Service-learning synergy in teacher education.

Abstract

Service-learning provided synergy at one regional, state university through redesign of teacher preparation programs supported by a Board of Regents grant. In an introductory teacher education course, the Jumpstart university-affiliate program offered a year-long learning opportunity in community-based preschool settings that provided the context for the service-learning. Multiple impacts are reported for the teacher candidates, academic program and university.

Introduction

Service-learning is identified as a teaching methodology that involves active participation by preservice students in meaningful, community-based service experiences that are related to students' academic learning goals (Erickson & Anderson, 1997; Kahne & Westheimer, 1996). Swick and his colleagues (1998) delineated areas of service-learning that may be a focus in teacher education programs. These include (1) exploration of career activities, (2) introduction to educational contexts and issues, (3) acquisition and practice of instructional strategies, and (4) use of service-learning in diverse settings. In addition, Callahan, Diez, & Ryan (2001) noted that service-learning has been recognized to advance the standards for teacher education programs. By the very nature of service-learning, academic programs and community programs are synthesized and create synergy (Furco, 1996). Scarlett, Cox & Matsudaira (2002) discussed the synergy that comes from close-knit partnerships that advance academic service-learning by supporting undergraduate student development over time. Jacoby (1993) identified the need in higher education to raise awareness about existing partnerships that are contributing to positive outcomes for young children and teacher education candidates.

This paper provides an overview of the context for service-learning that spans an academic year placement associated with an introductory-level teacher education course. It also reports in part the findings of research supported by a Board of Regents grant, Service-Learning: An Enhancement to Teacher Education noting multiple impacts associated with service-learning at one university.

Context for Service-Learning

Important to student academic learning is the context through which community service is provided. Direct service to preschool children and support to their families are provided at three community-based preschool sites, including two local Head Start centers and one professional development preschool site through Jumpstart, an early literacy program that is federally funded through AmeriCorps as a community service program. This year-long university-affiliate program involves extensive, early childhood training and team building prior to university students working with children. They learn effective ways to engage children in oral language and literacy learning and implement developmentally appropriate practices. Training sessions, both prior to working with young children and during program implementation, offer a total of approximately 60 clock hours.

Each university student works one-on-one with his partner child, a preschool four or five year-old, for two hours twice a week during the academic year. This placement yields over 180 hours of direct interaction with preschool children. Each two-hour session follows a routine that provides opportunities for language and literacy interactions through small group or individual settings. Elements of these sessions include: One-to-One Reading, Circle Time, Choice Time, and Group Activity with smooth transitions from activity to activity with "active learning (materials, manipulation, choice, language from the child, support from adults) planned throughout the session elements" (Shulman & Jumpstart, 2002, p.108). In addition, there are opportunities to interact with families through direct contact and through written communications that may involve goal setting for the preschooler or activities that support family-child interactions. The interactive sessions with children are followed by a one-hour future teacher meeting for reflecting on and debriefing the current session, planning the literacy and language activities, and preparing materials for the next session. The future teacher meeting is an important aspect of the service-learning experience as the university students learn to work collaboratively, to plan for individual needs of the children, to work with families, and to address the literacy, language, and social relation indicators for school success (Jumpstart, 2004). Reflection is a key aspect in both the early literacy program and the university coursework.

Description of Coursework

Service-Learning in Early Childhood Education was developed as an introductory course to the discipline for teacher candidates seeking certification (grades PK-3), as statewide guidelines for teacher certification were restructured. The goal of the course is to provide an introduction to early childhood education through service-learning opportunities. Emphasis is placed on weekly observation and interaction in an early childhood setting, future teacher meetings, and reflection. The syllabus reflects the inclusion of community service as an integral part of the academic learning course requirements and introduces teacher candidates to the multiple roles they will encounter as early childhood teachers. Teacher candidates have the option of a one semester or two-semester community-based placement. Those who opt for the academic year-long experience choose to participate in the field placement or service-learning context associated with the Jumpstart program. For teacher candidates, this course offers the first and only academic year-long placement in their teacher preparation program.

