UW-Superior Center for Academic Service-Learning

Building a bridge between campus and community

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:28:23 +0000

UW-Superior prides itself in building progressive partnerships with the Twin Ports community; these partnerships are built through careful planning, organization, and execution with leadership from various departments, programs, student organizations, administrative offices, etc.

One such program is the Center for Academic Service-Learning (CAS-L). CAS-L's mission is to provide support and resources to match learning outcomes with community needs; CAS-L values the discovery, collaboration, and transformation of students, staff, and community members. During the 2012-2013 academic year, approximately 1,400 students served 23,421 hours to the community.

What is Academic Service-Learning?

Academic Service-Learning (AS-L) is an innovative teaching and learning strategy that provides students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and learn new skills by matching academic goals to the needs of community organizations. Students apply concepts and skills they learn in the classroom to real-life situations in the community. In return, the students gain practical experience for professional development and strengthen their citizenship skills.

Dr. Eleni Pinnow, an Assistant Professor of Psychology, has applied Academic Service-Learning to a few of her psychology courses since she started at UW-Superior. "I had so much fun with it, and I saw such growth in my students, that I was hooked," said Pinnow. Without AS-L, Pinnow said her Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) course "wouldn't be able to function because the AS-L placements are a central part of the curriculum." When new topics are covered, students spend quality time thinking about how the concepts would really look; the students then try to apply these concepts to their specific AS-L projects. ABA is the use of conditioning and learning principles to modify socially significant behavior. Students learn to use positive reinforcement and other techniques to promote social appropriate behavior explained Pinnow.

Students serving in Superior

Twenty-three students had to opportunity to serve the Superior community this Spring Semester through Dr. Eleni Pinnow's ABA at UW-Superior. Students served two hours a week for the duration of the Spring Semester at either Animal Allies or Family Forum, Inc. Family Forum, Inc.'s mission is "dedicated to providing comprehensive educational programs and services to children and their families." Animal Allies "strives to ensure a lifetime of loving care for every pet by reducing overpopulation, increasing adoption, and fostering humane values."

Real-world benefits and opportunities

Students benefit the most from seeing the real-world applicability of the course content. Pinnow asserted that her students can see how important a behavioral technique is after they test it out themselves. As a professor, Pinnow benefits the most from seeing her students get excited about her course. "I get to see my students take real pride in what they are doing…I love seeing the light bulb click on when they realize, 'wow, I can do this, this makes sense!'"

Jason Abrahamzon, a counseling graduate student from Superior, described his AS-L experience as a unique opportunity to see psychological concepts in practice. He served in a Head Start classroom with Family Forum, and he witnessed positive reinforcement and shaping as the young children started learning the alphabet.

Shandi Janz, a psychology major from Superior, first assessed the behavioral needs of children in the classroom at Family Forum in order to decide with whom to spend time. She then tried supporting a few of the children that had more behavioral challenges to help them succeed.

Student share the rewards of service

Students from Dr. Pinnow's course reported the multiple benefits they received, both academic and personal.

Blake Austin, a psychology major from Cloquet, MN, liked being able to observe the children's behavior at Family Forum and then spend time supporting the children during free-play and class work by adding new thought-provoking dimensions to play time.

Abrahamzon thought that seeing the children want to learn and being able to nurture the children's love of learning were the most rewarding aspects of the experience. He described watching the children share their knowledge and excitement about learning with their classmates. The children's pride and ownership in teaching others was one of his more interesting experiences.

Janz was happy to serve with Family Forum; it was "definitely a good hands-on learning experience." She has a passion for helping others; she is interested in the psychological reasons why people act certain ways. She wants to be a middle school counselor in the future and work to end the cycle of bullying. This experience was her first encounter with positively influencing children's behavior. This "hands-on experience reinforced my want and desire to help children," said Janz; it was a peek into what her future holds.

The enhancement of course learning objectives through meaningful community service

"AS-L makes my students actually learn something that will stay with them for a lifetime. Learning definitions from textbooks or lectures is basically dead knowledge - students may remember it until the test or the final, but that's about it. AS-L challenges students to incorporate their coursework into their real-world knowledge and apply it in a meaningful way," said Pinnow.

The coursework from Applied Behavior Analysis did prepare him for what he experienced, said Abrahamzon. "We all see things in action, but now we have a name to use and identify it," this can promote children's behavioral and academic development.

The bookwork and class discussions helped with the experience, said Janz. She used the readings to help the children she weekly worked with weekly.

Austin shared how he learned to apply what was taught and discussed in the course to his experience at Family Forum.

Class discussions with small groups and reflection papers allowed Abrahamzon, Austin, and Janz to discuss what they all witnessed at Family Forum. These discussions helped them retain the information said Abrahamzon. "It allowed us to be proud of our achievement and get even more excited."

Connecting with the Superior community

Austin described how he has always cared about his contribution to the local community, and he felt he had not done anything significant before this experience. After his time with Family Forum, Austin saw how easy it is to make a positive effect on children with just a few hours per week.

