Putting the Service into Service Learning: A Case Study at a Military Service Academy.

Abstract

Service-learning is a powerful pedagogical tool using community or public service experiences to enhance the meaning and impact of traditional course content. This approach is valuable for two interrelated reasons: 1) it provides a form of practical experience enhancing learning in all potential areas of curriculum and 2) the community service experience can reinforce moral and civic values desirable in society from the serving of others (Zlotkowski, 1996). This paper presents a brief description of service-learning and describes a unique application of this approach at a major military service academy. A core curriculum capstone course involving Engineering Systems Design and its continuing evolution is used as a case study. Also offered are experience-based insights into successful service-learning implementation.

Introduction

Corporate America's perspective into the inter-relationship of profits and social responsibility has changed dramatically over the years with its increased involvement with community service. Volunteer or community service activities have been shown to help improve the acquisition and retention of skilled employees, the maintenance of morale and team skills, corporate reputations, and eventually profitability measures (McCarthy & Tucker, 1999). Likewise in relation to our global responsibilities, the views on the United States military's roles and missions are radically changing as well. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1991, Cold War posturing has ended with a renewed use of the United States military in peacekeeping and peacemaking deployments, humanitarian actions, and contingency actions such as drag interdiction in both global and domestic arenas (Tropical Relief, 1999; Callander, 1998). This new direction is causing a radical change in military thinking and culture on how to train, organize, and use people, equipment, and tax dollars. This paper will present an example of how a major United States military service academy is embracing community-based or service-learning in much the same manner as the private sector has.

Service-learning is a vehicle where course curriculum or content can be reinforced as students perform valuable service to the community (McCarthy & Tucker, 1999). Possibly the most widely practiced form of experiential learning, service-learning is a method where reasoning, leadership, interpersonal skills, academic content, values, and citizenship are taught through real-life community experiences (Katula & Threnhauser, 1999). As both universities and corporations meld community service activities into their curriculums, activities, and cultures, it becomes important for students to develop an awareness of social responsibility, experience it, and commit to supporting this increasingly important aspect of business and education.

As the roles and missions of the United States military evolve and change to our new global responsibilities and citizenship, developing a service-learning pedagogy at a service academy can help groom future officers and leaders for new global and domestic actions required of the United States military. Just such a service-learning approach has been evolving at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) over the last twenty years. Now known as Engineering 410 (Engr410), this USAFA core course began as a dedicated systems analysis and decision-making process course for astronautics majors. Since 1979, it has evolved into an interdisciplinary/community projects-based course for every USAFA student to use engineering and managerial processes plus other capabilities learned in courses taken within the Academy's four academic divisions (Engineering, Basic Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities).

The intent of this paper is to extend the discussion of service-learning and highlight this powerful experiential methodology's application in a unique learning environment, a military service academy. First, a quick review of the service-learning concepts in management education is conducted. Next using USAFA's Engr410 as a case study, its background, project histories, and service-learning pedagogy are highlighted while showcasing one project, the building of Navajo Indian reservation houses in New Mexico. Finally, reasons for program success are suggested as well as identifying what still needs to be done to improve the student experience within this service-learning program.

Service-Learning

Service-learning is a method and philosophy of experiential learning where participants meet community needs while developing critical thinking talents, group problem-solving abilities, and evolving their values and citizenship (Lamb, Swinth, Vinton, & Lee, 1998). The idea behind service-learning is to use a community or public service experience to enhance the meaning and impact of academic course content. This connecting of service to academic courses makes it quite different from community volunteer work or sending students into communities for additional course credit (Sax & Astin, 1997). Community service or service-learning is valuable for two fundamental and interrelated reasons: 1) the practical experience of "service" can enhance learning in any area of a school's curriculum, and 2) by serving others, moral and civic values are reinforced by the experience (Zlotkowski, 1996a).

