval and mentoring by the Office of Service-Learning.

Service-Learning
• Students engage the same Community Partner in a sustainable project over a 2-year duration.
• To enable students to document their learning, they will submit individual reflective journal entries
once a term. If applicable, they will also submit research findings related to their service-learning
project.

End-of-Service
• Multi-stakeholder evaluations are taken into account in the students’ performance evaluation.
Feedback is sought from self, peer, partner and mentor.

• Each project group will also submit end-of-service project reports.

20
 Evaluation Matrix
Grading Criteria Met Requirements with Distinction Met Requirements Did Not Meet
(attained distinction in at least one component and (met requirements in all three components) Requirements
met requirements in the other two components) (failed to meet
requirements in one or
Component
more components)

Surveys, Made submissions that demonstrated the ability to value Submitted the required surveys, projections and Submitted poorly completed
surveys, projections and
Projections, the strengths and assets of the community, and the proposals proposals
Proposals, understanding that there is important knowledge that
Participation can only be found in the community Met the minimum expected frequency of Did not meet the minimum
engagement in the community of once a month expected frequency of
engagement in the community
Exceeded the minimum expected frequency of over a 2-year duration of once a month over a 2-year
engagement in the community of once a month over a 2- duration
year duration
Research findings, Articulated a comprehensive understanding of the Articulated an understanding of community Articulated little understanding
of community issues that are
Reflective journal, chosen social cause, the root causes of related social issues that is related to experiences during the related to experiences during
Project reports or issues, and the broader contexts affecting the issue service-learning process the service-learning process
presentations
Documented learning from working on more than one Documented learning from working with a Documented no or little
evidence of learning from the
approach and with more than one community partner in community partner related to the chosen social community through the
service of his/her chosen social cause, or from initiating a cause, or from initiating a working group in service-learning process
sustainable working group in cases where no community cases where no community partner exists
partner exists

Demonstrated awareness of and ability to apply own

unique strengths and skills to the betterment of society

Self, peer, partner & staff Exceeded the expectations of three or more Met the expectations of three or more Did not meet the expectations
of at least three stakeholders
evaluations stakeholders stakeholders
21
Service-Learning Programme Outcomes
Developing dispositions of Head, HEART, Habit
Understanding
Community
• Capacity-building through Needs • Foundation Course on
professional development & Philosophy, Principles and
upskilling Practices
• Augmenting community of • Local & International S-L
practice through volunteerism Projects
& advocacy programme • Developing Social
• Impact studies through Consciousness, Civic
research Engagement & Call to Action

Community Community
Building Engagement

• Understanding the holistic landscape and working with different

social sectors & agencies to map community assets & needs
• Building Partnership & Stewardship
22
• SUSS as Open Community Resource
Course Evaluation:
Transformation to Service-Learning and
Community Engagement at SUSS
Evaluation of SUSS Service-Learning Programme

• Graduating Full-Time Student survey

• Community Partners survey
• University/ Staff feedback

24
Evolution of SUSS Service-Learning Programme

• Recognition of individual students’ changing circumstances

• Enabling improved responsiveness to

– Opportunities available to the university
– Students’ unique interests, needs and capacity
– Disruptive innovations in society and industry

25
Revised S-L and Community Engagement Pathways

1) Community Engaged Work

Attachment/Internship;
2) Social Entrepreneurship;
3) Global Service-Learning;
4) Community Service-Learning; or
5) Community Engaged Project.

26
SUSS Community Engagement Programme
Programme Options Programme Descriptions

1 Community Service-Learning Local Service-Learning projects curated by OSLCE staff

2 Community Engaged Work Full-time or Part-time work with non-profit, community agency
Attachment/ Internship or social enterprise

3 Social Entrepreneurship Setting up of social enterprise by students

4 Community Engaged Project Sustained initiative or participation in projects that engage the
community/create social impact in the community/address
social issues

5 Global Service-Learning Students explore global concerns through direct participation

in a service activity in another country with institutions or
community organisations that support community-identified
needs 27
SUSS Graduate Certificate in
Service-Learning
Background

Survey of youth sector professionals to gather feedback for a proposed Service-Learning (S-L) professional
certification programme.

 In the survey, 66.7% indicated a definite interest to enrol in professional certification courses in S-L.

 While 87.1% of respondents had participated in or conducted what they consider to be S-L, only 29% of
respondents had received professional training for their role in S-L.

March 2016 Survey (SUSS-National Youth Council (NYC))

29
SUSS Graduate Certificate in Service-Learning

To cater to the growing need for S-L capacity building and training options for youth sector professionals:

1) Effective S-L practitioners who

• Play a key role in facilitating S-L programmes and experiences that enable youth to learn
from communities

2) Community practitioners who

• Nurture a next generation of youth who effectively and meaningfully serve society

30
SUSS Graduate Certificate in Service-Learning
The Graduate Certificate in S-L programme consists of 3 core courses.

GSP 505:
GSP 501: GSP 503e:
Learning in Service-
Overview of Service- Service in Service-
Learning: An Experiential
Learning Learning
Pedagogy

Upon successful completion of the 3 modular courses and attaining the minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA),
eligible students may apply for the Graduate Certificate in Service-Learning.

31
Programme Structure: Teaching & Learning
The Programme incorporates both face-to-face teaching, blended learning and full online learning in its
presentation.

 Seminar Style
A key component of the seminar-style teaching:
 Active and collaborative participation of students in leading discussions of pertinent S-L
issues
 Sharing of own personal S-L practice.

 Focus areas
 Theoretical component
 Practical applications, focusing on methodologies, curriculum design, procedures and
practices.

32
Programme Structure: Assessment
Throughout the programme, students will be assessed based on a combination of different tasks

Examples:
 Online discussion forum,
 Essay,
 Data analysis,
 Case study,
 Journal writing,
 Portfolio work,
 Research project,
 Participation,
 Presentation,
 End-of-course assessment, etc 33
7th Asia Pacific Regional Conference
in Service-Learning 2019

18 to 21June 2018
Service-Learning: A Lifelong Journey for Social Responsibility

http://www.suss.edu.sg/aprcsl2019
See you in Singapore!
18- 21 June 2019
Thank you!

Q&A

suss.edu.sg