Abrahamzon now feels more connected to the Superior community in the sense that he is now able to contribute and help children learn and enjoy learning. Before this experience, Abrahamzon did not really know much about Head Start programs like Family Forum. After gaining a new perspective and insight this semester, he can see the crucial importance of programs like Head Start at Family Forum with children's early development. This experience was a fantastic opportunity to get real-life experiences, to take a [college] student out beyond the class and books, to get into the material said Abrahamzon.

Apply online to be an AmeriCorps*VISTA in the AS-L office today!

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 21:48:12 +0000

Apply by April 23rd!

Want to teach others to lead a healthy lifestyle? Apply for the AmeriCorps*VISTA position on the UW-Superior campus. Using Academic Service-Learning and community partnerships, this position will work within Douglas County to promote health and nutrition during today's obesity epidemic.

At the University of Wisconsin-Superior's Center for Academic Service-Learning (CAS-L), the Wisconsin Campus Compact (WiCC) AmeriCorps*VISTA member will work to reduce obesity among youth and families by addressing policy level, healthy lifestyle choices in Douglas County. This second year VISTA position is a balance between educating, community organizing, and advocating for a healthier Douglas County.

As an educator, this position will work to inform the community of the current obesity epidemic in Douglas County and the work being done to change it.

Plan issue-based educational forums and events
Recognize community partners, students, faculty and staff during a formal ceremony
Nominate students, faculty, staff, and community partners for external recognition
Assist with creating and distributing an annual report highlighting campus-community partnerships
Develop and update communication resources through online and social media outlets
Write articles and/or press releases to publicize local obesity problems and community partner progress

As a community organizer, this position will work with community members and key stakeholders to fulfill the strategic, policy level priorities of the Healthier Douglas County Coalition (HDCC) and the Northwest Wisconsin Community Services Agency (NWCSA).

Understand and work to meet the health policy priorities of HDCC and NWCSA
Understand how Academic Service-Learning can be used to address the needs of the community
Create an asset map specific to health resources in Douglas County and in specific Superior communities
Assist in the planning and implementation of local community service projects and awareness events
Work with and further develop the HDCC advisory group ensuring that it meets the 51% low income guidelines
Develop assessment tools to gather community partner and service recipient feedback
Administer surveys to gather baseline and post intervention impacts
Build a bridge between the community and the campus to address community health needs
Seek support to continue and expand community-campus partnerships and sustain project activities

As an advocate, this position will work to recruit faculty members from the University of Wisconsin-Superior to integrate Academic Service-Learning into their courses to directly implement the healthier lifestyle policies developed by the Healthier Douglas County Coalition and NWCSA.

Recruit faculty to develop Academic Service-Learning (AS-L) courses, specific to this community issue
Assist faculty members with AS-L courses and community partnership development
Create class presentations and orientations for students enrolled in AS-L courses
Design and assign AS-L student projects pertaining to health issues
Maintain regular communication with community agencies
Evaluate AS-L courses and use results for continual improvement

Apply by April 23rd, 2013 online: AmeriCorps*VISTA Job Description and Application Link . Click on the red link, "Apply Now!" and complete the online forms.

Questions? Contact our office at (715) 394-8518 or casl@uwsuper.edu

Wisconsin Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA Presentation

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:50:46 +0000

Dear UW-Superior Faculty, Staff, and Students, and Superior Community:

It is my pleasure to invite you to this year's Wisconsin Campus Compact AmeriCorps*VISTA End of Year Presentation on Thursday, March 28^th in the Yellowjacket Union, Room 203 at 1:00 PM.

Since July 2012, the Center for Academic Service-Learning has hosted two AmeriCorps*VISTAs, Katelyn Baumann and Sandy Liang. Ms. Baumann's position has focused on creating and sustaining a community campaign to strengthen the early childhood literacy and kindergarten readiness programs in Douglas County. Ms. Liang's position helped build partnerships in the community and began the conversation and foundation needed to address the obesity epidemic.

This presentation is intended to bring together the UW-Superior campus and Superior community to hear a summary of the work of the two AmeriCorps*VISTAs.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Katelyn Baumann & Sandy Liang

Looking for a job? Want to teach others to lead a healthy lifestyle? Apply for the AmeriCorps*VISTA position on the UW-Superior campus. Using Academic Service-Learning and community partnerships, this position will work within Douglas County to promote health and nutrition during today's obesity epidemic.

Come to the AmeriCorps*VISTA presentation to learn about the position!

AS-L Celebration and Showcase

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:14:24 +0000

You're invited!

Please join us for the Academic Service-Learning

Spring Showcase

May 7th, 2013
4:30 - 6:00p.m.
Yellowjacket Union Great Room
UW-Superior

Refreshments provided!

Experiencing the Day-to-Day Realities of Teaching

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:44:21 +0000

For the past two years, Dr. Sue Masterson's students have supported an elementary classroom for 30 hours during the fall semester at Northern Lights Elementary.

Introduction to Education is a required course for all elementary and secondary education majors at UW-Superior. Masterson, director of teacher education, uses Academic Service-Learning (AS-L) as a teaching and learning strategy in this course for her students to acquaint themselves with the "day-to-day realities of what teachers do and how students respond."

