Belmont University
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Faculty Resources

for Teaching Service-Learning Courses

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What is service-learning?

Service-learning at its heart is a form of mutually-beneficial experiential learning.

Service-learning is an educational experience that meets community needs and achieves disciplinary course goals. It is characterized by intentional reflection that enables students to link course content with the service activity.

Download Checklist

Class Design Resources

Thinking of teaching a service-learning class? Look no further! We've created a checklist for you to help you navigate your service-learning semester.

Download Checklist

Requirements for a "S" (or Service-Learning) designation for your course on Classfinder can be found here.

Campus Compact provides a comprehensive list of service-leaning syllabi sorted by discipline

Portland Community College has a pretty good list of syllabi, sorted by course number

Skidmore College has a great list of service learning by discipline

Other Syllabi Resources:

Designing Service-Learning Course Syllabus from The Center for Service-Learning & Civic Engagement at Tennessee State University

Place Based Service-Learning as a Teaching Strategy from Community Works Institute

Creighton University provides a series on curriculum development for service-learning courses.

  • English and Education majors tutoring students at local schools where they gain valuable teaching experience.
  • First Year Seminar students focusing on food insecurity through partnerships with The Nashville Food Project, Second Harvest Food Bank, and other local agencies
  • Financial Literacy Math students working with low-income families to create budgets and make financial plans.
  • Nursing students putting on a health fair for immigrants and refugees in partnership with Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement
  • Environmental Science students working with Cumberland River Compact and TN Watershed Association on stream clean-ups and canoe/kayak access.
  • Community Nutrition students producing virtual cooking demonstrations during COVID-19 for clients of The Store (Belmont’s collaboration with alumnus Brad Paisley to provide groceries to those in need)

Belmont already has M.O.U.s on file with a number of agencies. Please consult the Get Connected Agency List and "SEARCH BY" by "Partner".

  • If the agency you are working with is already a Partner Agency, please contact the Office of Service-Learning for a copy of the M.O.U. You only need to complete a Course Agreement Form with the agency. 

Download Course Agreement Form

  • If you are working with an agency without an M.O.U. on file, you will need to use one of the following M.O.U.s depending on how your service sites are selected.

Faculty Selected Site M.O.U.

Student Selected Site M.O.U.

Campus Compact: Critical Service-Learning Reflection Tool

St. Norbert College: Reflection Activities

University of Iowa: Reflection Activities

University of Nebraska at Omaha: Reflection Activities

A Practitioner's Guide to Reflection in Service-Learning by Janet Eyler, Dwight Giles and Angela Schmiede

Funding for Belmont Faculty

Belmont's Office of Service-Learning offers Project Support Grants of no more than $400 to support Belmont faculty engaged in service-learning projects.

Applications are now open through 4:00 p.m. October 16, 2024, for 2024-2025 grants.

Click Here for Application

Belmont's Office of Service-Learning offers Travel Grants of no more than $400 to support Belmont faculty participating in service-learning conferences & workshops.

Applications are now open through 4:00 p.m.. October 16, 2024, for 2024-2025 grants. 

Click Here for Application

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