In pairs, I would like you to write a letter to the editor of The Clarion in which you argue for or against mandatory service-learning at DU. That is, do you think undergraduate students should be required to take at least one service-learning course while they are at DU? Why or why not? If so, what kind of service-learning courses makes sense for students? What kind of civic engagement is good for students, for the university, or for communities off campus? If not, what makes service-learning (mandatory or not) problematic? How might it diminish students’ education experience or prove challenging in ways that fail to promote the public good?
As you craft this letter, keep in mind the rhetorical appeals you learned about in WRIT 1122/1622 last quarter. How can you base part of your argument on your own expertise or authority on this issue? In what ways can you connect with your readers and gain their trust? What emotional appeals might strengthen your position? What commonplace values could you ground your argument in? What outside evidence or testimony could you include to bolster your claim (even doing a cursory search via google)?
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While I recognize the intrinsic value of service-learning and the values and skills it instills in students, I hesitate to support a proposal to mandate service-learning for all students at the University of Denver. Service-learning is a highly valuable asset to any educational institution that allows students to apply classroom knowledge beyond the narrow realm of an educational setting, however, when mandated, it is diluted. While the idealistic approach that all students should want to give back to their community and serve the less fortunate, it neither feasible nor realistic. Truly, the world would function better if this were the case, but service-learning, under the current framework of a diverse society (both good and bad, as 'diverse' means one will encounter both the generous and not so generous), this approach will detract from the effectiveness of service-learning programs and defeat their purpose. For one, as has been the case with so many of the other mandated programs, the experience of those who take a sincere interest in the course will be diluted by the less than adequate effort of "trust-funders" trying to breeze by another AHUM so they can continue on and acquire their management degree, hoping to one day replace daddy. Mandating service-learning will tarnish the reputation of the university and its programs that interact with various nonprofits. While there is the anticipated rare instance of the individual who comes to an epiphany that he or she would like to continue on in service-learning after being compelled into the course, the majority of the time, students who do not wish to engage in the program will not make good participants either. It is not because I do not value the university's service-learning programs that I write this letter, but much to the contrary. Because I so deeply believe in the value of service-learning for those who sincerely wish to participate, I would hate to see such incredible programs be ruined by the university's idealistic approach that everyone is a noble civic participant.
ReplyDeleteI think that, although service learning courses can be very beneficial to both students and to the communities they work in, I don't necessarily think that undergraduate students should be required to take at least one while at DU. There are all kinds of service learning courses, and I believe these courses can be helpful in allowing students to get hands on experience participating outside of the classroom. These courses can teach students many important life lessons, but I think that they need to be dedicated to the course they are taking, not simply forced into it by DU's curriculum requirements. For example, I am currently participating in a writing service learning course entitled “The Gender of Homelessness.” In this class, my peers and I are conducting interviews with clients, staff, and volunteers at a daytime woman's homeless shelter in downtown Denver as well as helping to plan a mothers day tea and volunteering at Project Homeless Connect. I believe there is so much knowledge to gain from this kind of course and every students really should enroll in one, but if there were students in this class who weren't committed to the issue or excited to work in the community, it could prove very problematic for the clients we work with. When I think about problems that could occur, I think about our current project interviewing members of the Gathering Place daytime shelter. If a student didn't take an interview with a client or even a staff or volunteer member seriously, they might be inappropriate and not only hurt the reputation of the class, but it could be very emotionally harmful to the person they are interviewing. If students were required to take a service learning class, I understand that they could take one in which they don't come into contact with a sensitive community such as those working with and experiencing homelessness, but how would the university distinguish which students should go into which kind of SL course? Many students would probably, as they do now, simply sign up for the course that fit well into their schedule without knowing anything about it to begin with. This could be very dangerous. Instead, it would be great if students were encouraged more to sign up for these courses, especially those in the major they have declared. I think that if students signed up for SL courses in their major, they would be more interested in taking them and there would be less of a risk for random students ending up in a class where they would risk hurting a sensitive community. Therefore, if service learning courses are to be required, they should only be required for one's specific major.
ReplyDeleteDear Editor of the Clarion,
ReplyDeleteStudents should not be required to take service-learning classes. Service-learning classes have the potential to be problematic when required. There are some students who have voiced their opinions that there are already too many requirements for students to meet. Also when the University requires students to take a service-learning class, their performance in certain organizations can hinder the results in a negative way. Take Gateway Battered Women’s Services for example, I work as an advocate in the court program and I know that when there is a volunteer who is not willingly volunteering women can sense the tension, anger, and unwillingness. The women who have endured domestic violence need a person who is willing to sit with them for hours at a time, listening to their story and explaining the court process to them. There are days when other events have angered me and my anger directly affects the women with whom I am working. Clients can sense the tone and start refusing assistance and resources once the mood is changed.