The rewards of helping elementary students progress

As a future secondary education science teacher, Graham Garfield, from Ashland, WI, was able to appreciate the AS-L opportunity. He saw firsthand the developmental strides of several young students. Some students struggled in the beginning with reading and spellings, but Garfield was able to observe several students' progress. He worked hard to establish behavioral strategies to keep the attention and focus of the students as they worked through reading and writing assignments.

Emily Johnson, a math education major from Wausau, WI, served by assisting students who needed additional support with reading and spelling tests in the classroom. It was rewarding for Johnson to see the children be excited to see her every week.

Through her AS-L experience, Dana Jacobson, a broad field social studies major from Rochester, MN, was able to view firsthand the daily activities of a teacher. She acknowledged that as a teacher you have to be ready for whatever children might say or do. The ability to address ever-changing situations and challenges in a positive and level-headed manner is important. This patience is very applicable to her future secondary education classroom. "It felt good to help her kids," said Jacobson.

Capturing academic course concepts in real-life applications

Masterson said the experiential learning at Northern Lights Elementary is brought back to the classroom at UW-Superior through e-portfolio entries each college student writes. These entries detail how the university students witnessed specific examples of teaching concepts that were discussed by Masterson. Additionally, the entries allow the students to reflect on their time in the classroom, and then produce a formal artifact through capturing different concepts and principles of learning.

Students get to examine firsthand, and in applied settings, the concepts being introduced in the course. They witness how a teacher creates and executes a lesson plan. Serving at Northern Lights Elementary allows Masterson's students to work directly with kids by recognizing and accommodating different learning needs of children. This enhances the learning opportunities for each elementary classroom as UW-Superior students serve as additional support for the children.

Personally experiencing academic course work in the community

Garfield affirmed that his academic course work did prepare him for his AS-L experience. He drew off the strategies and ideas presented in the Introduction to Education course. Garfield said that looking back, he can readily reflect on why certain events occurred in the classroom.

Johnson said her academic course work allowed her to visually see different aspects that were applied to the classroom setting. Going out into a real classroom really helped said Johnson. Instead of just observing a classroom, she was able to personally engage herself with what works and what doesn't in classrooms; it gave her a more realistic image of a classroom.

Jacobson loved serving in a kindergarten classroom. She described that now in her future she will not be as shell shocked because she was able to interact and become familiar with how another teacher handled situations.

On-going reality check solidifies career aspirations

Working in an elementary classroom reinforced Garfield's aspirations of having a career in secondary education. The lessons he learned in the elementary school classroom can be directly applied to all ages. Understanding the educational system that students encounter as they grow up is important, Garfield described, because as a future high school teacher, he will need to acknowledge that each pupil will have had different educational backgrounds.

AS-L solidified Jacobson's desire to be a secondary education history teacher; "I love the feeling I get from helping students learn." She said she is excited to be able to teach what she is passionate about.

Academic Service-Learning allows Masterson to have an "on-going reality check about expectations for future teachers in classroom settings."

Social responsibility and citizenship

Johnson said she felt like she gained more responsibility and insight into her future; she feels like the Twin Ports area could one day be home.

Jacobson's sense of social responsibility and citizenship changed since she started working with the kids. She described that she is now more aware of educational policy; she is more apt to notice it in the news. She can now see the direct implications for the classroom with which she served as the government continues to cut education funding.

Returning to the 'love of teaching'

"I want to be a teacher because I love making a difference and I love working with kids…I want to make a difference in students' education and help them succeed as much as possible," said Johnson.

"My high school history teacher was good, but tough so a lot of my peers came to me for help studying and understanding concepts. I loved it, it felt natural, and realized I wanted to help other students have a passion for history as well. So I decided to be a teacher," said Jacobson.

Academic Service-Learning is an innovative teaching and learning strategy that provides students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and learn new skills by matching academic goals to the needs of community organizations. Students apply concepts and skills they learn in the classroom and give that knowledge back to the community. In return, they gain practical experience while serving others.

Students Give a Long-waited “Face” to Health Coalition

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:43:30 +0000

Dr. Shin-Ping Tucker, Associate Professor of Information Technology and Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, has been teaching an Academic Service-Learning (AS-L) course for several semesters on Web Page Authoring. It has been an instrumental part in spreading the word about non-profits and small businesses in the area. Her dedication to the community has given these organizations the "voice" and publicity they deserve. A website is something these organizations have often desired but were unable to have due to time and cost constraints.

This semester, 17 students in her Web Page Authoring class continued the tradition of giving to the community by offering their web page design skills. They designed websites for six non-profits in Duluth and Superior: Faith United Methodist Church, Friends of Lakewalk, Metamorphosis Project, Project Reach Out, and Superior Douglas County Senior Center. Tucker estimates that each student donates about 30 hours to this assignment-a true timesaver for community partners. Thanks to her class, the enthusiasm, passion and services of these organizations can be reached by a larger audience.

One partner that has been especially appreciative of Tucker's class is the Healthier Douglas County Coalition (HDCC).

