CBL Course Planning Questions

Things to Ask Yourself: Framing the Community Component

  • What would you like for students to get out of the experience that would help them learn the course content better?
  • What assumptions do students bring to the course that you would like to see them confront to that they can engage more deeply?
  • What community members can you imagine partnerning with to meet the learning objective?
  • What kinds of skills do the students need to in order to perform the activity you are proposing?
  • How many hours of service are appropriate for the service-learning model of CBL? Typically, it is recommended that students contribute between 10-20 hours of service during a semester, approximately one-two hours a week for a maximum of ten weeks. However, the amount of service depends on community needs and the learning objectives of the course.
  • What role will the community partner take in providing orientation, supervision, and monitoring of the service experience?
  • How will students document their learning from the experience? What reflection activities will be structured and integrated into the course?
  • How will you evaluate outcomes for students and the community?