Literature Review

Service Learning involves learning a variety of skills through the act of service, and allows students to learn by doing. It has recently become one of the most necessary and inspiring way of educating students through enriching their minds in a totally new perspective. In contrast to past years it has grown in abundance in high school and college, and traces of it have also been discovered in elementary school classrooms. Currently, 82 percent of all colleges across the United States offer over 7,000 undergraduate courses in service learning, further stressing its exponential growth in the learning environment.
Service learning projects have a wide scope that includes a variety of projects and acts that students can perform in order to gain an enhanced self-awareness and connection with the community. Some of these can go so far as to travel overseas to restore a village that has been torn down by disasters, or so little as to tutoring a neighboring or assisting the elderly. Service learning projects can also root out of a symbol such as recycling. Simply, take the idea and expand within a community; for example, starting a recycling program at a local elementary school.
Essentially, service learning provides students with meaningful, life-changing experiences that force critical thinking. However, the physical process of community service may almost fall short of the importance of the simple reflection after a student has performed the duty. Through reflection students are compelled to address the challenges and benefits of what they have done, as well decide what they have constructed of themselves after they have performed the service. Additionally, they have a chance to discuss and connect with others who have completed the same or similar projects.
Through implementing service learning within schools, leadership qualities will soon follow along. By getting students more involved with those around them and encouraging them to take initiative they will feel empowered; thus, promoting and surfacing their leadership qualities. Generally, this aspect of learning will benefit the students both academically, by leading them to see things in a whole new perspective, and socially, by practicing their social skills.
Evidently, service learning directly correlates to the development of leadership skills. Thus, it could be argued that if a student does not possess natural leadership qualities, service learning can aid in developing those skills. This can then further assert that through the law of syllogism the willingness of a student to become involved can indirectly build their leadership aspects.


Work Cited

Community Service Learning Makes Strides At California State University. Sacromento:
Hindustan

Times, 2005.
Moser, Jeffrey M. and George E. Rogers. "The Power of Linking Service to Learning." Techdirections
(2005): 18-21.

Pragman, Claudia and Brenda Flannery. "Assessment of Service-Learning Outcome: Examing the Effects
of Class Size, Major, Service-Learning Experience, ad Sex." The International Journal of
Learning. Minnesota: Common Ground, 2008.

Community Idea

On Monday I went to a seminar held on behalf of my community. The seminar consisted of panal of various leaders throughout the Virginia Tech campus, who performed very different things in order to become reknown leaders. Students could ask them questions about different community service and leadership oppurtunities across campus, as well as tips on getting involved. While the panel discussed their answers there was an interesting point that someone brought up: Whether or not people are born with leadership qualities or do they had to develop them through experience and practice? I thought this was interesting topic I could bring up in my essay and research.

Site Visit

I went to my site visit on Saturday afternoon with Alison Dunn, the head of Exploring Leadership at Tech Program. It was very casual and friendly as I began asking her questions in the Old Dominion ballroom in Squires. It was surprisingly really easy to talk to her as she gave me anecdotes about her life and job. I am also a part of the program so it was nice hearing feedback about it from her. It probably went on for about 30 to 45 minutes. I found myself coming up with a lot of questions on the spot that went with the flow of the conversation. I had no problem writing down everything she said because she spoke pretty slowly to accomodate me. I copied down a lot of good qoutes and received tons of useful information.

Interview Questions

1) How does this specific leadership/community service group differ from every other community service group on campus?
2) What do you expect students to gain out of joining this club?
3) What is the most impacting project this group has done?
4) How do you get students entusiastic about the program?
5) Do you know a specific instance where a student has grown out of joining this program? Explain.
6) What is the number one moto of this program?
7) Do students ever complain about the tasks they have to perfom? If so, why?
8) How has the program evolved since you first started working here?
9) If you could change the program in any way what would you do?
10) Did you come up with the idea for this program? If so, how? What were your inspirations?
11) How long have you been working for this program?
12) What is a typical day for you?
13) What is the toughest part of your job?

Course Goals

1) Be able to describe and focus on things specifically but also concisely.
2) Unload vague concepts that I bring up in my writing.
3) Have better, eye-catching introductions.

Football Madness

After checking weather.com everyone assumed that there was going to be a blistering storm of rain while our very own Hokies took on the team in purple. All the girls around me were wearing blue jeans with white t-shirts and techno-colored rain boots pulled up over their pants. Everyone was prepared for the big storm. Except, nothing came. There was no wet clothes or complaints of cold, but rather sun-burnt noses and rolled up sleeves. But once the maroon and orange team, dressed in white because they were home, scored the first field goal nothing else mattered.

Chants of "Let's go Hokies!" filled the stadium. Stomping feet and clapping hands overpowered any other feeling at the time. An obvious alumni dressed in all white screamed a string of derogatory terms that nobody could understand. Little children who were dragged along with their parents wore little football jerseys and cheerleading outfits, probably not even knowing what was going on. A man with a huge turkey hat would jump up and dance in front of the crowd each time we made a good play. Groups of guys would throw up girls in means of celebration.

While everything seemed to be driven by chaos and mayhem, everyone was there for one reason only, to support their team. It was the most organized pandemonium I had ever seen.

So many people had different ways of showing their spirit, from screaming at the top of their lungs and painting themselves maroon and orange to concentrating diligently on each play in silence. Regardless of how they expressed it, everyone in the entire stand had one thing in common-they were a part of the hokie nation.

"how do you know"

After discussing the questions in class (with able and thomas) we all generally concluded that everyone had the same answers.

We defined "fact" as a widely accepted opinion with enough evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

We also discussed that people can interpret the truth differently based on what point of view they are looking at and how they were raised. Many things can be seen in different lights.