Tennessee Academic Civic Tennessee Academic Civic Engagement Program (TACEP)Engagement Program (TACEP)

Fall 2006 - Summer 2009 Fall 2006 - Summer 2009CNCS/Learn and Serve America CNCS/Learn and Serve America

Roane State Roane State Community CollegeCommunity College

August 20, 2007August 20, 2007

Session AgendaSession Agenda

• 2:00-2:10 p.m.– Introduction to TACEP

• 2:10-2:30 p.m.– Completion of Needs Assessment

• 2:30-3:00 p.m.– Why Service-Learning?

• 3:00–3:20 p.m.– VU Mentoring Model

• 3:20-3:40 p.m.– TNCC AmeriCorps*VISTA Project

• 3:40–4:00 p.m.– Q & A

TACEP Goals TACEP Goals Academic Service-LearningAcademic Service-Learning

TTennesseeAAcademicCCivicEEngagementPProject

High School Mentoring Outreach

Community College Service-Learning Curriculum Integration Outreach

Tennessee Campus Compact

TACEP ModelTACEP Model

Mentors assist youth with high school completion and college access.

TN Campus Compact

institutionalizes service-

learning statewide.

More college students

mentor youth in local

communities.

Mentees graduate high

school and enter post-secondary

institutions.

More Tennesseans

attain degrees and become civically engaged.

1

2

34

5

High School ComponentHigh School Component

Vanderbilt Mentoring Model– College undergraduates in service-

learning courses or service organizations mentor high school juniors and seniors

– Academic Tutoring, ACT/SAT Prep, Post-Secondary Prep, Study Skills, Career Guidance, Personal Goal-Setting

– In-school and After-school programs – Targets at-risk youth in high-poverty, low-

performing high schools

Community College Community College ComponentComponent

Vanderbilt faculty will provide one-day training to TN community colleges

Customized training will be a “how to” for integrating service-learning projects into existing courses

Follow-up technical assistance available via teleconference or classroom support seminars

Service-learning courses allow community college students to mentor area high school students through the Vanderbilt Mentoring Model

TACEP Community College TACEP Community College OutreachOutreach

Year I: 76 faculty at JSCC, SWTCC, CSCC, NESCC, and DSCC received full-day training.

Faculty at JSCC, CSCC, and RSCC will receive introduction to training during fall in-service.

Year II: Regional Training (to be scheduled).

Year III: Training of Trainers (is being considered).

Faculty TrainersFaculty Trainers

Dr. Sharon ShieldsDr. Sharon Shields Professor – VU Department of Human and Organizational Development at Peabody College Courses focus on service-learning partnerships that foster civic engagement and active citizenship Worked on national service-learning curricula and written articles related to service-learning instruction

Dr. Carolyn HughesDr. Carolyn Hughes Professor - VU Department of Special Education Developed the VU Mentoring Model, in which VU students mentor youth from high-poverty high schools in Nashville Published studies designed to promote self-directed learning skills of high-school students

Tennessee Campus CompactTennessee Campus Compact(TNCC)(TNCC)

Tennessee Campus Compact is a sustainability component of the TACEP grant

Grants from Campus Compact, Vol TN, AmeriCorps VISTA, and Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce facilitate statewide dialogue and support infrastructure capacity building

TNCC will increase statewide collaboration and leverage funding for implementation of best practices in academic service-learning

TNCC TNCC Presidential Engagement Presidential Engagement Annual service-learning

conference for college presidents (Feb. 13, 2007; Mar 13-15, 2008)

TNCC Presidents’ Council

TNCC Executive Board

TNCC Advisory Council

TNCC AmeriCorps*VISTA TNCC AmeriCorps*VISTA Project Project

Annual CNCS federal resource to embed civic engagement in TN postsecondary institutions

Build on-campus civic engagement, service-learning, community service infrastructure capacity: Help new institutions get started Help experienced institutions grow Help “high risk” K-12 schools & communities Help TNCC build organizational infrastructure Help TACEP grant objectives Create awareness and foster action in all sectors

of TN society: political/governmental; institutional/faculty; student/families; corporate business; community service and faith-based organizations; and public at-large

CSCC FACULTY CSCC FACULTY NEEDS ASSESSMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT

• Please complete and submit

SESSION BREAKSESSION BREAK

WHY SERVICE-LEARNING? WHY SERVICE-LEARNING?