Teacher candidates address specific course objectives that are aligned with national standards (Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium, 2005; National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2005; National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2002), as well as components of effective teaching, identified by the state, in the areas of planning, management, instruction, assessment, and professionalism. Performance-based projects such as designing an ideal early childhood learning environment or developing and implementing lesson plans document teacher candidate knowledge. Knowledge, skills and dispositions are further documented through a child case study that spans the academic year. The case study is identified as a portfolio entry for candidate and program evaluation.

Overview of the Inquiry

Research was conducted to explore the impact of the year-long service-learning opportunity for teacher candidates associated with an introductory course in early childhood at a large regional, state university. The context of the research was supported by the timely convergence of the statewide redesign of teacher certification, curricula development in the early childhood teacher education (PK-3) program, and grant implementation that supported dialogue between the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Human Development with a focus on service-learning. A case study approach was employed to illuminate the phenomenon of service-learning over a three-year period. This approach is often the best methodology for extending the knowledge base of education and for seeking understandings to improve instruction (Merriam, 1988). The participants included undergraduate students (N=40) who were enrolled in the introductory early childhood course and who were providing service to children and their families through extend-day programs at three preschool community sites. All participants were full-time students at the university. Participants included both teacher candidates who were required to take the course and those who took the course as an elective. Multiple data sources included reflection journals, team-designed lesson plans, and individual, child case study reports. Interview responses of teacher candidates were also obtained and analyzed. The constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was used to analyze the data. Thus, patterns and trends emerged from the data that were related to the teacher candidates and the teacher preparation program. These patterns were noted throughout the inquiry. Triangulation (Denzin, 1970) was used to insure internal validity supporting an explanation about the phenomena being studied. Triangulation strengthens reliability as well as internal validity especially when using multiple methods of data collection and analysis. The process of data collection and simultaneous analysis was dynamic (Merriam, 1988).

The Findings: Teacher Candidate Impact

The following trends indicated a positive impact on teacher candidates. These include l) the opportunity for an earlier and more extensive emphasis in field-based experiences, 2) the opportunity to work as a team and engage in job-embedded professional development, 3) the opportunity to interact with young children in promoting language and literacy development, and 4) the opportunity to interact with families. The service-learning placement offered a community-based learning experience that provided an opportunity for teacher candidates to observe child growth and develop over an academic year period which is a unique opportunity. However, data revealed the need to offer ongoing support to teacher candidates as they developed their knowledge of child development throughout the experience. It also shifted the traditional paradigm of offering an intensive practicum-like experience in the junior or senior years to earlier in one's degree program.

Teacher candidates who selected this service-learning context had extensive opportunities to plan as a team with their colleague the two-hour interaction they would implement. The concept of a future teacher meeting addresses the knowledge, skills and dispositions of colleagues working together similar to what they may encounter as future faculty members. Not only having firsthand knowledge of collaboratively planning but also implementation of plans with young children provide numerous opportunities to develop various skills and dispositions necessary to be an effective professional such as expressed in the following comments.

   During our future teacher meetings, we spent most of our time
   planning. We would also discuss any problems or questionable
   situations that occurred in the session. Everyone shared his or her
   ideas on the lesson. Everyone was honest with each other is
   discussing the progress of the team. I am so lucky to be a part of
   a team that cares not only about the needs of local children but
   also about the needs of all the team members. We accomplished so
   much during our meetings.

The ability to reflect on planning and teaching, an important teacher competency, is developed through debriefing during future teacher meetings as well as through written journal reflections Extensive opportunities to develop the skill of lesson planning based on the young children's individual needs related to language and literacy as well as social relationships are well documented. Initially, teacher candidates are guided by a structured lesson plan and become familiar with procedures and routines for interacting with young children to further their literacy and language skills. Gradually, during the academic year, they take on more responsibility for planning a part of the lesson with their team. The opportunity to collaboratively work with others in this early literacy program, offers early job-embedded professional development experiences (National Staff Development Council, 2001). A clear example is delineated in the following account.

