Faculty interested in using service-learning as a teaching methodology can work directly with the Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement to develop service-learning experiences, courses, or labs that allow students to engage in service and learning with their local, national, or global communities. Service-Learning practices are also beneficial to faculty’s professional development, promotion, and tenure.
Social Concepts that faculty could consider include and are not limited to:
| Homelessness | Education |
| Health, Mental Health & Disabilities | Immigration & Refugee |
| Taxation & Financial Literacy | Environmentalism |
| Poverty & Food Insecurity | Animal Care & Policy |
UIndy Faculty are encouraged to teach service-learning and promote service through their courses in ways that are critical, meaningful, sustainable, and reciprocal for all involved! UIndy’s promotion and tenure process allows and supports incorporating scholarship on service, recognizing it as a scholarly area. Given UIndy’s mission-driven approach to engaging students through Education for Impact, UIndy supports faculty and encourages them to use a teaching method for their courses. Faculty development benefits and opportunities include:
Service-learning increases the relevancy of the student’s education, allows for exploration of career options and develops a sense of community and civic responsibility. Carefully planning and creating courses with assistance from the Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement further increases the benefits and personal growth possible.
The relationships developed with faculty and the community provide affordable access to personal and professional development as well as support a positive relationship between community members and the university.
The fact that they can choose their site from among the hundreds of community partners UIndy is connected with for the lab and make their schedule with the site supervisor is worth mentioning. For example, a student could dedicate a couple of hours a week all semester long or knock it out in 4-5 longer shifts, depending on their discussions with the organization. This will greatly depend on the agency and their time expectations. Some agencies depend on our SL students to successfully deliver some of their direct services so fewer hours for more weeks often works better for them. Remember, engaging our students in these ways through service-learning has to be reciprocal. Our partners become an extension of our campus and classroom space while the students continue to learn while serving. This is also our commitment to providing our partners the level of capacity they need to continue to serve those in need effectively.
It is important that you remember to take the time to explain the importance of Service for Impact at UIndy and that students must enroll before the drop/add deadline, which can be found on the Registrar’s website.