• The challenge is how will we assure that entering and exiting students graduate as “individuals of character more sensitive to the needs of community, more competent to contribute to society, and more civil in habits of thought, speech, and action.”

• (Wingspread Group Report on Higher Education, 1993)

Community Colleges’ Role Community Colleges’ Role in Promoting Citizenshipin Promoting Citizenship

• 1,200 colleges and 12 million students• Half of all minority students in higher

education• Community service in 71% of college

mission statements• Prepare students for effective

involvement in a diverse democratic society

• (American Association of Community Colleges (AACC, July 18, 2007)

AACC’s Definition of AACC’s Definition of Service-LearningService-Learning

• Combines community service and classroom instruction, with a focus on critical, reflective thinking as well as personal and civic responsibility

• Involves students in activities that meet local needs while developing academic skills and commitment to community

• 60% of all community colleges offer service-learning as part of academic course work

• (AACC, July 18, 2007)

Service-Learning Service-Learning BenefitsBenefits

• AACC studies in 1999-2000 and 2004-2006 report that students’ service-learning experiences affected the following “a lot” or “some”

– Improved GPA: 58%– Desire to stay in college and complete degree: 58%– Development of occupational skills: 79%– Ability to work and learn independently: 83%– Positive attitude toward community

involvement/citizenship: 90%– Increased commitment to continue serving: 59%

• (Cathy Doyle, Anne Arundel Community College and Gail Robinson, American Association of Community Colleges, National Conference on Volunteering and Service, Philadelphia, PA, July 18, 2007)

Widely Recognized Academic Widely Recognized Academic Service-Learning DefinitionService-Learning Definition

• A course-based, credit-bearing education experience in which students:

– Participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs

– Reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility

»Bringle & Hatcher, 1995

U.S. Department of U.S. Department of Education on Academic Education on Academic

Service-LearningService-Learning"Through service-learning, students have unique

opportunities to learn the value of teamwork and build critical thinking skills while

completing service projects in areas such as education, public safety and the environment.

Studies have shown that students who participate in such programs demonstrate

increased civic and social responsibility and improved academic achievement."

»Margaret Spellings, the U.S. Secretary of Education, June 2005 Press Release

Service-Learning ModelsService-Learning Models

• Discipline-based• Project/problem-based• Capstone Course• Service internship• Community-based action research• Placement-based

Service-Learning Helps Service-Learning Helps Students UnderstandStudents Understand

• How communities function • The kinds of problems they face• The strength and richness of

diversity• The importance of individual

commitments of time and energy to enhancing community life

Services that Service-Services that Service-Learners May ProvideLearners May Provide

• Tutors• Mentors• Program development• Technology assistance• Advocacy• Training• Needs Assessments• Discipline-specific assistance

A Community Service A Community Service ExampleExample

If students remove trash from a streambed: they are providing a service to the community as volunteers

A Service-Learning ExampleA Service-Learning Example

• When students, who are taking an environmental education course, remove trash from a streambed,

• analyze what they found,• share the results and offer suggestions

for the neighborhood to reduce pollution,

• and then reflect on their experience and the impact of their service

THAT is service-learning!

Service-learning is Not..Service-learning is Not..

• An episodic volunteer program• An add-on to an existing school or

college curriculum• Completing minimum service hours in

order to graduate• Service assigned as a form of

punishment • Only for high school or college students• One-sided: benefiting only students or

only the community

Characteristics of Characteristics of Authentic Service-Authentic Service-

LearningLearning• Positive, meaningful and real to the

participants.• Cooperative rather than competitive

experiences.• Promote teamwork and citizenship.• Address complex problems in complex

settings rather than simplified problems in isolation.