"A Click Away" from Increased Visibility

HDCC's core group has the passion to support Douglas County's need for improved health. What they have been missing is community members who are aware of their existence. The core council members have backgrounds in community outreach, nutrition, and wellness promotion-and work with various organizations such as the Superior School District, UW-Extension, Northwest Community Services Agency (NWCSA), and UW-Superior. Together, they work to support, advocate, and connect community members to live healthier lifestyles by addressing policy-level changes to make the healthy choice the easy choice in Douglas County.

HDCC had been talking about a need for a website, but were unaware of where and how to begin. With Tucker's students, they now have a template to work off of.

The students "did something that none of us have the expertise in," said coalition member Kristine Patterson, Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Programs at UW-Superior. She believes that the advantage of a website is the ability to offer the most updated information about the coalition. Pamphlets can be outdated quickly, but a website offers the most current information, just a click away.

Websites Connect Group with Community

In an age where the internet is an important method of communication, a website gives organizations a way to communicate to a wider audience. The group has been searching for ways to involve the community, and is hopeful that a website will make it easier for anyone to learn about their efforts.

Grace Gee, co-chair of HDCC, is the UW-Extension Nutrition Education Program Coordinator. She is excited about the website increasing the coalition's visibility in the community. Gee knows that HDCC has been mentioned at various meetings and through quick, passing conversations, but those who are interested in learning more do not have an easy way to find out more. In the past, the group has supported various community events, but did not know where to direct interested community members who had questions.

With the help of a website, a simple "Google" search can help develop a deeper understanding and interest in HDCC.

Healthy lifestyles: a shared passion

Coalition members shared that the website can be more than just for the community. In fact, it can serve as an "information hub" for the group. Healthy lifestyles are a shared passion amongst the group, but with full time jobs, family, and other obligations, it can be difficult to be on the same page. As a group that works together primarily on a volunteer basis, face-to-face meetings with all members can sometimes be a challenge.

The website the students designed is a template that HDCC is excited about. In the future, Patterson hopes to use it "as a keep of information" to share meeting minutes, upcoming calendar events, and as an archive.

Real-world Experience

Tucker talked about her academic service-learning courses scoring high at end of the semester evaluations. She is proud of how academic service-learning is highly regarded by her students. They give her a "big thanks" at the end of the semester. Previous students have secured jobs after graduation after showing potential employers their career preparation from the course. Tucker shared that her AS-L course evaluations always have the most positive feedback.

Coalition Inspires Students to Build Career Goals It seems easy to understand why-students benefit from real-world experience. Group members working with HDCC met a diverse group of professionals from the community. Kyle Leahly is a senior majoring in Transportation and Logistics in Tucker's class. He chose to work with HDCC because as a student athlete, he was interested in being involved in health-related issues. Partnering with the coalition helped him understand course objectives, a key component of Academic Service-Learning (AS-L). In this teaching pedagogy, meaningful community service is used to help students apply what they are learning in class in the real-world.

For Leahly, this experience is instrumental in building the skills he needs for future endeavors. He mentions that he may be interested in starting a business in the future.

AS-L Sparks a Community and Student Connection

As with other academic service-learning courses, the recipient of services equally benefits from the partnership. HDCC has enjoyed working with UW-Superior students. The class has given them a template to share their mission in a way that was not possible before. In addition, it gave them a chance to work with a younger population-further expanding their visibility. Mary Mahan, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Director, sees great value in sharing HDCC's work with students. Through Tucker's class, they have the chance to connect with community members they normally do not work with, such as the young adult population. Through this course, they will have multiple opportunities for young adults to learn about their coalition. Students will be presenting the website to their classmates, and also presenting the finished product to the UW-Superior campus and community at the Fall Academic Service-Learning Showcase.

"We've wanted a website for so long….now we finally are able to take some action steps!" exclaims Patterson.

An Engaged Program: A Glimpse into the Psychology Program

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:19:03 +0000

The Psychology Program at University of Wisconsin-Superior applied for and received an Engaged Department Grant from the Center for Academic Service-Learning in 2011. This grant allowed for an increase in support to the Psychology Program to integrate Academic Service-Learning (AS-L) into its courses. Each psychology major is now required to take a least one AS-L course before graduating.

Integrating AS-L into the Psychology Program

Dr. RaLynn Schmalzried started helping with this integration the day she was hired. Schmalzried is a dedicated supporter of AS-L. She feels her students benefit from directly witnessing the different ways children develop in the community.

Her students were placed with three community agencies; the Superior Middle School After School Tutoring Program, the Denfeld Academic Learning Center, and Noah's Ark Daycare. A few students who commute to UW-Superior personally identified community agencies outside of the initial three agencies. Subsequently, students served at Sunshine Daycare and Lil' Lumberjacks Learning Center. Each student will serve with an agency for 15 hours this semester.

Life outside of the classroom

AS-L makes Schmalzried's course learning goals come to life outside of the classroom. Her students often bring back questions that keep class discussions fresh and intriguing. When they were studying language and reading development through coursework, the students who were serving at local daycares or learning centers shared what they experienced and saw at their community sites. They all bring different experiences to class, described Schmalzried.

The direct connection between the students' AS-L and course work allows them to see a variety of experiences with children and community members. This application of course work in the community makes the academic course work more clear.

