Guidelines
Every youth deserves a great service-learning teacher/ facilitator!
Rationale
The release of the new “Standards and Indicators for Quality Service-Learning Practice” in April, 2008 by the National Youth Leadership Council creates both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity is that we now possess a research-based set of standards to identify what quality practice looks like. The corresponding professional development challenge is how people will learn to meaningfully integrate these principles
The purpose of the “Guidelines for Quality Service-Learning Practice” is to address the question: What type of professional development is most likely to foster quality practice as defined in the new standards?
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Format
The National Staff Development Council created a well-known set of professional development standards for any subject (available at www.nsdc.org). Their work divides standards into three categories: Context Standards, Process Standards, and Content Standards.
Following their example, the Providers’ Network seeks to create a set of professional development standards (which we call guidelines) designed exclusively for service-learning. We will use their broad framework but address each guideline to specific requirements of fostering quality service-learning professional development.
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Explaining Context, Process and Content
While there are multiple factors that influence the success or failure of professional development, we agree with the National Staff Development Council that there are three main types of variables.
Context Variables: The “When,” “Where,” and “Why” of Professional Development
“Context characteristics address the organization and the nature of the system in which change will occur. They are the underpinnings–the system foundation—upon which professional development occurs.” Without the right context, the likely impact of any service-learning professional development will be sporadic and weak.
Process Variables: The “How” of Professional Development
Process variables refer to how professional development activities are planned, organized, delivered, and followed up. They reflect what we know about good facilitation and how people learn new skills and knowledge.
Content Variables: The “What” of Professional Development
Content characteristics are primarily the new knowledge, skills, and understanding that are the foundation for quality service-learning practice. The eight standards for quality service-learning practice form the core of content variables.
Adapted from: Colorado Statewide Systemic Initiative for Mathematics and Science (1997). Professional Development Criteria: “A Study Guide for Effective Professional Development.
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What Makes S-L Professional Development Unique
- Service-learning professional development involves learning new skills even for many veteran teachers (e.g. leaving the classroom, community partnerships, youth voice, fundraising, and fostering change in the community).
- Service-learning changes the “grammar” of “real school” (where, when, how, and from whom learning happens). Professional development therefore challenges many assumptions and beliefs about how people learn.
- Service-learning is a teaching methodology, not a prepackaged curriculum.
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Supporting Materials
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Development Timetable
Step 1: Initial Planning. May, 2007
Thirteen people came to Minnesota in May, 2007 to begin to sketch the purpose, structure, and content of some type of standards for service-learning professional development.
Step 2: Focus Groups/ Feedback. June, 2007 to January, 2008
The rough draft of the Guidelines was continually updated through feedback at service-learning conferences/ institutes in Florida, Michigan, Texas, Minnesota, and elsewhere.
Step 3: Writing the Supporting Material. April, 2008 to August, 2008
Guideline editors Terry Pickeral, Shelley Billig, and James and Pamela Toole begin writing the supportive materials with ongoing feedback from their respective Provider Network advisory groups.
Step 4. Dissemination. September/ October, 2008
Guidelines finished and distributed. Workshops provided at state and national conferences during the 2008-2009 school year on their use.
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Potential Guideline Uses
| Advocate | Educate key gatekeepers about what is necessary for service-learning professional development. |
| Plan | Use the Guidelines to help plan professional development. |
| Assess | Self-assess a current professional development program. |
| Educate | Jointly explore and debate best practices in service-learning professional development. |
| Field-Building | Foster a high expectation for quality professional development within the field. |
| Grant RFP | Provide criteria for grant applications. |
| Evaluate | Gather feedback on program quality and areas for improvement. |
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How You Can Participate
Sign up on the home page of the Providers Network under “Participate” to join an Advisory Board of one of the three sections of the proposed Guidelines (we will have three separate Advisory Boards). You can volunteer to provide feedback for:
- Context Guidelines. Editor: Terry Pickeral and the National Center for Learning and Citizenship at the Education Commission of the States,
- Process Guidelines. Editors: James and Pamela Toole of Compass Institute and the University of Minnesota, or
- Context Guidelines. Editor: Shelley Billig and RMC Research in Denver.
As the editors finish each step of the writing process, the Advisory Board members will be emailed drafts of the guidelines and asked to offer feedback at critical junctures in their development. All participants will be recognized when the final drafts are completed.
Enquiry About Becoming an Advisory Board Member
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Reflection Questions
Think of a professional development initiative where you felt most alive, most stretched, most excited by what you were learning. Where were you, what was the content and characteristics that made this experience stand out among so many?
What are the current strengths of service-learning professional development in your school/ organization? What is it that you already do well?
If you wanted to improve the quality of professional development in our school/ organization, what would be three wishes that you have?
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