Study Abroad/Service Learning

Service-Learning

What is Service-Learning?

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with central course themes in ways that promote reflection, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.Courses that promote service-learning combine the process of gaining knowledge with direct involvement in community-based projects, usually centered on social justice.Through this intentional integration of university learning environments with community-based initiatives, service-learning shapes both students and communities in a variety of contexts.For example, a course on Violence Against Women might build into its curriculum students' direct participation in settings such as domestic violence shelters, legal support organizations, or rape crisis centers.Additionally, service-learning can contribute to a broader global community; for example, a course on global women's issues, such as gender rights, could integrate overseas travel into its curriculum.By engaging in service-learning at either the local or global level, students are able to greatly expand their academic inquiry, providing new ways of understanding and a journey of discovery not found in a traditional setting.At the same time communities and organizations benefit from the students' skills and contributions that ultimately helps to broaden our global community.

What's Going on Now?

Current Opportunities

Recently, the Women's Studies Department sponsored a study abroad/service-learning course entitled "South Africa: Exploring International Development through Service- Learning" (WMST 495/595), led by Dr. Jennifer Fish. Students spent three weeks in Cape Town (May 11 - June 2, 2007) exploring the central connections between women's rights and social development in South Africa's ongoing post-apartheid transition. This course allowed students to contribute to social development projects as they learned from local experts within a variety of contexts, including parliament, non-governmental organizations, schools, health care facilities, women's centers, and labor unions. Students observed the daily lives of community leaders in South Africa through their 3-week placement with a non-governmental organization. Through direct contact with local organizations and social development projects, students gained first hand experience with a culturally complex society in ways otherwise unavailable to them. At the same time, students provided valuable services to South African organizations focused on the promotion of gender equality in the process of ongoing social change.

This course will be offered again in May/June of 2008. Please revisit this page for up-coming details.

South Africa, Summer 2007

Study Abroad!

The following Old Dominion University students participated in the Women's Studies Department's first service-learning class:

Robin Danowski, Shariyfa Rose, Charis Goff, Sarah Sellers, Roxie Hoven, Charde' Taylor, Corie Nixon, Tonya Torres, Alex Paige, Amy Twisdale, Chvonne Parker, Danyette Woodhouse

Faculty Leader: Jennifer Fish

Journal Entries

Please check out the blog created by our student travelers at http://www.globenotes.com/odusouthafrica2007 .

The blog contains updated journal entries and beautiful pictures from our students as they participated in their South African adventure.