Service-learning projects present another medium for students to learn and demonstrate their knowledge just like with taking exams or writing papers. However, service-learning also allows for different ways of knowing and learning to occur through action and experience (McCarthy & Tucker, 1999). Service-learning activities can be implemented in various academic fields or disciplines using innumerable community-based projects. For example, a psychology class could conduct counseling, mentoring, or drug education for at-risk school children; an English course could design and implement adult literacy programs; and a strategic management course may develop business plans for needed services in low-income communities (McCarthy & Tucker, 1999; Sax & Astin, 1997). Reported student benefits from service-learning activities include improved technical and problem-solving skills (Zlotkowski, 1996b) and increased academic development and civic responsibility (Sax & Astin, 1997).

Why are there not more schools willing to pursue service-learning pedagogy? First, it is not easy to develop and integrate a service-learning agenda into a specific school curriculum. Kolenko, Porter, Wheatley, & Colby (1996) suggest barriers such as faculty and organizational resistance occurring due to a perceived increase in class responsibilities with service-learning while already being burdened with high teaching loads (Gose, 1997). Another barrier is a lack of institutional infrastructure, people, and resources to coordinate internships and collect project contacts (Chapin, 1998; Lamb, et. al., 1988). Finally, schools shy away because the relevance of service-learning in particular areas of study has not been convincingly demonstrated (Kolenko, et al., 1996). Consequently, integrating service-learning into a curriculum must be brought forward and advocated first as an institutionally sanctioned effort focusing on moral and civic concerns and not just various student-led volunteer activities. Also, as a teaching pedagogy carefully crafted to specific disciplinary and interdisciplinary goals, service-learning is not a one-size-fits-all approach (Zlotkowski, 1996a). Service activity in the classroom needs to mirror course content and not merely serve as an add-on experience requiring students to do something good for the community. It must be a planned experiential activity tied to not only course objectives but also linked institutionally through outcomes, curriculum, faculty roles, and rewards.

Service-learning at a Military Service Academy: A Case Study

Some find it unlikely for service-learning to be a pedagogical approach used in course work at a military service academy. Normally, service academies are categorized as engineering schools with multiple engineering and science academic components. However new roles and missions for the United States military involving new global responsibilities and citizenship have evolved since the end of the Cold War, such as domestic and regional humanitarian aid, assisting the war on drags, and peacekeeping. Each of these new roles and missions involves closer contact with local communities, organizations, and the people therein. As a result new and different skills and abilities are being required of military members to better deal with a dynamic operational environment. An increased sensitivity to civic, local, and moral concerns may be an important ingredient in the growth, education, and nurturing of furore soldiers. The USAFA has experienced an evolving, core engineering capstone class, labeled Engr410, that all students must successfully complete before graduation.

The Legacy of Engr410

Critics of higher education often complain that educators focus more on teaching only their discipline (e.g., management) instead of "how to manage" with students becoming competent in the needed action skills for good management (Wexley & Baldwin, 1986). For decades the USAFA has pursued the challenge of doing a better job of enhancing not only students' cognitive skills but also their interpersonal and behavioral management skills. Engr410 has successfully addressed the past criticism of being "discipline focused" since the mid-1970s.

Regardless of disciplinary major, USAFA's core curriculum has every student take a regime of six engineering (aeronautics, astronautics, electrical, mechanical I & II, and civil), ten basic sciences (physics I & II, chemistry I & II, biology, mathematics I, II, III, and computer science), six social science (management, economics, political science, behavioral science, law), and eight humanities (English I, II, III, philosophy, history I & II, and foreign language I & II) courses. These courses are taken in addition to the twelve to fifteen disciplinary major courses each student selects. In the late 1970s, USAFA realized the need for a method to integrate the core course work of its students into a meaningful experience. Thus ENGR410 was created. Prior to 1980 only engineering majors attempted to integrate their technical courses via systems design courses designing, fabricating, and test launching instrumented rockets and payloads. Since 1980 the course became a capstone Engineering Design Course taken by every senior in the fall or spring. The purpose of the course is to provide students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in various technical and non-technical courses to find real world design solutions to problems. All of these projects have a service-learning orientation benefiting the community. Students are randomly placed into classes from which they form project teams to complete peculiar taskings. These teams are given minimal direction other than background on how major military systems are developed and produced within the systems acquisition process.