Showcasing how we all develop

"The best way to learn about children and adolescents is to spend time with them," said Schmalzried. The connection between real world issues and classroom work really showcases how "we all develop," said Schmalzried. It helps her students realize how everyone's life experiences are similar and different; their personal experiences are not representative of all. Most of Schmalzried's students do not have children. Thus, the experiences they have allow the academic material to come to life outside of the books and discussion.

A personal and academic connection to AS-L

Tanya Bednarek, a psychology major from Cloquet, MN, described how she had the opportunity to see children's language skills develop while serving with the Lil' Lumberjacks Learning Center. She was able to apply what she was learning in Schmalzried's course to the preschool where she served. Additionally, she witnessed varying degrees of development. It was rewarding, said Bednarek, to interact with the children who were excited to see her. As a parent, Bednarek said she will apply what she learns to her personal life as her daughter grows and develops.

Serving as a role model

Jamie Blackwood, a psychology major from Sandstone, MN, felt that getting to know the children and serving as a role model for them at Noah's Ark Daycare was the most rewarding aspect of her service. During class lectures on developmental milestones, Blackwood was able to understand the different developmental stages and behavioral principles in the young children at the daycare. It solidified her desire to work with juveniles in her future. She liked the real-world application. "Life's not just out of a book," affirmed Blackwood.

Academic Service-Learning is an innovative teaching and learning strategy that provides students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and learn new skills by matching academic goals to the needs of community organizations. Students apply concepts and skills they learn in the classroom and give that knowledge back to the community. In return, they gain practical experience while serving others.

Rescheduled! Day of Service and Celebration

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:58:43 +0000

This event has been rescheduled for January 28th.

We need YOU to help us honor

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Day of Service and Celebration

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is:

What are you doing for others?"

- Dr. King

Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on

Monday January 28th

Read to children at Northern Lights Elementary

1201 N. 28th Street, Superior, WI 54880

Can you take 30 minutes to read to children?

Get involved in the community while doing service for others!

Dr. King is a symbol, in America, of justice, fairness and equality.
Locally, a prevalent inequality that exists is the early childhood literacy gap.
Too many children in Douglas County and nationwide are not proficient in reading at their grade level by, or before, third grade...

...the good news is you can help!

If you're interested in volunteering or for more information, contact

Katelyn Baumann at kbauman3@uwsuper.edu with:

Your name
Your availability from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

(Closer to the date, we will match you with a 30-minute time slot)

All community members are invited to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. and the art and essay competition winners from Northern Lights Elementary. Join us at 1:30 p.m. at Northern Lights Elementary.

Students honor MLK with action, Superior Telegram, January 4, 2013

http://www.superiortelegram.com/event/article/id/73481/

Students unite with social work community by helping vulnerable populations

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:37:59 +0000

Thirty University of Wisconsin-Superior social work students are assisting more than 14 community agencies in the Twin Ports by offering 900 hours of their time to strengthen and embrace those who struggle in the community.

Academic Service-Learning is integral to Dr. Monica Roth Day's Introduction to Social Work course by giving students a taste of their future careers. Each of her 30 students will be serving 30 hours at an agency sometime between September and December this Fall Semester. Through an identified list of community partners, students initiated contact and scheduled their hours.

Reinforcing course learning goals through practical experience

Course learning goals are reinforced when academic service-learning is incorporated. Students are equipped with new insight about how community agencies provide services for vulnerable populations and make bonds with local residents. Roth Day's students learn to think critically by asking "how" and "why" to foster diversity. Students reflect on their service through several class discussions, reflective questions, and a final report.

"It pulls practical experience into the classroom…the real-world experience is so beneficial. [The course] cannot be taught without this experience," said Roth Day.

Randi Hultman, a social work major from Green Bay, WI, explained that this academic service-learning experience has connected her further with her course work because as she gains knowledge with Roth Day's course, she applies it to her service.

Providing services for vulnerable populations

Introduction to Social Work prepares students to serve with different populations. Students serve with the Boys and Girls Club of Superior, Boys and Girls Club of Duluth, North Country Independent Living, Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity, Family Forum, United Way of Superior-Douglas County, Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA), the Gender Equity Center, the Center for Nontraditional Students and Veterans, American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO), the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the GEARS Program, Bethany Crisis Nursery, and Safe Haven.

Hultman is serving with the Boys and Girls Club of Superior. She said in class they learn how to assist at-risk youth through conversation, being a role model, and homework tutoring.

Katie Wilkes, a social work major from Baraboo, WI, said she and her classmates serve with a variety of people in the Twin Ports community; there are strategies when working with such a diverse group of people. Cultural competency is extensively discussed throughout their course work.

Networking within the social work community

Roth Day said her students benefit most from learning in-depth about human services and the expected challenges in the profession. Each student, said Roth Day, has the opportunity to interact with other social workers and network for their future; this encourages students to reflect on how much schooling they want to pursue.

Wilkes described how she got to see and interact with a lot of the social work community while serving with the United Way of Superior-Douglas County. She enjoyed making connections with leaders in the field while helping others and recognizing the impact of her assistance. While serving with United Way, she truly realized how much just 2 hours can help nonprofits like the United Way. Wilkes said she will continue to volunteer in the future with United Way.

