Teach them how to serve

Higher education institutions play a crucial role in actively engaging students in social sensitisation activities. While organisations must fulfil their corporate social responsibility as mandated by the law, an intriguing and emerging phenomenon among many higher educational institutions today is the intentional engagement of social responsibility.

However, regrettably, there is a noticeable decrease in student participation in society-related extension activities. Service learning could help bridge this gap. Unlike traditional volunteering opportunities, where student involvement may be limited, service learning ensures the active participation of all students in community engagement initiatives.

Service learning—applying students’ knowledge to real-world problems with a meaningful connection to community needs—is a pedagogy that all higher educational institutions must adopt wholeheartedly. Applicable to undergraduate and postgraduate courses, this pedagogical approach offers numerous benefits to students, staff, and institutions. When integrated across various disciplines, service learning helps serve and learn from the community, recognising that knowledge takes diverse forms.

The primary responsibility in higher education is creating and disseminating knowledge while acquiring insights from the community, helping bridge the gap between theoretical teachings and practical applications. Institutions are pivotal in leveraging indigenous knowledge within the community and nurturing a reciprocal learning process.

In addition to academic engagement and a deeper appreciation for knowledge, service learning provides students unique opportunities to develop important life skills. Through hands-on experiences and direct engagement with real-world challenges, students acquire essential 21st-century skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, and communication.

The experiential nature of service learning goes beyond traditional classroom settings, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, equipping them with the skills necessary for success in their future careers and making them responsible, well-rounded individuals in society.

Despite the myriad benefits of service learning, students may still face challenges due to academic commitments. Faculty support is crucial in addressing these challenges. Continuous involvement and encouragement from faculty play a pivotal role in assisting students in identifying suitable community projects, reflecting on their learning, and connecting with organisations aligned with their goals, enabling better results.

Achieving the course outcome

Service learning also helps achieve course outcomes, measures progress, and assesses affective and psychomotor domains, benefiting everyone by enhancing awareness of social issues. Faculty members can revise the syllabus to include relevant topics based on service learning exposure, publish research articles, participate in socially relevant projects, and create innovative assessments of students’ learning through reflective journals, poster design, video presentations, and other art-based evaluations.

Additionally, service learning significantly contributes to higher educational institutions’ visibility and positive image. By actively engaging with communities and organisations addressing real-world issues, institutions showcase their commitment to social responsibility, building a positive image with the public. Through service learning initiatives, institutions can be recognised as agents of positive change.

Research collaboration and networking opportunities further amplify the benefits of service learning. Institutions that embrace service learning can create avenues for collaboration with community organisations, governmental bodies, and non-governmental entities, enhancing the institution’s ability to address complex societal challenges effectively. The potential for research collaboration increases as faculty and students delve into real-world problems, generating valuable insights and solutions.

The international dimension of service learning opens doors for institutions to network with universities and organisations worldwide. Such collaborations not only enrich the learning experience for students but also align with global perspectives. Networking with international institutions facilitates the exchange of best practices, innovative approaches, and diverse cultural insights, positioning the institution on a global platform and meeting the requirements of international and national funding agencies.

Hence, institutions should actively support student and staff efforts, providing ample opportunities for quality projects, including training, orientation, seed funding, and collaboration with international universities to share best practices. Leaders of institutions can create a conducive atmosphere to foster such learning, recognizing that institutions could make a lasting impact on communities.

Service learning benefits all stakeholders in higher education and aligns with the New Education Policy 2020 thrust, emphasising mandatory community engagement courses. Such initiatives also contribute to institutional rankings in social engagement and the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Considering the current societal situations and needs, all higher educational institutions should seriously consider offering courses on service learning, recognising its critical role in students’ experiential learning and the broader societal impact it brings. The sooner it is understood and implemented, the better for society.

(John J Kennedy is a professor & dean, and Valarmathi is director of the Centre for Service Learning at a university in Bengaluru).