Service Learning

The service learning paradigm

Service-learning is an approach to teaching in the higher education that is consistent with the pedagogy of Jesuit education. It attempts to link the academic studies with the practical experience of community service. It is facilitated through relevant partnership between higher educational institutions and various social institutions both in the private and public sectors. In this approach, community experience is purposively integrated in the scholastic formation of the students. It is considered as the center of their learning and serves as an arena to do a share for development. In the end, it will bring about in the students a sense of development that is geared towards a lifelong commitment to service and leadership.

 What is service learning program?

Service Learning Program is a structured and instructive social exposure and community service opportunities for university students and faculty from various academic disciplines. Its underlying principle is entwined with the characteristics of Jesuit education that deem formation of individuals as a means of preparation to become apostolic instruments “in service of the church as it serves the human communities”. It takes the participants to communities and institutions partnered by the academic institution in its pursuit to facilitate dialogue education, an education that brings theoretical premise into proactive social relevance.

Context-Experience-Reflection-Action-Evaluation

Blueprinted from the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm, the general framework of the exposure follows the CERAE (Context, Experience, Reflection, Action, and Evaluation) cycle. Proper perspective is first established through a session that provides the context of the entire endeavor. It proceeds to integration to actual community experience where conversation is facilitated and relationship is built. This stirs internal movements that will be the groundwork of the reflection where the individual contemplates and make lucid the disturbances that occur from within and without from the experience. The upshot of the reflection will then be taken as initial thrusts to create concrete action as a response to the gaps observed from the community experience. The actions taken will then be reviewed and evaluated.

Rapport between Community & Academic Institution

In service learning, the community receives and co-facilitates concrete actions for development while the academic institution, as represented by the students and faculty rendering the service, enriches its curriculum with a deeper spirit of humanity. Both sectors gain in the process in a sense that both get served and learn.