   Our entire team would come together and brainstorm on what we
   needed for the next session. We would share responsibilities on
   planning and implementing activities. We were given lesson plans
   that were already filled out at the beginning so we would just go
   over them, but for the second half of the year we had to fill them
   in ourselves and we all helped each other out. All the team members
   would let the team know what they observed during session and what
   they thought we needed to do differently and what the children
   seemed most interested in. All the team meetings went well because
   they were organized and we spent the time doing what needed to be
   done.

Another benefit highlighted the numerous authentic experiences to interact with young children and their families. Interacting with families twice a week for approximately 20 weeks allows teacher candidates initial experiences of knowing about and valuing the importance of family involvement in their children's development and learning as well as those complex characteristics of children's families and communities (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2005). This in tuna supports teacher candidates' knowledge, skills and dispositions with regard to building family and community relationships (Interstate New Teacher Assessment & Support Consortium, 2005) as evidenced in this teacher candidate reflection.

   My interaction with Tysha's family was at first very strange. I
   hardly ever talked to her parents and when they picked her up I
   just said goodbye. The second half of the year I was more familiar
   with Tysha, her progress and also, how to talk to parents. Whenever
   we had to fill out the family update for the parents and I was
   forced to actually sit down with Tysha's dad, it felt good. I felt
   as if I had connected with him and I was able to share a lot with
   him. I often asked him about different people that Tysha would
   mention and he gave me a clear view on who she was talking about.
   It was a very positive thing whenever I actually got around to
   talking with her father. From that day on, I was able to update him
   on her progress and also talk a little about what she did with me
   as well as at her home. Her dad did attend the end-of-year
   celebration and continued to talk about how the program had a major
   impact on Tysha's life.

Impact on Teacher Education Program

In addition, the findings documented that teacher candidates could be effectively introduced to the discipline through service-learning as evidenced by the following reflection.

   This program has opened my eyes to many situations and problems
   that will occur when I have my own classroom. I have realized that
   you must have good, well-developed routines. Children need to know
   what is expected of them. This opportunity helped me understand
   their developmental level and helped me to better relate to
   children. I wanted to make a difference in a child's life and
   through service-learning, I feel like I have made a difference.
   When Loganne goes to kindergarten she will be a little more
   prepared than she was a few months ago. I am very proud of Loganne
   and myself for all of our hard work. It has paid off!

Data further affirmed that the service-learning methodology connected the incoming freshmen teacher cadet experiences in high school and offered a seamless continuum for continuing their academic learning and teacher preparation. Early, meaningful, and extensive field-based experiences in community settings provided a solid foundation for teacher candidate development and enhanced the teacher preparation program. Thus, statewide teacher education redesign provided an opportunity to re-evaluate course delivery and field-based opportunities in the teacher preparation program.

Institutional Impact

Findings revealed the trend that common missions of partners support an effective partnership which results in a win-win situation for the community agencies, children, families, and university. Directed by the university mission to serve the region, a focus on school success for children, family involvement and teacher preparation are common to each partner in the higher education-community partnership. It is this synergy that is at the heart of academic service-learning (Furco, 1996; Scarlett, Cox, & Matsudaira, 2002), as these relationships appear to be built overtime and highlight a broader impact at the institution. The service-learning course provided a model to other disciplines such as sociology, science, foreign language, and others in the College of Arts and Sciences for potential introductory courses with service-learning as the methodology. New courses have been developed and existing courses have been revised to include service-learning across several disciplines. The first university-wide service-learning initiative, with support of one staff person, was established through the university's Center for Faculty Excellence. In addition, university administration established and invited faculty to serve on a Service-Learning Advisory Committee to guide and support the development of the university service-learning initiative.

Conclusion

Service-learning offers numerous benefits related to teacher preparation. These can range from developing teacher performance competencies in the classroom and directly impacting student learning to advancing state and national standards in teacher education programs. For beginning teacher candidates, the academic year-long placement in community-based settings offers extensive opportunities to introduce them to the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to become reflective practitioners and effective professionals. Furthermore, it highlights the multiple institutional impacts that may occur through the synergy of community and academic programs.

References

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Cynthia B. Elliott, Southeastern Louisiana University

Elliott, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Reading in the Department of Teaching & Learning and serves as the Jumpstart Hammond Faculty Advisor.