This project, if it meets the objectives, will fulfill the experiential learning component of the course. You will use the knowledge and critical thinking and technology skills acquired in this course to perform some community service, such as mentoring and teaching,  related to the technology knowledge and skills you will learn or build upon in this course. 

You will be making an agreement with the Center for Service and Leadership and with your professor to perform the necessary course work and community service to qualify for your one credit of  experiential learning, a required part of this course.  One credit of experiential learning requires 45 contact hours of work. You will sign a "Service-Learning Partners Agreement" and submit a copy to your professor.  You will also submit a proposal, after review by your class members and your professor, to the organization for which you will be performing the technology service.  You will evaluate your performance and your group members', and write a reflective essay on your experience.

    Objectives of experiential learning project:

• gain workplace experience and extend the learning experience beyond the classroom walls
• engage in responsible citizenship by providing a service to a non-profit organization
• enhance critical thinking and evaluation skills
• acquire new and build upon current technology skills
• build upon research and analytical skills
• work with design principles
• build upon communication and group work skills
• work with clients

Possible experiential learning activities to fulfill your 45 hour requirements:

 

- tutoring adults or children on Internet skills such as:  Internet research (and evaluating credibility) for a variety of purposes Web publishing graphics manipulation playing educational games on the Internet - research educational and fun activities for children (and compiling a list of resources) - research information related to the organization's needs  - instruct how to use various computer programs - create "how-to" documentation for which you see a need. - or a combination of these activities and related skills If you can come up with other viable activities, or the client has suggested other activities, please feel free to propose them for approval.

You will need to ascertain if you have the skills to perform the service, find out if any hands-outs/ guides are required , find out what software and hardware the organization has for your service learning experience, work out a schedule to perform the service, and do appropriate research as required. Is the time frame workable?  Is it possible to get all 45 hours doing this activity?

Develop a  plan.  Set realistic expectations for your technology and communication skills,  presentation skills, and instructional skills.  Outline a realistic date and time frame.

After you set up preliminary expectations - both yours and the client's, do some brainstorming, develop your strategy and formulate your proposal.

Your proposal should have appropriate headings, for example,  the recipient/s of the proposal and position/s with the organization; title of proposal. 

Provide as much information as you can, in a concise, edited format, to help the organization decide whether or not to accept your proposal.

The proposal must be presented to appropriate representatives of the organization for approval. The group will discuss and design appropriate proposal formats, to be approved by your professor.

Keep a journal/log:  You will also be required to keep a journal about your experiential learning experience.  The journal will be a good resource when you document your work. Record all of your work, time spent, what you did (meetings, planning, editing, writing, publishing, travel, how this work complements your course work and vice versa, what you learnied, what you might have done differently.  This will help you write your reports.

Report: After the project is over,  you will write a report, reflecting on what you learned and what you might have done differently. You will also write an evaluation of your experience  for the Center for Service and Leadership.