The Sturzl Center supports the college’s mission to serve the common good by fostering campus-wide discussion on service, promoting community engagement and recognizing significant contributions to serving the common good.

Timeline for Course Development

Planning a service-learning course requires ample preparation time. Faculty members interested in teaching a service-learning course should begin planning at least one semester prior to the semester the course will be offered. If the course is a Core Curriculum course, faculty members are advised to notify the dean of their discipline as soon as possible to obtain information on important deadline dates for approval.

The forms and templates shared in this timeline are in a PDF format. Please contact the Sturzl Center for editable versions of these forms and templates.

Step One

Consult

The Academic Service-Learning Director, Dr. Erinn Brooks, provides one-on-one consultation to help you plan your course or implement any step of the ASL Course Development timeline. Schedule a time to meet with the ASL Director, by emailing erinn.brooks@snc.edu or calling 920-403-2919.

Step Two

Design or Redesign Your Course

Determine which service-learning model you will use

Review the Principles of Good Practice for Service-Learning Pedagogy
Use the Syllabus Development and Course Design Worksheet to develop your syllabus (Search the Campus Compact syllabi bank for sample syllabi)

Determine if you need approval from the St. Norbert College Institutional Review Board if you plan to publish scholarship that uses evidence from your course

Review the St. Norbert College Office of Risk and Property Management guidelines regarding waivers in courses with a community engagement component.

Step Three

Develop a Service-Learning Partnership

Review the Principles of Partnerships from the Haas Center for Public Service

Consider the community needs and assets and how they might connect to the learning goals of your course.
Research local community agencies and/or contact the Sturzl Center for assistance in sharing a request for proposals with community partners
Select your community partner and schedule a meeting
Meet with your community partner to discuss expectations and goals and develop a Memorandum of Understanding

Step Four

Apply for a CENG Designation

Once you have developed your ASL course, apply for a Community Engagement (CENG) Designation. This allows students to easily find your course within the timetable and prepare them for what to expect from the service-learning component.

Step Five

Provide an ASL Orientation for Students

Discuss the service-learning component on the first day of classes

Walk the students through the syllabus and address any concerns, fears and expectations prior to beginning the project

Introduce your students to Academic Service-Learning and the community partner(s)

Review the Memorandum of Understanding with the students and clarify expectations

Provide students with Academic Service-Learning Phone Call Tips and Scripts for guidance in contacting their community partner, if they are self-selecting their placement.

Consider inviting the community partner to your class, as appropriate, to share the organization's mission

Step Six

Communication

Support students in working with their community partner to develop a schedule for their service. Provide students with a method for verifying their service completion through a self-reported service-learning time log or a service-learning time log verified by the community partner.

Provide a copy of the signed Memorandum of Understanding with students and the community partner

Conduct site visits when appropriate and be in regular communication with the community partner

Consider inviting your community partner to any service-related class presentations

Step Seven

Critical Reflection

Learn more about the importance of Critical Reflection

Consider possible reflection activities to use to facilitate critical analysis and reflection

Step Eight

Assess and Evaluate

Seek feedback from students and the community partner about the service-learning experience
Assist the Academic Service-Learning Advisory Committee with program assessment by sharing their survey with students in your course at their request

Share data on the number of students serving with each community partner with the Sturzl Center at their request

Step Nine

Celebrate

Recognize your community partner by sharing your appreciation

Step Ten

Scholarship

Locate journals that can assist you in publishing articles to contribute scholarship to the field of community engagement and service-learning