CSSA Faculty & Staff Resources | John Carroll University

The Center for Service and Social Action encourages faculty to consider incorporating community-based learning into their course curriculum. Community-based learning is a form of engaged learning that combines theory and coursework with real-world experiences.

Students benefit from their unique opportunities, and share their classroom knowledge and skills in meaningful service to the Cleveland community. The community will benefit from the creative abilities of our students to provide support and manpower to serve those in need.

“The service learning component in my multicultural education course has vividly enhanced students developing a host of desirable, course-related qualities: empathy, perspective taking, the art of negotiation, greater comfort across cultural differences and a sense of reciprocity in learning.”
– Thomas Kelly, Ph.D., faculty in education and allied studies

CSSA supports faculty interest in community-based learning. The Center is excited to work with faculty and departments across disciplines to incorporate civic engagement into their course curriculum. Faculty dedication to enhancing students’ learning experiences will help them understand and respond to the challenges of our society.

You can meet with a member of our staff for more information regarding course construction consultations, partnership building, and the weekly service opportunities offered to students through the Center that can be used with a course. Please contact us at 216.397.4698 or service@jcu.edu.

The Center for Service and Social Action believes that service activities coordinated between our office, service participants (JCU students, staff, or alumni), community partners, and service-learning faculty members are most successful when all parties involved have a clear understanding of the expectations associated with the service.

Service-learning faculty will:

Contact CSSA at 216.397.4698 or service@jcu.edu to enroll as a service-learning faculty member.
Identify any community issues and preferred service sites or service activities relevant to your course.
Discuss with your students your expectations, goals, and requirements for the service-learning component of your course.
Provide your students with reflection activities or structured class discussions to give them an opportunity to share their service experiences and integrate them into the course content.
Contact CSSA immediately should you become aware of any problem with a student’s service site.
Communicate with CSSA about your service-learning experience.

The Center for Service and Social Action will:

Assist faculty with service-learning course development or re-design of traditional courses.
Suggest relevant and appropriate community partner sites and/or projects.
Facilitate campus/community partnerships.
Promote and publicize service-learning courses to students.
Coordinate student service schedule, pre-service orientations and provide access to pre-requisite trainings and special testing.
Provide transportation to and from sites.
Track service hours for all participants enrolled through CSSA.
Seek and respond to feedback and maintain regular contact with service participants, faculty members, and community partners.
Conduct post-service evaluations of student service-learners.

Group of students walking in front of the Administration Building with Rodman Hall in the background in the spring

Online and Hybrid-Flexible Teaching Resources

View our Online and HyFlex Resource page to find information and tools to support faculty in engaged teaching, learning, and course design in online and HyFlex models.

Go to Resources Page

“I feel that the students in my courses who participate in service learning develop an advanced mastery of the class material while, most importantly, further developing their identity and sense of community.” – Tracy Masterson, faculty in psychology

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