"It is important to give back because they [the community] give to you," said Wilkes.

The rewards of service: confidence and the "wow" moment

Roth Day illustrated the powerful "wow" moment she often sees in her students as each of them gains confidence while serving in the community.

Wilkes supported this statement. She was able to step out of her comfort zone and learn more aspects about nonprofits. Furthermore, she found she is now able to open up more to help people. Wilkes replied that she is comfortable and confident with the skills she has, and she appreciated the opportunity to confront personal challenges.

Hultman said she really enjoyed working with kids at the Boys and Girls Club. Generally, she helps students with homework or plays games. The most rewarding aspect of this partnership for Hultman was "seeing the kids understand and learn."

A future career in social work

Through her academic service-learning experience, Wilkes realized there are many more career options in the social work community in which she is interested.

For Hultman, this experience has reasserted and made clear her desire to work with kids and help them succeed in her future. "The hands-on experience really helped," said Hultman.

A connection to Superior

Originally from Green Bay, Hultman now feels better connected to the Superior community as she encounters and interacts with more people with her placement at the Boys and Girls Club.

"Every student," Wilkes said, "should take a service-learning course. It can change
their view of things."

Academic Service-Learning is an innovative teaching and learning strategy that provides students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and learn new skills by matching academic goals to the needs of community organizations. Students apply concepts and skills they learn in the classroom and give that knowledge back to the community. In return, they gain practical experience while serving others.

Future educators learn as they advocate for local after-school program

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:56:00 +0000

Future teachers at UW-Superior are helping local children while learning how to serve as advocates for after-school programs.

Eighteen students of Dr. Haji Dokhanchi are serving 360 hours with Northern Lights Elementary School's after-school program. The service is part of their work in Political Science 230: U.S. National, State and Local Government.

This is the third year Dokhanchi has worked with UW-Superior's Center for Academic Service-Learning (AS-L) to place his students at the school in Superior. Since the partnership began, the schoolchildren are completing more homework and their teachers are getting more time to spend with students who need additional help, said Cariann Kinn, the program's coordinator.

Integrating service and learning

Academic service-learning is heavily integrated in Dokhanchi's course learning goals. His students critically examine policy in education while serving with the after-school program.

The real world experience helps the UW-Superior students develop solutions. They can step back and see where strengths, weakness, and positive changes lie in programs.

Students in the course have a choice of whether they want to participate in ASL. Those who do, share their experience with the class. This helps move class discussion forward.

Multiple roles of teachers

As future teachers, the students are learning about the multiple roles they will have in the schools. Serving as an advocate for children and programs that benefit them is just one of those roles.

"Quality education affects everyone in a community," Dokhanchi said.

Only so much to learn from books

"There is only so much students can learn from reading books … AS-L has an innate value; the experience provides what books do not. It makes visible the invisible,"
he said. Students learn to question their own assumptions about poverty and discover, through their own interactions, new solutions.

A valuable partnership to teachers and students

Kinn explained how the connection the UW-Superior students make with the elementary students is amazing and awesome.

"The kids really love having them here. They are great mentors… Having them here helps make sure students are getting the homework help they need," she said.

UW-Superior students help with homework, play academic games, serve as mentors, and create friendships for the kids. Teachers daily ask if students are coming; they love the support and help the students give.

"The hugs our kids give to the students and the conversations they have with our students is the best part," said Kinn.

Student advocates

Tanya Oswalt, an English secondary education major from Duluth, illustrated the dynamic environment found with the after-school program.

As a parent herself, Oswalt described how sometimes education policy can negatively affect children and decrease communication to the parents. It then increases the urgency and importance of programs like this after school program.

This experience has shown her how as an aspiring teacher, she will need to acknowledge various teaching and learning styles to positively help students. Serving as an advocate for this program, Oswalt said, allows her to be a positive role model for the students she tutors.

Academic Service-Learning is an innovative teaching and learning strategy that provides students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and learn new skills by
matching academic goals to the needs of community organizations. Students apply
concepts and skills they learn in the classroom and give that knowledge back to
the community. In return, they gain practical experience while serving others.

Art builds bridges between students, faculty, and university

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:28:37 +0000

A First-year Seminar is Bringing the Campus Community Together through Mural Creating

Art can be created by anyone-whether you are a Biology major, Psychology major or the serious Art major. That's what Gloria Eslinger, Assistant Professor in the Visual Arts Department at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, is teaching her students this fall. Eslinger is discovering that art can help ease the transition for first-year college students by connecting them to the university in a unique way. This semester, she is teaching a course for first-year students called "Cooperative Mural Creation on the UW-Superior Campus".

The class of 15 is working on two murals for the Office of International Programs (OIP). The center works with international students starting at recruitment, and continues to have contact with them after they are on campus, in order to help them feel that UW-Superior is their "home away from home." The OIP also offers English as a Second Language courses, and encourages UW-Superior students to participate in study abroad.

A Professor's Vision for Student-University Connections

It all began a few years ago, when Eslinger heard faculty and staff express an interest for murals in buildings. Eslinger decided to create a course-specifically to meet that need. It has been over four years of student-university work to design murals on campus. Students' artwork from her class can be found in the Admissions office outside each suite, Career Development office suite and the Marcovich Wellness Center.