The Air Force systems acquisition process is an essential part of a successful application of engineering technology and is made up of five phases: concept exploration/definition, concept demonstration/validation, engineering/production development, production/deployment, and operations/support. Engr410 basically covers the first three phases of the acquisition process, and students have the 42-week semester to take their selected project from concept exploration through engineering/production development. The class operates like any company under government contract or a government agency charged with a specific task. The project team selects a program manager who is singularly responsibility for successful task completion. Other team members perform functional duties such as finance, production, test, logistics, and documentation depending on how the team decides to organize.

The groups are assessed, measured and evaluated using specific acquisition milestones marked by graded briefings, demonstrations, and reports. There are no examinations, just milestone briefings and, of course, a successfully completed project. The course emphasizes economic and managerial aspects of the acquisition process, as well as technical performance. Unprecedented degrees of freedom are allowed in the course. Students decide on the schedule, perform all planning, do all the coordinating, with the only constraint being adhering to the milestone schedule. Each project is given $100 in cash to procure minor supplies. There are also significant USAFA resources available such as lab supplies, machine and electrical shop support, and expertise, etc. No additional funding is allowed, but donated materials and other resources are permitted. Projects are solicited and collected from USAFA and the surrounding Colorado Springs area including non-profit organizations and individuals with physically challenged family members.

Project Descriptions

Each year Engr410 projects are a potpourri of service-learning activities that depend upon the number, type, and variety of proposals submitted by the public. Project proposals are selected based on the immediate need of the person(s) or organizations involved and type of effort required. For example, any project impacting the structure of a building will not be attempted (e.g., opening wheel chair access inside houses). Obviously, liability issues involved with such activity are too great. Recently over the last seven years, Engr410 projects can be grouped into three distinct categories:

* Community Service: project construction involves a non-profit group from the Colorado Springs area such as the Boy and Girl Scouts (Pine Wood Derby Tracks), Centennial Elementary School ("Earth Station" Ropes Course), The Nature Conservatory (Installation of Environmental Camera), or Colorado Springs Children's Museum (Pipe Organ Exhibit);

* Assisting the Disabled: project construction involves designing and fabricating devices to assist with specific challenges (Hand-powered cart for two-and-a-half year old with spina bifida; Specialized head support for wheelchair-bound 14 year old with a degenerative brain disorder);

* USAFA Improvements: project construction involves designing and fabricating new capabilities or improvements for USAFA-at-large (Makiwara Punching Board for USAFA's Karate Club; Art Display Lifter for USAFA's Art Gallery).

To get a sense of the variety of projects, Table 1 provides a sample of different service projects completed in 1999. Each one of these projects is designed to help the local or USAFA community in some capacity while bringing together curriculum and real-time use of the Air Force acquisition process. The involvement of activities from the local community and the level of interest for both student and instructor is increased.

Samples of Different Engr410 Projects Completed in 1999

Project          Project Title/Description
Category

Assisting the    Dual purpose chair to help 15 year old with
Disabled          cerebral palsy
                 Lift system for child with cerebral palsy
                 Two-seated cycle for mentally handicapped 15 year
                  old
                 Walking system for 3 year old with cerebral palsy
                 Safe car seat for special needs infants and
                  children
                 Time out area for 6 year old handicapped boy
                 Transfer system to facilitate quadriplegic use of
                  automobile
                 Outdoor safety swing for physically impaired young
                  adults
                 Portable "ejection" seat to help disabled rise
                  unassisted from chairs
                 Outdoor development center for 7 year old
                  handicapped girl
                 Lightweight lift for 15 year old girl with
                  cerebral palsy
                 Special needs child play structure
                 Motorized wheelchair for 12 year old boy with
                  cerebral palsy
                 Vestibular swing for 10 year old boy with
                  chromosomal abnormality
                 Large tricycle for 10 year old handicapped boy
                 Shower stand for quadriplegic