The service-learning required course might possibly diminish students education experience by the simple fact that if you are not interested in service-learning or in the course material itself, you will not succeed very well in that required course. Most students who are not interested in the course or are in a required course end up complaining about how they do not like the class or do not want to do the extra work. Let’s face it students are lazy; myself included at times. So the extra work will just bring down the University’s grade point average.
Requiring extra work from the majority of the students at the University of Denver might diminish and be problematic to the community along with the students. Therefore, the University of Denver should not require students to enroll in a service-learning class as a requirement. However, service-learning classes should be available to take for those students who enjoy and wish to expand their horizons.
Sincerely,
Nicole Vianzon
To the editor,
ReplyDeleteService-learning acts as a dual rewards curriculum in that it helps both the student and the community as a whole. Students who have participated in service-learning classes—whether it is classes concentrated on homelessness, environmental issues, or education reform—gain new perspectives on the community in which they live as well as new knowledge on policy issues surrounding society. Organizations also benefit from service-learning by gaining support from society’s young people. Students who participate in these types of courses are likely to become allies for a given cause or organization through the process of being educated and experienced with the issue. A community that interacts together regularly is a stronger community in the long run: public policy changes will begin to emerge as students and faculty members will become more aware and more involved in community issues. Although this letter advocates service-learning, the university should also take necessary precautions when putting students into different communities. First, students must be able to choose what type of service they want to participate in based on passion and interest. If students are forced into a service-learning class that they have little or no interest in, the experience could be detrimental to both the student and the organization being served—lack of motivation and commitment from the student could damage relationships between the student and the organization, the student and the university, the university and the organization. Second, the curriculum must make sure that the students are successfully educated about the organization before sending them into the field. Finally, it would be the universities duty to help students be successful in community projects. Project that have too high of demands of students might result in an overwhelming and negative experience that would discourage students from participating in community service activities in the future. In conclusion, while mandatory service-learning programs could greatly benefit students and the community, if this type of learning is mandated, the students need to have the ability to decide what programs they want to participate in as well as what work load is comfortable when choosing the course.
To Whom May it Concern:
ReplyDeleteAlthough many people will argue that service learning can be harmful to the recipients of aid, the reality is that there are more benefits of making a service learning requirement for the DU undergraduate class. Service learning is a more developed version of a field trip; students learn about the topic in the classroom, but not only are they able to apply classroom concepts in the real world, but they can engage and foster aid there as well. Students often need a hands on learning experience, and service learning would be the perfect way to provide this. Just as community service, both the students and the recipients gain from this interaction.
Of course with any relationship built, there is a chance of misuse and abuse of vulnerability. However, the amount of people that will benefit from students participating in service learning is dramatic that this prospective harm is negligible. Since this is not solely a service requirement, the university can provide background and skill training to avoid such mishaps.
Another strong argument against the establishment of this requirement is the obvious lack of passion and desire by all students to help their community. No matter how much we may hope, not all people can volunteer to help on their own. The service learning, however, will hopefully at least affect some people to change their view and discipline with doing service for the community. Even if it does not resonate that way with a student, they will have at least interacted and been exposed to the other side of life and perhaps perspectives that just reading about had not registered in their minds.
The potential impact that this service learning could have on a student is so tremendous that it may follow the rules of karma, and continue to echo and influence people here and there, creating a larger service workforce. Essentially, the main threat is perhaps harming those who are receiving aid, but this threat is also pliable in a group of students choosing to take a service learning course. So, in reality, the University has nothing to lose by installing this requirement.
I came to DU from a K-12 school which emphasized service learning in almost every grade. To graduate high-school required a minimum of 32 community service hours, of which at least half had to be outside of school projects. Personally, I felt as though I gained a lot from this program, both in new skill sets and in meaningful experiences. However it was clear that many of my peers gained nothing from this system, and in fact may have lost something. In this case, because students were forced into doing service, they were often not interested in the work they were doing. This gave them a very poor attitude when volunteering, and they generally got nothing out of it. Not only that, but because they were not putting any effort into their projects, it reflected poorly on our school, and had negative effects for the institutions we were trying to help. Often, kids took the opinion that they were better than the work they were doing, and that it was a waste of time. Institutions are better off without volunteers who don’t care about their work, so in many cases our school was asked not to come back. As I got older and started organizing these service learning events for my peers, I noticed that many organizations in our area were very skeptical about us serving them.
