Why participate in service-learning?
Students and teachers around the country have identified many benefits of service-learning. In Service Learning in Higher Education (Jossey-Bass, 1996), Barbara Jacoby lists some of the most frequently-cited effects: • Service-learning integrates theory with practice • It improves students’ comprehension of course content • It makes them more aware of community needs and deepens their understanding of underlying social and political problems • It strengthens their sense of social responsibility • It heightens their understanding of human difference and commonality • It develops the habit of critical reflection • It sharpens students’ abilities to solve problems creatively and work collaboratively • It clarifies their personal and career goals • It provides experience valued by employers We have also provided a collection of reflections by UNO students who benefited from their service-learning experiences.