Community        Indoor butterfly garden for Douglas Valley
Service           Elementary School
                 Children's Museum -- Catenary arch table and
                  focused sound display
                 Fireworks launch trailer cart for AdAmAn club
                 Childhood Hematology Center -- Play equipment for
                  patients
                 Children's Museum -- three seated pulley rack
                  display
                 School for the deaf and blind -- Visual stimulation
                  device
                 Multiple rocket launcher for Douglas Valley
                  Elementary School
                 Wasson High School football field -- elevated
                  wheelchair platform
                 Navajo Hogan design -- Phase II of housing
                  construction
                 Manitou Springs Public Schools -- disabled student
                  lockers
                 Girl Scouts -- bridge for award ceremonies
                 Safe baby walker & crib designed for Department
                  of Public Health
                 Canine Companions -- training unit to teach dogs
                  for the disabled

USAFA            Remote controlled blimp for USAFA sporting events
Improvements     Tower designed to assist USAFA Small Satellite
                  Research Center
                 Seated leg press for USAFA powerlifting team
                 Hybrid rocket motor for Astonautics department
                 Water powered rocket launcher for Astronautics
                  department
                 Range of motion machine for USAFA Gymnastics team

By virtue of USAFA being an engineering institution, the community-based projects still need to be promoted as part of the curriculum. When Engr410 first got started, the tendency for the first few years (1980-82) was to still focus on engineering projects for USAFA (79% of projects) such as building wind tunnels, hangar door openers, flight line engine monitors, etc. Only 21% of Engr410 projects at that time involved the disabled. However, a transition has occurred. The community service and disability projects totaled 78% for 1999. The local community provides a steady stream of interesting community projects often too many for a given year. Table 2 summarizes the Engr410 project categories since 1993. This program is now advancing quickly, looking for larger and more involved community service efforts in the future.

Engr410 Project Breakdowns

        Year            Community    Assisting the      USAFA
Fall/Spring Semester     Service        Disabled      Improvements

       CY1999           15 (27%)       28 (51%)         12 (22%)
       CY1998           16 (29%)       22 (40%)         17 (31%)
       CY1997           17 (35%)       20 (41%)         12 (24%)
       CY1996           17 (33%)       22 (42%)         13 (25%)
       CY1995           21 (42%)       21 (42%)          8 (16%)
       CY1994           17 (30%)       22 (39%)         18 (32%)
       CY1993           16 (26%)       38 (62%)          7 (11%)

       Total            119 (31%)      173 (46%)        87 (23%)

Navajo Indian Reservation Housing Project

In the spring of 1998, the Academy and Engr410 embarked on its first, sophisticated, multi-organization service-learning project. As part of the Department of Defense's Operation Transam, an initiative to partner Air Force Reserve forces with active duty units and civilian organizations, a project was initiated with a goal of helping Native Americans. USAFA, the Navajo Nation Rock Springs Chapter, the Southwest Indian Federation, and reservists from the 512th Civil Engineering Squadron, Dover AFB, Delaware, signed an agreement to build four modular homes at the Navajo Reservation near Gallup, New Mexico.

Nearly sixty students were involved in the engineering design of the approximately eight-hundred square foot unit. Three groups worked on this project together. Each group had different responsibilities because of the project's size that included structural design, foundation plans, utilities, and on-site construction considerations. Because the unit was to be built in Colorado Springs, Colorado, transportation to New Mexico was also addressed (Scherer, 1998).

Designing the house challenged the students who had to take everything from the practical heating methods of using a wood burning stove to cultural considerations of designing a Hogan, a traditional Navajo home. For example, a Hogan must be designed as either circular, octagonal, or hexagonal so at least one wall can face all four compass points and the home's front door must face east. The students built a one-twelfth scale model as a means to finalize the design which was built to actual size by eight Air Force reservists (Utley, 1998). Design recommendations, including those improving better transportability, were incorporated into the second full-scale prototype unit. The third and fourth units were constructed after the semester during a three-week summer program for senior Civil Engineering majors (Scherer, 1998). These first housing units were delivered the following semester as part of a new Engr410 team project.

