Service-Learning Australia

Reflection in service-learning should challenge students to consider issues in far more depth than simply at the project level.  Encourage students to consider issues related to the problem, investigate the underlying root causes and discuss the philosophical aspects.  The NYSL Newsletter ( Vol. 26.Winter 2009) contained an outline of Service-Learning projects, related issues and root causes.  We have added the final, important element for deep reflection – “Philosophical Aspects.”  When planning service-learning projects, it is important to encourage students to go through these levels in their reflections.
 
Service-Learning Project: Food Collection.
Related Issues: malnutrition, obesity, school lunches
Root Causes: poverty, ignorance, fast food marketing
Philosophical Issues: fairness, justice, hope, responsibility, compassion, suffering, courage, truth etc.

Service-Learning Project: Tutoring.
Related Issues: achievement gap, learning differences, migration-refugees, basic human rights.
Root Causes: unequal access to education resources, ineffective education policy, wars/poverty overseas.
Philosophical Aspects:  fairness, justice, responsibility, courage, freedom, power, determination, etc.

Service-Learning Project: Teaching Computer Skills to Seniors.
Related Issues: isolation, access, reliance on technology
Root Causes: grouping of seniors into single-age resident communities, access to technology.
Philosophical Aspects:  identity, respect, fairness, justice, dignity etc.

Service-Learning Project: Community Garden.
Related Issues: small-scale farming vs. agribusiness, deforestation.
Root Causes: global food market, regulatory issues.
Philosophical Aspects:  fairness, justice, greed, compassion, generosity vs self interest, etc.

Service-Learning Project: Water Quality Monitoring.
Related Issues: biodiversity, pollution, lack of access to clean water, air quality, emissions trading.
Root Causes: regulatory issues, community attitudes.
Philosophical Aspects:  fairness, justice, power, greed, compassion, generosity vs self interest, reason, responsibility, fear etc.