Eslinger's students' work is well-respected on campus. Tatiana Kornstad, International Student Services Specialist was delighted when Eslinger asked if her class could design the center murals. The fact that the office had been selected as a potential site radiated excitement among other staff as well. Danielle Severin, University Services Associate of the office, responded to the mural offer with, "I think this is a big honor…It will be artwork that represents 'us' specifically."

An Experiential Learning Experience

For students, this course is an experiential learning opportunity. Their course objectives include learning how to reflect a blend of their personal voice/experience and group dynamics-while addressing the needs expressed by the OIP. Students in the class are divided into two teams, and each team will be creating a mural. Teamwork is an important part of mural-making. By working with a partnering site, they will be able to develop an even deeper understanding of how murals are created.

Zachary Bauer is a student in Eslinger's course. Like professional muralists, his class works in groups, and with the OIP, their "client." Before creating the murals, the students sat down to meet with the center's staff members. They began a discussion of what the center wanted to see, and staff told students of their vision for a warm, welcoming art that would be inviting and would reflect their mission. Both groups came back with several sketches and staff chose ones that they wanted as a mural.

Bauer is happy that the office gave them great ideas to start with, but still allowed his teammates to be creative, ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership for both students and the office. They are currently working on large, 4' x 8' murals, one from each team.

Bauer believes the mural creation course has been a great way to teach students how to work in groups, in a way allowing them to be free from too much stress. As with any group, there are personality differences; however, the creativity aspect of art allows them to collaborate and have fun, while being imaginative and inventive together.

Mural to Bring Attention to Office of International Programs

Many students on campus may not know that the office exists or where it is located. The OIP is currently on the third floor of Old Main. Kornstad hopes that when the murals are displayed, it will help draw more attention to the office through conversation. The mural students, she says, are likely talking about this project with friends, raising awareness of the office. She also envisions the murals as a potential conversation piece for visitors, students, faculty, and staff.

More than Academic Gain for Students

Being a first-year student can be challenging. Students are on a campus they are often not familiar with, away from their family and friends, and for some, have little connection to the city of Superior.

Eslinger tackles some of those issues. Her class includes field trips around Superior to see murals in the city. She wanted to give them more than a rich academic experience-she wanted to connect them to the university community. Eslinger's goal is to, "give them such a great experience, they stay at UWS." She recalls encounters she has had with students from four years ago-they still express a high regard for the course.

Bauer is one of those students who has benefited on more than just an academic level. His hometown is in Milwaukee, and the field trips allowed him to see parts of Superior that he may not have otherwise had a chance to see. He also selected the course in order to stay connected to art. He took a few classes in high school and saw Eslinger's course as an opportunity to take something not related to his major, which tends to "be more straight forward." For him and other students, it helps balance out his other courses.

Strengthening Relations on Campus

The office was happy to feel "chosen" for the mural site, and felt acknowledged and appreciated. They saw it as an opportunity for the office to feel closer to the student community.

Bauer feels that the course allows students to "make a good connection" with the campus. He enjoys being able to see staff members he has worked with around campus.

"It is a great project. I can't wait to see them complete it. It so cool for it to be about the office, for the office, created by students," beams Kornstad.

Academic Service-Learning is a form of experiential learning that encourages university-community partnerships. Service-learning gives students an opportunity to learn course objectives through related, meaningful community service. The Center for Academic Service-Learning works to ensure partnerships are mutually beneficial for service-learners and the community sites served.

Students join the movement to end bullying at local middle school

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:08:11 +0000

Eleven University of Wisconsin-Superior students are acquiring real-world experience to educate and prevent bullying at the Superior Middle School Library. Professor Kirsten Lindquist, from the Writing and Library Science Department, partnered this Academic Service-Learning project with the Superior Middle School for her Library Science 310: Young Adult Literature course.

According to recent statistics on bullying, at least 5.7 million children are directly involved in bullying every year - either as bullies or as victims.

UW-Superior students are asked to identify and discuss issues and trends relevant to young adults and young adult literature including: diversity, gender, disabilities, censorship, and resistant readers. Students will be completing five projects with the middle school students. Thus far, the UW-Superior students have interviewed the middle schoolers on their reading habits, gave a presentation on bullying, and presented 'booktalks.' They will next lead a discussion on a book that focuses on bullying and then create a booktrailer.

Every half an hour, 1 child attempts suicide as a result of being bullied, which
means that the number of children attempting suicide as a result of being
bullied is 19,000 children every year.

Casja Soul, a business major from Phillips, WI, described how this academic service-learning experience will give her skills to help her future career; it opened her eyes to which books might be hits and which might not be as successful when planning to purchase books for a library. It has allowed her to better understand the middle schoolers' thought processes.

The academic service-learning project will help the UW-Superior students to use course materials in a realistic manner; Lindquist described how this will build a broader appreciation of young adult literature and heighten their sense of civic responsibility. While getting this real world experience, UW-Superior students can also use the assignments and projects Lindquist developed with their future classrooms and libraries.