A total of twelve houses are now planned, continuing through 2000, for fabrication, delivery, and construction at the Navajo Reservation. However USAFA officials state these twelve homes will not even make a dent in the overall housing need. The practical management and engineering skills derived through this exercise by having students work with reservists who are skilled carpenters, electricians, and structure experts are obvious. However, perhaps the largest impact may have been on the students who, thinking about the experience, state, "What really hit home was going to the reservation and seeing a family of six living in a small Hogan in unbelievable conditions"; "It is nice to actually design a product and know it's going to effect people's lives"; "The challenge was great to build fairly sophisticated homes without interfering with their cultural way of life" (Scherer, 1998). This specific project shows the value multiple groups can gain from partnering among federal agencies, private organizations, companies, and foundations not only for pedagogical purposes but also for the moral and civic exposure in helping society.

Why Does This Service-learning Program Work?

USAFA's Engr410 course has been in operation since 1980 and is a graduation requirement. The reaction of students based on recent surveys targeting Academy graduates at the six to eight year point of active duty service overwhelmingly favors keeping Engr410 in the core curriculum (Bruno, 1999), which matches with the views of the Air Force, USAFA leadership, and its faculty. Also, the course was lauded by the North Central Accreditation body. Engr410 appears to be secure as a core capstone experience at USAFA. Why is a service-learning approach at an engineering school working?

Kolenko, et al., (1996) have identified some major barriers to making service-learning a viable part of students' education. However, USAFA's Engr410 course philosophy and implementation appears to address each of those barriers, promoting its likelihood of success. First, faculty members from the engineering departments, as well as the social sciences, are invited, encouraged, and used as instructors/mentors for the individual projects. Participation in Engr410 activities is highly recognized, valued, and rewarded by the Dean and Department Heads. Faculty-wide reviews and media days showcasing the efforts are offered during each semester. Everyone on the faculty knows what Engr410 is and its importance to the core curriculum; thus, the above actions minimize faculty and organizational resistance.

Second, the infrastructure for service activities is in place. The invitations for and collection of service projects is specifically the responsibility of one engineering department on a rotating basis. USAFA has an established machine and electrical shop with work areas and skilled personnel available for advice on design and construction. Also, small stipends ($100) for initial expenses are provided, and students have access to organizations from which they can solicit materials, equipment and supplies. Thus many of the "infrastructure" worries which preclude the start of service-learning activities are lessened. Third, the relevancy barrier is addressed by tying each project to the Air Force's systems acquisition process to complete the design projects. Each project requires attention to engineering technical details of systems design as well as the economics, management, and social aspects of the process (Param & Shilkitus, 1999). This is the same process students will experience once on active duty. Also the realism of managing group dynamics comes through with teams being randomly made up of students with a variety of majors many of which are not engineering-related.

Finally, the significance of the entire concept of service-learning is directly linked to the Air Force core value of "service before self." This core value tells us professional duties including the taking care of others takes precedence over personal desires (United States Air Force Core Values, 1997).

Service-learning and Educational Outcomes

However, the most important reason why Engr410 works for this service academy is the direct linkage to the USAFA's Educational Outcomes which are established to describe the qualities we want our graduates to have:

Officers who possess a breadth of integrated, fundamental knowledge in basic sciences, engineering, the humanities, and social sciences, and depth of knowledge in an area of concentration of their choice.

   In general, the projects in Engr410 are selected so they do not require
   knowledge above what students have achieved in their core classes. Even
   though these basic core skills have been little used or forgotten, they are
   re-emphasized in this capstone educational experience. Students should
   graduate recognizing where to get help, how to teach themselves again, and
   that it does not take an engineer to make meaningful contributions on
   projects.

Officers who can communicate effectively.