ReplyDeleteHowever, all of this stems from students being forced to do something they are not interested in. In cases where students were allowed to choose where they volunteered, there was a much more positive feeling. If students can find something that they are passionate about then service learning can be a very good thing. I feel as though this could be effectively implemented at the university as long as students have a wide verity of options, so that hopefully they can find something they are passionate about. Service learning gives students an opportunity to gain new perspectives, new skill sets, and to apply their knowledge in the field. These are all things that can enhance a student’s education and would be a positive requirement for the University.
Having graduated from a high school that requires 20 hours of public service minimum as a graduation requirement, an Iowa state-wide requirement of public high schools to be taken usually with a government class, I feel that service learning is important to the development of students into engaged citizens of their state and nation/country. I feel take participating in the community is essential to students mingling with others outside of their role as “student” and gives them insight into the real world and exposes they to people of alternative ideas, backgrounds, faiths, and cultures; which is important in building a tolerate, educated citizen.
ReplyDeleteHowever, service learning is harmful to the community when students are not fully engaged in their projects, and potentially harmful to the reputation of the university. I have no knowledge of government offices, NGOs, or other service providers turning down students from my high school, but I do know that there was falsification of volunteer hours, resulting in shame for the school and new policy on a signature of volunteer hours by the ‘placement’ supervisor. Therefore if this is made a requirement for graduation from DU there needs to a wide selection of classes that will hopefully attract any student’s interest. The hardest part in high school for students was finding something they were interested in, and with little help from the teachers and school, some students just took whatever volunteer position they could find. This by far does not result in a positive learning experience, and on the other hand help the community to the fullest extent.
From research article from the University of Berkley, researchers found that: “participating in service activities during the undergraduate years substantially enhances the student’s academic development, life skill development, and sense of civic responsibility” (Astin & Sax 12). As long as service learning is properly planned, students feel that their participation is helpful in the community and feel engaged in their project; service learning should be required and is an essential part of building educated, tolerate, and mature citizens.
Clarion Editor:
ReplyDeleteSupport from DU students is surely appreciated by local communities. My WRIT 1633 course provided service-learning experience at The Gathering Place, a resource center for impoverished women. Each of us engaged with our writing and events for The Gathering Place. Each of us also registered for this class knowing the expectations and volunteering our time.
Although I am gladly part of a service-learning course, a requirement that forced each and every undergraduate to take a service-learning course concerns me. I believe service-learning can benefit the local community and DU students reciprocally. I also believe that passion does the best work; but, apathy does the worst.
Not every student has a desire to altruistically volunteer their time, although many students would. If forced into service-learning—particularly into a course that involves careful relationship-building and conscientious communication—their obligatory service could do more harm than good. Careless and disinterested students could damage relationships with local contacts, communities, and individuals.
Thoughtful service, and the University's relationship with the local community, should be kept in the careful hands of engaged students.
Dear Clarion,
ReplyDeleteDuring my short time here at the University of Denver, many truths about DU have been revealed-such as the convenient class sizes, the helpful professors, and the rigorous curriculum. And there are also additional truths that have been revealed that bring a different connotation such as the cost of tuition (not including the future increase), the lack of diversity, and the dominant mindset a high population of DU students appear to be in as incoming first-years. Some of those “bitter” truths are areas I see for improvement, especially the “box” many students are in that could be considered their comfort zone. There are not many opportunities for students to expand outside of that area, but if that were not true then the gains would be a gain of perspectives, understanding and an appreciation for what is unfamiliar to them.
There are a few ways to implement this method of learning, there is the possibility utilizing first-year seminars since all first-year students are required to take it, and there is also just requiring all students to enroll in a service-learning class. The purpose of these types of learning would be to engage students to a new atmosphere and place them outside of their comfort zone in order to gain new knowledge, understanding and perspectives. However, this could very well backfire on either those who are working with the class, or those who are in the class if the student(s) absolutely opposes the idea of expanding their knowledge and obtaining more of an open mind. Vulnerable students such as incoming first-years can be swayed in many directions, and the power of their peers may be their greatest influence, or even a “full cup” may be a factor anything new to be rejected. Or students full of themselves, may spoil the opportunity with their “know it all” demeanor but even within those people are students with a curiosity to learn.
Attempting to bring awareness to students on unfamiliar topics that may not directly affect them could assist DU’s mission to make the campus inclusive; even if a few students do not take this chance, more harm could be done by not even attempting to expose students to this unique learning opportunity. As students paying such a high tuition just to attend DU, it is only fair that DU students have a community that is just as rich, but will only result with cumulative efforts. Among the other pros of service-learning courses (i.e., new perspectives, knowledge and understanding), this unique learning opportunity could even serve as a gateway for students to get involved with other organizations (CCESL, Project Homelessness, Men as Allies, etc.) or with other people as resources.
Peace,
James L.