• Engage problem-solving in the specific context of service activities and community challenges, rather than generalized or abstract concepts from a textbook.

Characteristics of Characteristics of Authentic Service-Authentic Service-

LearningLearning• Students are able to identify the most

important issues within a real-world situation through critical thinking.

• Promotes deeper learning; there are no "right answers" in the back of the book.

• Generates emotional consequences, which challenge values and ideas.

• Supports social, emotional and cognitive learning and development.

Service-Learning..Service-Learning..

• Goes beyond traditional community service by connecting the service experience to specific academic goals, which are facilitated by reflection, discussion, and integration with course material.

Elements of High-Quality Elements of High-Quality Service-LearningService-Learning

1. Integrated Learning- clear outcomes2. High Quality Service- actual community

need3. Collaboration- all partners benefit and

contribute4. Student Voice- students actively plan &

participate5. Civic Responsibility- contribute/impact

community6. Reflection- connect service & academic

learning7. Evaluation- measure learning & service

goals

Benefits to StudentsBenefits to Students

• Leadership Skills• Enhancement of life’s realities• Opportunities to experience diversity• Career exploration• Job opportunities• Interpersonal skills• Scholarships• Self-esteem building• Problem Solving skills/Critical Thinking

Benefits to FacultyBenefits to Faculty

• Discipline content enrichment – connect real world to classroom instruction

• Provide students opportunities to develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and a sense of civic responsibility

• Student retention• Increased enrollment• Professional development

Benefits to Benefits to College AdministrationCollege Administration

• Mission• Goodwill• PR (recruitment)• Leadership in academic

community• Curriculum enhancement• FTE/Retention

Benefits to Benefits to Community AgenciesCommunity Agencies

• Manpower at little or no cost• Increased service to clientele• Public relations image• Potential employees• Community goodwill/increased

exposure of policy issues• Increased productivity and

effectiveness

Benefits to Benefits to Community ClientsCommunity Clients

• Experiences in self-planning and evaluation

• Empowerment• Intra-cultural experience• Learning opportunities• Access resources (e.g., college

resources)

Implementing Service-Implementing Service-LearningLearning

• Modify, develop and improve course syllabi and service-learning components over time

• The Tennessee Academic Civic Engagement Program will provide training and technical assistance in 2007, 2008, 2009

• The Tennessee Campus Compact will continue further support

Common Faculty ConcernsCommon Faculty Concerns

• Academic rigor• Competence in application of the

strategy• Students’ ability to contribute

meaningful service• Time constrains• Liability

– Drs. Sharon Shields and Carolyn Hughes of VU will address these concerns during training.

Service-Learning Advocates Service-Learning Advocates & Funding Sources& Funding Sources

• Campus Compact, founded in 1985 • Corporation for National and

Community Service, founded in 1993

• National Commission on Service-Learning, founded in 1998

• Volunteer TN• Tennessee Department of

Education

VU Mentoring VU Mentoring

• Three at-risk High Schools• 204 mentees served• 201 mentors

Graduation RatesMaplewood- 230Pearl Cohn- 131Stratford- 136

Mentoring LogisticsMentoring Logistics

• Mentors help mentees in areas of : Completing HS, Post Secondary Prep, Career Goals, Job Preparation, and Personal Goal Setting.

• Mentors paired up one to one with mentees.

• Mentoring programs occur in school and after school.

• Mentors usually complete 22 hours a semester.

Sample Mentoring Sample Mentoring ScheduleSchedule

• Snack Time, Social Sharing- 15 min’s

• Lesson for the Week (i.e. Scholarships)- 30-45 min’s

• Spend time working on what discussed in group, personal goals, ACT/SAT prep, college searches, Gateway prep, and homework- 1 hr

Mentor TrainingMentor Training

• Mentoring Manual• Training: diversity/cultural

awareness, responsibilities as a mentor, community background, school background, curriculum overview

• Scheduling of car pooling• Mentor interest forms

Mentoring EvaluationsMentoring Evaluations

• Pre-Test given beginning of every semester. Second week of every semester.