   In Engr410 the students are not just communicating with peers and
   instructors. They have to try and communicate ideas to a user who has no
   technical expertise. Students need to understand the immediate needs for
   the project and be able to articulate and "sell" what is being done for
   clients and customers.

Officers who can frame and resolve ill-defined problems.

   By their very nature, Engr410 projects are ill-defined problems. A
   Statement of Work attempts to qualify and quantify what the user needs. As
   a team, they need to further clarify requirements, identify constraints,
   develop a solid understanding of them, and then apply them towards a design
   solution. The process may seem ambiguous, but if time is taken to
   understand the text material, ask questions, understand the project
   requirements, and lay out a useful schedule, it is plausible.

Officers who are independent learners.

   One of the true benefits of Engr410 is that it challenges students to teach
   themselves about their projects. Often projects are the "first of their
   kind" meeting the peculiar needs of individuals or organizations. Answers
   to questions need to be discovered and independently applied to the
   solutions because there is literally no single source to rely upon as a
   solutions manual.

Officers who can apply their knowledge and skills to the unique tasks of the military profession.

   Regardless of what careers students obtain in the Air Force, they will
   always be involved in some aspect of the acquisition process, no matter if
   the job is in supply, acquisitions, maintenance, personnel, or flying. At
   some point in their careers, all Air Force members will be called on to
   head a team for a major project with all of its ambiguities (Bruno, 1999).
   Also as the roles and missions for military service change, having a sense
   of civic and moral considerations will be an important new dimension.

USAFA as an institution has committed Engr410 to be the key vehicle to culminate its undergraduate education and help meet its educational outcomes. Engr410 helps transition students from a primarily academic environment to experiencing the reality-based situations encountered as Air Force project officers. By continuing to add new elements like the Navajo Indian Reservation Housing Project to its service-learning pedagogy, Engr410 will continue to make huge strides in developing good students, good officers, and good citizens. However, examining our Engr410 program has brought to light elements of true service-learning needing adjustment to fully capitalize on this service-learning opportunity.

What Does Engr410 Still Need To Do?

As Zlotkowski (1996) suggests, the moral and civic concerns are the "equal partner" along with enhancing learning through practical experience as schools apply a service-learning approach in courses or curriculum. However, this connection needs to be made more consistently in Engr410. At the beginning of each project, much excitement and enthusiasm is exhibited by the teams as they meet to discuss the needs and issues of the "clients and customers." However, as the process moves into the design and fabrication stages, the team focus tends to turn to production and meeting the critical project milestones. What seems to get lost is a sense of the value being added to the community or individuals through the team's work and effort.

Students are required to make self-evaluations and peer evaluations that are valued as part of their final grade. However, these evaluations rate individuals based on criteria important to the "practical application" of this service-learning exercise. Job performance, attitude, leadership, management of resources, and communication categories are self- and peer-rated on a five-point scale from excellent to poor. Each one of these performance categories has been defined toward project task accomplishment. What is missing, in the self and team assessments, is the opportunity to specifically reflect, assess, or balance what the participants have done from a community, moral, or civic perspective. This could be accomplished as simply as requiring students to submit a memo reflecting on the experience, both positive and negative. Students could then take a position and articulate why the military should or should not promote community service and if the cost/benefits of such a program are worthwhile (Lamb, et al., 1998). Also as part of their milestone reviews, a portion of this discussion should be about the project impacts from both a personal and community perspective. If USAFA desires to advance the impact of Engr410, the students need more time to reflect, analyze, and openly discuss their experiences.

Another opportunity that needs to be capitalized on is emphasizing the integration of Engr410 into USAFA's new Ethics Across The Curriculum (EATC) program. This program is part of the Character Development Program tying what USAFA does academically to the Air Force's core values of "integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do (United States Air Force Core Values, 1997). Outcomes from this program include developing officers who voluntarily decide to do the right thing; are selfless in service to country, Air Force, and subordinates; are committed to performance excellence in personal and professional responsibilities; and have the stamina, self-discipline, and courage to do their duty (Strategic Plan for Character Development at the Air Force Academy, 1997).