Around 75% of American children are victims of various forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying at some point during schooling.

Krysti Gall, an elementary education major from Duluth, MN, said that while she can learn basic facts and theories in other classes, the real-world experience of going into a classroom and teaching young children has long-term benefits for her career. Gall described how through her experience with the Superior Middle School Library, her eyes were opened to the differing opinions young kids can have towards learning. This knowledge is applicable for her future because, as an aspiring teacher, she knows she will have to communicate on her student's levels. Additionally, she felt it is easier to see and understand why kids read books and what they like; this knowledge is then applied to her UW-Superior assignments.

1 out of 4 teens are bullied.

"I was bullied when I was younger," said Gall, "bullying is not fair to kids. They cannot control what they look like or what they are interested in." People do not realize the effect they can have on others; it can lead to suicide,Gall described. While giving presentations on bullying, Gall said, the young children were able to open up and share about their experiences with bullying.

Soul revealed that she didn't realize she was bullied when she was younger till she participated in this course. This past connection allows her to connect to the middle schoolers and reflect on her future career aspirations at a library.

"Today, bullying is a big problem in schools. Young adult literature helps kids open up about their own experiences through reading books, talking and relating to characters, and realizing they are not the only ones," said Lindquist. She wants to help the middle school students engage in meaningful dialogue about bullying through young adult literature. Bullying, said Lindquist, is a very serious issue that needs to be addressed and stopped before it is too late for kids.

Statistic Sites:
http://www.alicetx.com/news/article_87be339a-5658-11e1-a087-0019bb2963f4.html
http://www.a4kclub.org/get-the-facts/bullying-statistics
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bullying-facts.html

Academic Service-Learning Showcase

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:27:41 +0000

Interested in Academic Service-Learning?

Join us at the Fall Academic Service-Learning Showcase

Where: Yellowjacket Union, Great Rooms A and B

When: Wednesday, December 12, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Cake, coffee and tea will be served to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work of our university staff, faculty, students, and community partners.

Please celebrate with us!

Students write newsletters to promote fresh produce consumption

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:57:13 +0000

At the University of Wisconsin-Superior, faculty-community partnerships have become a successful way to help university students learn course material, while addressing a community need. This semester, Julie Gard, faculty member in the Writing and Library Science Department, is teaching a class in Business and Professional Writing. Her class will be writing newsletters to supplement the Fruit and Vegetable Program, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at Lake Superior Elementary. The purpose of the newsletters is to give parents the support they need to purchase produce for their family.

Nutrition in the Schools

"Fitness and nutrition are a part of me," says Mark Howard, the principal of Lake Superior Elementary. When Lake Superior Elementary received a grant to run the program, he was excited. This program allows children to have fresh produce three times a week - two fruits and one vegetable - during snack time for the school year.

This is the second year of the grant and staff report on the success during school hours. Audrey Welsh, head cook of the school, says, "I've had kids who've only had canned peaches." When these children tasted fresh peaches for the first time, they wanted more.

Encouraging Nutrition at Home

But last year, Howard discovered that when children asked their parents if they could eat the fruits and vegetables presented at school at home, they were unable to do so. Some reasons for this were parents' unfamiliarity with the produce or uncertainty about how to cook it.

How do you address nutrition at home? How can parents be encouraged to purchase an item they rarely use? Welsh asks, "How do you get parents to buy some jicama if they have no idea what that is?"

UW-Superior Students Part of the Solution

It may seem like a challenge, but Howard knew where to turn. He sought the help of the Center for Academic Service-Learning, which connected him to Gard's class.

Gard's class of 36 students, comprised of two sections, will be working on weekly newsletters with nutrition information, recipes, and even riddles that align with produce being introduced that week. Past research has shown that when provided with convenient recipes and information about healthy food, likelihood for purchase and consumption increases.

An Experiential Learning Opportunity for Students

Students will meet course objectives by engaging in professional communication with the school, developing their research skills, and understanding the principles of professional communication through writing. Gard says an important skill is learning to identify and address the needs of their audience. She hopes that they will learn more about gearing their writing toward a particular audience. In this case, it is elementary school students and their parents. She believes this ability is an important part of being an effective professional writer.

Mutually-beneficial Relationship

Howard ends the day by bringing up one of the most well-recognized values of service-learning - the mutual beneficial relationship between university students and community sites. When asked what sparked his interest in seeking university students, he says, "I need 21^st century skills." College students are able to offer the most up-to-date writing tactics.

This newsletter has the potential to improve nutrition at home for children at his school. Gard's students also benefit - she is drawn to the collaboration because it gives her students a chance to apply what they are learning and write real professional documents. It also helps connect students to the community.

"It's a two-way street," Howard says.

Academic Service-Learning Showcase & Awards Ceremony

Mon, 07 May 2012 15:30:09 +0000

The Center for Academic Service-Learning will be honoring faculty and community members at our upcoming showcase & awards ceremony.

We appreciate everyone's

commitment to UW-Superior students and our community.

We hope you can join us!

Tuesday, May 8th

11:30 - 1:00 PM

UW-Superior

Yellowjacket Union Great Room