• Post-Test given end of every semester. Last week of every semester.

• IRB exemption prohibits VU from mentee evaluations.

• Student’s grades, Gateway scores, and ACT/SAT scores are given in school averages from MNPS.

ReflectionsReflections

• Mentors do weekly reflections with mentees.

• Mentors do monthly focus group reflections.

• Mentees do monthly focus group reflections.

• Mentors and mentees do end of semester reflections.

Mentor ExperiencesMentor Experiences

• Help with retention in college• Provide leadership opportunities• A chance to see how other people

live and issues they have to deal with

• How to network and utilize resources

• Experience things outside of comfort zone

Mentee ExperiencesMentee Experiences

• “My mentor was a very great individual who really cared about our education.”

• “They (mentors) can help some kids believe in themselves-can push us to want to go to college and take the ACT.”

• “She’s someone I can talk to that won’t judge me.”

• “I have benefited from my mentor because she gave me the push to believe in going to college.”

• “I wish all our students had access to a mentor …this program allows students to see that there is a way.”

Mentor Media ClipMentor Media Clip

• Media Clip

TNCC AmeriCorps VISTA TNCC AmeriCorps VISTA ProjectProject

• $18,000-$20,000 FREE Federal Resource

• One full year of service• Work 40 hours/week , but available

24/7.• Benefits provided by Federal

Government.• Ask that you try to help provide some

kind of assistance, i.e. meal plan.• Cannot work other jobs or attend

school while in program.

VISTA Activity OptionsVISTA Activity Options

• Help with service-learning integration• Program infrastructure• Community & College collaborations• Needs Assessments• Program Evaluations• College research on number of

students who participate in community service, service-learning, and civic engagement

VISTA AdministrationVISTA Administration

• Concept Paper• MOA (TSU/TNCC & CNCS)• MOU (TSU/TNCC & Institution)• VISTA Project Plan• Recruit VISTA• VISTA Work Plan• Training Schedule• PSO Training• Quarterly Reports

VISTA Application ProcessVISTA Application Process

• PSO Training Form• Member Application Form• 2 Reference Forms• Summary of Key Responsibilities• VISTA Evaluation of Applicant• Benefit Form• Work Form-Document of Citizenship• Work Plan• Member Assignment Description

Additional VISTA Additional VISTA ProcessingProcessing

• Direct Deposit Form• Life Insurance• Beneficiary• V81• W4-W5• Oath• NSOR• Background Check• Child Care Check

VISTA Member Work VISTA Member Work PlanPlan

• Goals• Activities• Outputs• Intermediate Outcomes• End Outcomes

TSU/TNCC SUPPORTTSU/TNCC SUPPORT

• Provide guidance with Concept Paper and MOU.

• Provides assistance with VISTA recruitment if necessary, and help with member work plans.

• All member documents go to TNCC for approval then on to the TN state office for approval.

• Deadlines for additional documents and trainings.

Helpful LinksHelpful LinksCampus Compacthttp://www.compact.orgCorporation for National and Community Servicehttp://www.nationalservice.org/about/role_impact/history.aspLearn and Serve Americahttp://www.learnandserve.org/about/lsa/index.aspFaculty Service-Learning Toolkithttp://www.servicelearning.org/filemanager/download/HE_toolkit_with_worksheets.pdfTACEP Websitehttp://www.vanderbilt.edu/lsi/tacep.html(updates and additional articles will be posted by October

or November of 2007).

Q & AQ & A

• QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?• COMMENTS?COMMENTS?

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

TACEP ContactsTACEP Contacts

Mani Hull, TACEP DirectorTel: 615-322-1459Email: mani.hull@vanderbilt.edu

Heather Jolly, TACEP Program CoordinatorTel: 615-322-4277Email: heather.jolly@vanderbilt.edu