The EATC program is designed to have anchor courses and "character and moral" checkpoints in the curriculum. Particular courses have been designated in each of the four years of student's education to weave moral, character, and core values discussions into courses. Freshman English, Principles of Management, Ethics, and Joint and Multinational Operations in the sophomore, junior, and senior years, respectively are EATC designated courses that integrate discussions of character and morality during the semester. The Dean and Department Heads highly encourage this discussion in all classes but leave its implementation up to the Course Directors. However, the EATC program needs to formally include Engr410 as a key anchor or "checkpoint" course especially since Engr410 is the capstone course for the core curriculum and already offers a service-learning component. Doing so may better balance the Engr410 service-learning effort between practical application and the moral and civic actions of its participants. Adjustments addressing these concerns are being discussed and recommended to the USAFA's Strategic Plan for Character Development for next academic year.

Finally the Engr410 program also needs to longitudinally survey past graduates as to particular personal and professional impacts seen after graduation. For example, Did this formal exposure to community service lead to an internalization of social responsibility after graduation? Does Engr410 help understand the philosophy and reasoning behind the military's new roles and mission? Should these types of projects be started earlier in the academic program? By addressing these questions, the furore evolution of this course will be enhanced.

Final Thoughts

This presentation of service-learning at a military service academy suggests that the planned, deliberate interweaving of service-learning experiences can be a very important element in helping meet institutional educational outcomes. It also supports service-learning arguments that this learning pedagogy is appropriate for a variety of disciplines (McCarthy & Tucker, 1999; Sax & Astin, 1997) including engineering and the military profession. The case also shows educators how easily learning by integrating coursework with practical application and experiential learning can be achieved through service-learning. At the same time, the paper indicates the importance of the institutional commitment required for a successful service-learning program and the need for balancing the course focus on both a practical and moral/civic side. Though the current Engr410 program at USAFA may need adjustments to "re-reinforce" the social, moral, and civic values inherent in serving others, these course adjustments can be readily made, and many are being currently addressed.

Engr410 is an example exercise that can provide the most realistic scenario students have ever seen. Being assigned ambiguous problems involving "real" people and "real" issues, and thrown into groups of students they have not met, and then told to solve the problem within the time and budget constraints may be emotionally and mentally taxing. However, it closely resembles what their Air Force careers may involve. Service-learning helps provide a real-life course for real-life people, and USAFA is committed to putting the service into service-learning.

References

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Param, J. & Shilkitus, A. (1999, October). Engineering 410: Aren't you glad you can't go on ac pro? The Warrior Update, 13(4): 6-7.

Sax, L. & Astin, A. (1997, Summer/Fall). The benefits of service: Evidence from undergraduates. Educational Record, 25-32.

Scherer, L. (1998). Cadet, reservists help native Americans in need. The Academy Spirit, 38(8): 11.

Strategic Plan for Character Development at the Air Force Academy. (1997). Draft version 1.2.

Tropical relief. (1999, December). Air Force Magazine, 82(12): 40-47.

United States Air Force Core Values. (1997). Pamphlet.

Utley, R. (1998). Cadets lend helping hand to Navajo project. The Academy Spirit, 38(40): 1-3.

Wexley, K. & Baldwin, T. (1986). "Management development." Journal of Management, 12: 277-294.

Zlotkowski, E. (1996a). A new voice at the table? Linking service-learning and the academy. Change, 28(1): 21-27.

Zlotkowski, E. (1996b). Opportunity for all: Linking service learning and business education. Journal of Business Ethics, 15: 5-19.

Hornyak, DBA, teaches in the Department of Management and MIS. <[e-mail]>. Lt. Colonel Green, DBA, teaches in the Dept of Management. <[e-mail]>. Ciccotello, Ph.D., J.D., teaches in the Dept of Risk Management and Insurance at the J. Mack Robinson School of Business. <[e-mail]>.

Martin J. Hornyak, University of West Florida
Steve G. Green, United States Air Force Academy
Conrad S. Ciccotello, Georgia State University