10
Tennessee State University
Freshman Orientation: Service to Leadership
[insert course number]
Spring Semester 2012
Instructor: [Name]
Phone:
E-mail:
Office Location:
Class Days/Times:
Office Hours:
Pre-Requisites
None
Required Text(s) and Supplies
· No Place Like Home by Gary Younge (common reader) and Study Guide
· Series of Readings on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement (link will be provided to the Service-Learning website for the course required readings and reflection prompts)
· Hands On Nashville-TSU Student Volunteer Project Calendar
http://www.hon.org/AboutUs/index.php/university_program/tsu.html
Guest Speakers
· Feb. 8 at 1 PM in Kean Hall: Angela Jennings – African American Museum on Wheels
Course Description
This course is an integral part of the first-year experience. It facilitates effective use of learning communities within the institution that empower new students to participate fully in their learning, growth, and development. This course is designed to maximize student engagement through reading, writing, listening, and speaking in order to promote success in all classes, and assist students in decision-making in seeking opportunities for succes. To be well prepared for an increasingly multicultural and global society, TSU students must learn to work collaboratively and compassionately to create more just and equitable workplaces, communities, and social institutions. Toward that end, this service-learning course engages students in organized community service that addresses local needs, while developing academic skills, civic responsibility, and leadership.
What is Service-Learning?
Service learning engages students in service with the community as an integrated aspect of a course. Students participate in organized service activities and reflect on those activities to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of personal values and civic responsibility. Service learning engages students in active, collaborative, and inquiry-based learning experiences that meet identified community needs.
Course Objective
Activities are planned to promote understanding and awareness of self, including talents and areas of academic need. With this foundation, first-year students will be able to set goals from points of strength, cultivate additional values or skills where necessary, and aggressively seek what they need from a variety of reliable resources on campus and in the community. In each activity, students will be challenged to consider opinions and ideas of others as they seek data to support their own positions. Each student will be required to complete a minimum of 12 service learning hours and demonstrate knowledge gained during the service. Overall Course Goals focus on the student being able to outline academic expectations of self; identify his/her place in society; and use effective time management skills to balance academic work with other activities such as social life, work, family, and co-curricular activities.
Student Learning Outcomes
First-year students at Tennessee State University successfully completing this course will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the mission, core values, history, and traditions of the University;
2. Identify academic and student support services provided by the University to improve academic performance;
3. Locate and use library resources;
4. Locate and use campus computer facilities;
5. Research career opportunities compatible with personality, ability, and interest;
6. Demonstrate public-speaking skills using appropriate data;
7. Select and research a program of study, including general education and major course requirements, that supports student’s career goals;
8. Demonstrate knowledge of policies and procedures outlined in the student’s area of study, the academic catalog, and the student handbook;
9. Present academic and career goals in a written statement;
10. Complete a range of critical reflections that integrate service experiences with course lectures, readings, and other assignments;
11. After participating in the service-learning experiences within the course, explain the significance of community and civic engagement in the life of an educated person;
12. Describe at least three social issues that emerge from the course content/discussions and explain how your civic engagement will address those issues now and in the future;
13. Develop a final power point presentation that summarizes what you learned through your service experience (include personal, academic, and civic learning)
14. Demonstrate the difference and similarities between issues related to race and culture in the Civil Rights Era and those same issues in contemporary society; and
15. Demonstrate responsible academic conduct by attending class, completing assignments, participating in discussion and activities, and evaluating experiences.
Instructional Strategies The class is activity and discussion based with some lectures led by the instructor, special guests, and students. Therefore, attendance and active participation in class and at guest lectures are mandatory. It would be helpful to listen to National Public Radio’s morning broadcasts or CNN as these programs identify critical issues affecting our cities, states, the nation, and/or the world. There will be group presentations, group discussions, individual/group reports/papers. Students will also maintain a journal of reflections describing the academic, personal, and civic understandings that grow out of participation in the service-learning project. A final reflection paper and a PowerPoint presentation will be constructed using information recorded in the journal. Students may be asked to access and use features of Desire 2 Learn http://elearn.tnstate.edu as required by course instructor.
Expectations and General Information
1. Computer Usage - A basic understanding of computer applications is required in order to conduct research and to communicate with the instructor. Accurate word processing of assignments is required. Students who do not have their own computers will have to manage their time to allow them access to PCs located around the campus and in residence halls.
2. Academic and Student Support Services - It will be the student’s responsibility to take advantage of the Library and the Learning Resource Center’s (LRC) full complement of services including individual and group help from staff in locating and presenting information.
3. Service-Learning - Every student will complete at least 12 hours of supervised community service with the Nashville and/or the TSU communities. This service will culminate in a class presentation with highlights from his/her reflection papers, including a brief description of the social issues that the student would like to address in future service activities and describing how the student will make a difference through his/her service. (see Student Learning Outcomes 10-13) In addition to reflection questions in the syllabus, structured reflection questions and activities will be posted on the course website each week. Links to a series of required readings will be posted on the Service Learning Website (www.tnstate.edu/servicelearning). Specific instructions about these readings will be in a handout distributed on January 25.
4. Academic Integrity – The student is solely responsible for what he/she achieves in this class; therefore, neither cheating, plagiarism, nor will any other breach of academic integrity will be tolerated. Any material taken from other sources must be documented. In no case should one represent another’s work as one’s own. This includes information received from others during examinations or submitting another’s assignments, papers, etc., as one’s own. To avoid questions of plagiarism, students involved in collaborative research should exercise extreme caution. If in doubt, students should check with the professor. In addition to the other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed through the regular institutional procedures as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign an “F” or a zero for the exercise or examination, or to assign an “F” in the course.
