Last updated on October 10, 2019
Service learning is a great idea because it allows students to connect their service in the community with a particular learning objective in the classroom. That’s right — by donating your time to your community, you can also earn college credit toward your degree.
Why Is Service Learning Important?
Service learning is important because it’s an educational approach that combines learning objectives with community service in order to provide a pragmatic, progressive learning experience while meeting a community’s needs. Service learning is not the same as community service or volunteering. It’s a transformative learning experience that:
- makes a connection between service objectives and academic objectives
- is based on a reciprocal relationship in which you are learning and serving simultaneously, thus reinforcing the benefits of both
- offers an opportunity for students to apply new skills to real-life situations in their own communities
- allows students structured opportunities to reflect on their experiences
- helps students earn academic credit by demonstrating what they have learned rather than just putting in hours
It’s not just about volunteering — it often requires skilled workers who are looking for a structured learning experience.
2017 Service Learning Opportunities & Fairs
Service learning fairs can be a great opportunity to show up in person and learn more about which organization might be the best fit for you. Here are the fairs coming up in 2017 at the colleges of DCCCD.
Cedar Valley in Lancaster
Tuesday, Sept. 5
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
C & B building, 2nd floor
Eastfield in Mesquite
Wednesday, Sept. 6
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Lower C building (“The Pit”)
North Lake in Irving
Thursday, Sept. 7
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
J building
Brookhaven in Farmers Branch
Tuesday, Sept. 12
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
S building lobby
Richland in Richardson/Garland
Wednesday, Sept. 13
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
El Paso hallway
El Centro in downtown Dallas
Tuesday, Sept. 19
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Student Center
Ready to build your resume and your GPA through serving your community?
Enroll in Service Learning at DCCCD
- Can’t make it to one of the events listed above? Check out some of the agencies we work with that help make this program a success.
- So… what kind of time commitment are we talking here? Check out the student timetable to get an idea of the class structure for spring 2017.
- Not what you’re looking for? Find our degrees, certificates and other programs on our website, or check out some of our other blog posts.