Principles of Good Practice

Excerpted from Howard, Jeffrey, ed., Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning: Service-Learning Course Design Workbook, University of Michigan: OCSL Press, Summer 2001 pp. 16–19.

The following ten principles were created by Jeffrey Howard for the Michigan Journal of Community Service in 2001. Howard believes that, in order to fully understand and authentically integrate service-learning into coursework, faculty must adhere to each of these principles equally.

1. Grades are assigned for classroom activities, not the service activity
2. Do not compromise academic rigor
3. Establish learning objectives
4. Establish criteria for service placements
5. Use educationally sound learning strategies
6. Prepare students for learning from the community
7. Minimize distinction between the community learning and classroom learning
8. Rethink the faculty instructional role
9. Prepare for variation in student learning outcomes
10. Maximize community responsibility of the course

Extended Version of the Principles of Good Practice for Service-Learning Pedagogy