Introduction
Apart from Service Learning at Cal State East Bay University being a school requirement to meet the GE rule, it is a way in which students contribute their skills and knowledge to the community to make a difference in the lives of residents. Service Learning is based on the belief that students should get their purpose in class but their actions should be reflected in society. This makes them achieve the overall objective of education of making learners better people in the community by allowing them to apply what they learn in class.
Main text
This method of learning has been acknowledged for its ability to instill knowledge into students by actively involving them in activities of the community which is relevant to what they are doing in class (course work). This process enables learners not only to meet their GE requirement but also to offer constructive criticism to public policy as well as make them acquire a feeling of responsibility.
One of the important features of this method of learning lies in its ability to meet the needs of the student as well as those of the organization which accepts them. This enables students to connect strongly with the context of the course so that they can know how best to apply knowledge earned in class to satisfy the needs of the community. More so, the hours allocated for the program (20-80 hours) give students ample time to learn everything about the program.
After joining the university, students should expect a lot of bureaucracy at all levels, a variety of concurrently running programs, a complex system of promotion, extreme diversity in the university’s vicinity regarding people’s authority, disciplines, roles, authority, and so on.
One of the objectives of the program is to ensure that at the end of it, students can prove a deep understanding of the course. This will be demonstrated by being able to make constructive arguments that display proper audience awareness. In addition, students should be able to put to test the practical content of the course covered in class as theory.
Moreover, by being deployed directly in the community, students should understand and adapt to diversity in the community. By doing this, students should be able to engage the public creatively and without prejudice.
At the end of the course, therefore, students should have an understanding of social responsibility and the discipline related to public policy.
At the university, students will be able to access limited opportunities for funding their projects. To come up with such a project, students need to have an open sense. They should do a thorough homework about check restrictions. This is because possible funders are very strict with the allocation of their resources hence students should endeavor to draw projects which meet donor requirements.
Conclusion
This program endeavors to achieve the University’s mission through supporting activities aimed at promoting leadership among learners to identify community needs and fulfill them. As stated earlier, students who go through the program not only meet their GE course requirement but also earn necessary skills which make people successful in societies that are democratic. They are empowered to offer constructive criticism, give solutions to existing problems, work with others in a team as well as appreciate diversity. Therefore, this is a program that is resourceful to the community, students, and the department through a partnership between University and the community.