/SLS2940Summer2011CourseSylla

SLS 2940 – SERVICE LEARNI NG IN THE DOMIN ICAN REPUBL IC Summer 2011 Time: July 2-12, 2012 plus orientation & debriefing meetings Location: La Cucarita, Dominican Republic Professors: Christie Pickeral Room 1-163, Osceola Campus 407-582-4092 or 407-299-5000 ext. 4092 cpickeral@atlas.valenciacc.edu Kevin Mulholland Room 1-222, Osceola Campus 407 582 4109 or 407 299 5000 ext. 4109 kmulholland@atlas.valenciacc.edu Pleasefeel free to contact either instructor with any questions. If you need to contact someone between June 28 and July 2 you must contact Kevin Mulholland.

Course Description: This is a planned service learning experience that focuseson three hallmarks: service, leadership, and scholarship. This course provides students with faculty-directed practical service experiences in a community setting. Each credit earned for Service Learning experience requires a minimum of 20 hours of community service. Multiple credit course. May be repeated for a maximum of 4 credits, but grade forgivenesscannot be applied.

Specifically, Valencia students will design, develop, and implement the science camp for the youth of La Cucarita, Dominican Republic while learning about the lifestyle of a mountain community.

Course Outcomes: Academics: Students will improve their higher order thinking skills; analysis and understanding of complex problems related to poverty in the Dominican Republic.

Civic Engagement: Students will gain understanding for daily lives, strengths, and similarities.

Personal: Students will experience personal growth through challenges and will develop new skills Pre-professional: Students will connect service to future career possibilities

Class Policies: Students will be expected to conform to the Valencia Student Code of Conduct and respect all the rules and restrictions of being part of a service learning project.

Course Requirements: Students will attend all the orientation and debriefing sessions listed below and spend 10 days in the Dominican Republic Dates 5/13

Location Valencia

Learning Activities • Orientation & Overview

Instructional Format • Lecture/Discussion/Reading

5/27

Valencia

• Discuss& Develop Service Plan

• Discussion/Small Group Work

6/10

Valencia

• Finalize Service Plan

• Discussion Small Groups

6/24

Mission Office

• Pre-Departure Orientation

• Lecture/Discussion

7/3

La Cucarita

• Travel to village

• Discussion & reflection of transportation methods

7/4 to 7/7

La Cucarita

• Conduct Science Camp for youth

• Student lead camp activities

• Interact with community members

• Daily journal

• Informal conversations • Daily reflection discussions

7/9

Santo Domingo

• Tour Santo Domingo to gain historical perspective of current conditions

• Tour/lecture/discussion

7/22

Valencia

• Final Reflection

• Discussion

Students will plan and deliver elements of a science curriculum to the students of La Cucarita.

While they are in the Dominican Republic, they will write a daily journal and a daily discussion/reflection.

On their return, students will write a final paper to include sections on: 1. Learning about poverty in La Cucarita, 2. The lives of the residents 3. Personal growth experience by the participant 4. Connections of this experience to future career/service opportunities.

This paper will be due on July 22.