From Contemplation to
Commitment:
Framing the First-Year ServiceLearning Experience Presented by
Dr. Dawn Duncan
Dr. Joan Kopperud
Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota
SERVICE-LEARNING
…a teaching and learning method that
upholds a commitment to appreciating
the assets of and serving the needs of
a community partner while enhancing
student learning and academic rigor
through the practice of intentional,
reflective thinking and responsible
civic action.
Four Traits that Characterize
Service-Learning
 Commitment to community
partnership
 Learning and academic rigor
 Intentional, reflective thinking
 Practice of civic responsibility
THE CARC CYCLE
Contemplation
Action
Reflection
Commitment
CONTEMPLATION
to deliberate
consciously about the
challenges, needs, and
expectations of the
service experience
 prior to each session
 structured opportunities
 objectives and questions
Forming Public Judgment
Brainstorm issues at your school or in the
wider local area that are currently in the
news or being debated. Which of these
issues do you need to learn more about?
Make a plan for how you can become more
informed on this issue so that you might
reach a positive public judgment. Follow
through with the plan and begin a course of
action based on your judgment. Document
this entire process and share it with at least
three other people.
ACTION
the on-site work
undertaken with
community partners in
order to meet learning
and serving objectives
 physical labor
 intellectual skills
 social and/or emotional
support
Action Log




Date
Time
Service provided
Partner’s signature
REFLECTION
the lens through which
you think critically
about the experience,
deeply considering how
the action intentionally
links to specific
learning goals
 physical situation
 intellectual stretching
 social/emotional dimensions
Creative Non-Fiction:
A Day in the Life…
Think back over your entire service-learning
experience. Select one day around which you may
shape a creative non-fiction short story. Perhaps
reviewing your journal entries may help you make
your selection. Recall the literary elements that are
present in all well constructed stories.






characters
point of view
setting
plot/conflict
theme
audience
COMMITMENT
a disciplined effort to
act upon your belief in
the communal
necessity of service
and in the benefits it
affords all involved
 moving to a deeper level
 additional investigation
 planning for future service
Creating a Personal Manifesto
Identify some social aspect that deeply
concerns you because of a value you hold
dearly. What do you think are the
underlying issues surrounding the problem?
What life skills do you need to develop to
address these issues? How will these skills
translate into concrete action? Use the
graphic organizer to critically think through
the issue(s) and your response.
Manifesto (Graphic Organizer)
Issue, Cause,
or
Underlying
Issues
Life Skills to
Develop
Concrete
Steps to
Take
My purchases can have
environmental impacts.
Understanding how to
purchase products that
are not harmful to the
environment.
Purchasing locally-grown
organic food Consume
less. Purchase 2nd hand.
Educate myself about
which food is less
harmful for the
environment.
My purchases can have
an impact on the lives
of those who produce
the products I purchase.
Understanding that my
purchases can have
dramatic social and
economic effects on
people around the world.
Purchase Fair Trade
products. Educate
myself about socially
responsible companies.
THE CARC CYCLE
Contemplation
Action
Reflection
Commitment
…using a journal approach
For further information on the ideas
presented at this session, see The
Service-Learning Companion by
Duncan & Kopperud, Houghton Mifflin.
Available June 2007.
Go to http://college.hmco.com/ and
search under “Duncan” to order an
exam copy and view sample material.