PSY 310 Educational Psychology Service Learning Requirement - Psychology

PSY 310 Educational Psychology Service Learning Requirement
Dr. Derryberry

Service-learning project– It is vital that those who aspire to enter any profession (e.g., teaching, counseling, medicine, law, etc.) recognize that being a professional is all about service to others. One cannot serve a profession without serving humanity. Concurrently, the satisfaction that one receives from his or her profession is greatly enhanced when one’s commitment to humanity is a principal reason for entering and remaining in that profession. Research has consistently shown that service-learning projects prior to entering a profession are great resources for both identifying and strengthening one’s commitment to others. Because of these reasons, a service-learning project is required in this course, which will account for 9 points (or 9 percent) of the overall course grade.

Your project requires the following:
1. Identify an opportunity of service: The ALIVE Center (1818 31W Bypass) will be involved in helping you to locate an organization or cause that you will commit your time to this semester. There are many organizations and causes in Warren County that the ALIVE Center can connect you with this semester. An ALIVE Center representative will be visiting class at some point during the first two weeks of the semester to discuss how you go about setting this up.
2. Commit and document at least 10 hours this semester to your identified organization/cause throughout the semester: An important aspect of this project is to consider how your service has impacted your thoughts about your future as a professional so you must be working on this throughout the semester, not waiting until November to complete the project. You will provide documentation of completed service with each journal entry (see below).
3. Report on your efforts in three journal entries this semester: Each journal entry is worth three points. Each journal entry should be at least 1/2 page double-spaced (This is just a minimum; there is no maximum.). With each journal entry, you will also provide documentation of your completed service. You are to upload each journal entry to the Blackboard digital dropbox. The topics for consideration in each entry are written below:
  1. Journal entry 1: What is the cause or organization that you will serve this semester? What have you been able to do for them so far? Briefly address how you think that service to this cause or organization will impact you as a member of the teaching profession (or whatever profession you are considering)?
  2. Journal entry 2: Discuss your thoughts on how the service learning project has begun to impact you personally and as a future professional? Discuss those experiences that you have had so far that have impacted these thoughts.
  3. Journal entry 3: Now that you have completed your 10 hours of service, what does the word "teacher” (or counselor, lawyer, doctor/nurse, etc. – depending on your future profession of choice) mean to you? Has the service learning project impacted your thoughts on this word? If
    so, discuss how and give examples. If not, discuss why you think the project did not impact your thoughts on this term.

Service Learning in Ginny Pfohl's PSY 175, PSY 199, and PSY 321 Classes

To promote civic engagement, students in Psy 199, Psy 321, and Psy 175 have provided ongoing assistance (this is the third semester so far) to Girl Scouts at Dishman McGinnis Elementary School. There is a leader (her own daughters are grown) who has two different large Girl Scout troops there - a Brownie level troop and also a Junior level troop. This is a low SES school, and she has little or no parental assistance with the Scouts. Ginny has students sign up to help her - there are usually 2 students at each meeting helping with activities and providing a positive role model, and they have also gone on field trips with the girls. Debbie (the leader) has indicated repeatedly that she would not be able to provide Girl Scouting to all these girls without being able to count on the assistance of the students from these classes.