5. Class Conduct – The instructor has the primary responsibility for control over classroom behavior and maintenance of academic integrity. A student engaged in disruptive conduct or conduct in violation of the general rules and regulations of the institution may be removed at the discretion of the instructor. The use of cell phones or other electronic devices such as tablets and text messaging are not allowed in the classroom.
6. Class Attendance - Students are expected to attend classes regularly and punctually. The instructor will keep an accurate record of class attendance. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of any anticipated absences and contact the instructor to find out what work was missed during a period of absence. Unexcused absences and/or tardiness may contribute to student’s grade in this course being lowered. Attendance for the service activities follows these same guidelines.
7. Disabled Student Services - If the student believes she or he needs special accommodations to conduct class work, contact the Office of Disabled Student Services at (615) 963-7400, preferably before the second class meeting. The Office of Disabled Student Services makes reasonable accommodations for qualified students with medically documented disabilities. The instructor must be aware of student’s status if it will affect class activities and assignments well before assignments are due.
Course Schedule
The instructor reserves the right to make modifications to this syllabus. Any modifications to the syllabus will be clearly communicated to students. Timelines may vary, depending on the service activities, to allow for the orientations and preparations for the service.
Week 1:
Course requirements will be discussed and expectations will be outlined.
Discuss survival skills (study skills, time management, etc.).
Discuss/review academic and student support services that are available for students on both campuses.
Discuss college/school/department level policies and procedures important to student progress.
Review the resources that are on the course website, including the directions for accessing the Hands on Nashville-TSU Student Volunteer Project Calendar to choose and document all service activities.
Review the processes for the reflections journal (Will it be paper or electronic?).
All students sign the Release Form and turn it in to the instructor.
Preparation for the assignment: Class will discuss information about the students’ chosen fields of study and their prospective professions. Consider the experiences you need to prepare for your chosen field.
Assignment:
Begin to research your chosen field of study. From research, be prepared to discuss in the next class session the profession for which you are training. What educational level is required for the profession? How much compensation would you expect to make over a work lifetime? See the Occupational Outlook Handbook available at http://www.bls.gov for assistance. Why did you select the field? Review your major in the Tennessee State University (TSU) catalog which can be located on the TSU website. Plot the courses that you should take during spring semester of 2012. What knowledge, skills, and attitudes do you have now that will contribute to your success in this field? What are additional skills that you need to learn in college? Have all of this data available to share in class.
Week 2:
Students will engage in a Team-Building activity. The theme “It’s Really About You!” will be the focus of this activity. Students will converse in pairs and through brief interviews share information about each other including:
· Who you are;
· Where you are from;
· Why you chose TSU; and
· You will also:
§ Tell the group something positive that they could not have known about you.
§ Describe knowledge, skills, and traits that will help you be successful in college.
§ Provide one trait you will work on to develop, improve, grow, or change during the course of the semester.
§ Describe an experience in which you provided a service to your community or an individual.
§ Discuss what you learned about your chosen field of study. Did your research influence your choice in any way?
Suggested Activity: View and use the Discussion Guide for the Bring Learning to Life Video (on the Service-Learning website www.tnstate.edu/servicelearning)
Assignment: Visit the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement in Holland Hall (Room 306) and pick up a copy of the Mission and Goals of the Center and the Benefits of Service-Learning and any other handout that interests you. An alternative option is to go to the Service-Learning website (www.tnstate.edu/servicelearning) and click on the link for the Service to Leadership course and download the documents.
Go to the website www.servicelearning.org and look up the following:
What is service-learning?
Describe 3 examples of service-learning either from the website or from your own experience.
How is service-learning different from volunteer service?
What is civic engagement?
Describe 3 examples.
Following directions on the course website, go to the Hands On Nashville - TSU Student Volunteer Project Calendar and review available service opportunities. After reviewing available projects, choose at least 2-3 projects that fit your interests and schedule. Answer the following reflection questions in your journal:
1) Have you participated in community service before coming to college? If so, describe the kinds of service you did. Did you serve by yourself or as part of a group? Why did you serve? What did you gain by serving?
2) When have you been served by others? In what ways?
3) How do you feel about community service?
4) How do you think community service can help you prepare for a career?
5) When you explored the Volunteer Project Calendar, what service project(s) did you choose and why?
Week 3:
· Feb. 8 at 1 PM in Kean Hall: Angela Jennings – African American Museum on Wheels
Assignment: Log in to the Hands on Nashville -TSU Student Volunteer Project Calendar and register for your first service activity according to your instructor’s guidelines. Each student must bring printed proof of registration with Hands On Nashville as a TSU student.
Read the required reading and complete the reflection questions on the Center for Service-Learning website (www.tnstate.edu/servicelearning) and click on the link for the Service to Leadership course.
Remember, at the end of the project, you will use your responses that you write each week in your reflection journal as you compile your final paper summarizing what you learned through your time of service.
Week 4:
View and discuss the Introduction to Service-Learning for Students Power Point.
Discuss the “definitions of” and “differences between” volunteer community service, service-learning, and civic engagement. (See handout on website.) Discuss examples of all three. Discuss the expectations associated with the service-learning assignments. Review the benefits of service-learning for students (You should have this handout either downloaded or picked up at the Center for Service-Learning.) and for the community.