Topics in International Service-learning

Week 6 (Feb 10^th) – Interactions between host communities and students conducting service learning

Objective:

By the end of the session, students will have heard from two different speakers, Leah Walker and Maika Tshimbalanga, on the interactions between host communities and students participating in service learning. Final presentation proposals will be verbally reviewed and agreed on by the class and Dr. Shafik Dharamsi.

Bridge:

From the speakers, students will be better equipped to evaluate student-host community interactions as well as gain a more informed perspective on ISL from the host community perspective.

Engaging the Group:

Activities (in order of how they will be carried out):

• 9:00: Leah Walker, from the division of Aboriginal People’s health at UBC, will discuss how better interactions between service learning participants and host communities can occur.
• 10:00-10:50: Maika Tshimbalanga, raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and previous Executive Director of Women Against Rape, will speak on the perspective of host communities on the emergence of students conducting service work.
• 10:50-11:00: Ten minute break
• 11:00-11:05: Assignment of final presentation dates. Discussion on whether or not to include project recommendations in the final project.
• 11:05-11:50: Presentation of and discussion surrounding final project proposal
  • Student presentation: 2 min each (the organization, project, how the areas sustainability, ethics, and intercultural sensitivities are present, proposed approach to presenting the project)
  • Class and faculty sponsor (Dr. Shafik Dharamsi) response: 4 min each

For each person to bring to class:

• ACAC Policy and Discussion Report  (e-mailed last week)
• Two paragraph participation description (to be initialed for completion)
• Calendar/agenda, or a list of dates, if any, that you would prefer not to present your final presentation (available dates: March 24, 31, April 7).
• Oral presentation/summary of final project presentation (see above)
• To do before class: E-mail Dr. Dharamsi (shafik.dharamsi@familymed.ubc.ca) a copy of Journal #4 by 9 AM, Wednesday.
• Assign journaling assignment #5: reflection and response to presenters.
• Final Project: begin research, gathering sources, and brainstorming over reading break.

Closing/Summary:

• Assign journaling assignment #5: reflection and response to presenters.
• Final Project: begin research, gathering sources, and brainstorming over reading break.

Week 5 (Feb 3^rd) – Applying critical analysis to case studies and experience of international engagement participants.

Objective:

By the end of the session, students will be able to apply what they have learned thus far in the course, including ethics and motivation for ISL participation as well as the need for community engagement and project longevity, to critically evaluate case studies and experience of international engagement participants.

Bridge:

From these exercises, the students will develop critical analysis tools for the final project, in which they will unpack the ISL experiences that are currently available.

Engaging the Group:

Activities (in order of how they will be carried out):

• 9:00: Hand in completed suggestions for class participation.  Suggestions will be separated according to name of each participant and distributed.
• 9:05-9:55: Case study analysis
  • 9:05-9:15: Case Study discussion in pairs (2 people will be the only ones presenting their case studies-they will pair up and talk about the scenario)
  • 9:15-9:55: Cast Study presentation (2 minute presentation and 8 minute discussion)
  • 10:00-11:00: Presentation from ISL Returnees and discussion
  • 11:00-11:10: Ten minute break
  • 11:10-11:50: Presentation by Dr. Shafik Dharamsi on his experience with Aga Khan Development Network

For each person to bring to class:

• 1 question for each presenter, using the discussion and questions from the MacLean’s article as a guide
• Monique’s summary of the Aga Khan Development network
• Assign journaling assignment #4: reflect on the case studies, or the presenters.
• Write 2 paragraph entry (one paragraph on each goal) on the two suggestions that you will work on, and a detailed plan on how you will achieve it.  Completion will be credited to 1% of participation grade.
• Assign Final Project: come up with a plan of which organization/project you will work on, and a brief proposal for a short oral presentation next week.

Closing/Summary:

• Assign journaling assignment #4: reflect on the case studies, or the presenters.
• Write 2 paragraph entry (one paragraph on each goal) on the two suggestions that you will work on, and a detailed plan on how you will achieve it.  Completion will be credited to 1% of participation grade.
• Assign Final Project: come up with a plan of which organization/project you will work on, and a brief proposal for a short oral presentation next week.

http://www.gapminder.org/videos/200-years-that-changed-the-world/

Check it out!

Week 4 (Jan 27^th) – Applying ethics and critical analysis to case studies and the motivations surrounding ISL.

Objective:

By the end of the session, students will be able to apply what they have learned in ethics to critically evaluate case studies and real-life scenarios. Further, through discussions of the assigned MACLEAN’s article, students will discuss and evaluate different motivations of students going on ISL.

Bridge:

The participation grading rubric is agreed to in this class will be adhered to throughout the rest of the course.

Engaging the Group:

Activities (in order of how they will be carried out):

• 9:00: Hand in (ie. obtain initials) on completed journal entry #3. Completion of entries will be logged.
• 9:05-9:30: Debrief from last week’s ethics presenters
• 9:30-10:10: Discuss the article “Saving the World and Me” (MACLEAN’s)
• 10:10-10:20: Ten minute break
• 10:20-10:40: Yan presents participation rubric. Any adjustments are made, and it is agreed upon by the class.
• 10:40-11:50: Case study critical analysis
  • 10:40-10:50: Individual analysis
  • 10:50-11:05: Discussion of case study with assigned pair
  • 11:05-11:50: Each pair presents and class discusses case study (5 min presentation, 10 minute discussion)

For each person to bring to class:

• Your copy of the MACLEAN’s article “Saving the World and Me” (with (a) one point that struck you as interesting, and (b) a question for the class to discuss) and the class outline (this paper)
• Assign journaling assignment #4: TBA

Closing/Summary:

• Assign journaling assignment #4: TBA

Week 3 (Jan 20^th) – Development of Final Presentation Grading Rubric, Applicability of Ethics and Sustainability in International Service-Learning

Objective:

By the end of the session, the class should establish a preliminary grading rubric with major criteria for evaluation, as well as the distribution of grades that are allotted to each.  Further, the class will begin for formulate a set of sub-categories for each of the major criteria.

From the keynote speaker Dr. Sylvia Berryman, students will gain insight on ethics and sustainability in working with communities in her experience as program director Global Citizenship Term Abroad.

From the keynote speaker Dr. Patricia Rodney, students will gain an insight on applied ethics in various situations, including how codes of ethics are constructed, how their applicability can change in contexts, and how certain ethical approaches can be evaluated and resolved.

Bridge:

The grading rubric for the journal entries and final project that are agreed to in this class will be adhered to throughout the rest of the course. The ethical and sustainable considerations presented by the guest lecturers will become part of the student’s learning experience and evaluated during his/her final presentation.

Engaging the Group:

Activities (in order of how they will be carried out):

• 9:00: Hand in (ie. obtain initials) on completed journal entry #2. Completion of entries will be logged.
• 9:05-9:55: Continuing on grading rubric for final presentation.
• 9:55-10:00: Break and set-up for Dr. Berryman
• 10:00-11:00: Special presentation by Dr. Berryman
• 11:00-11:02: Set-up for Dr. Rodney
• 11:00-12:00: Special presentation by Dr. Rodney

Resources needed:

• 8 copies of the presentation slides from Dr. Rodney
• Projector and laptop
• Assign journaling assignment: Reflect on the presentations.  How do you feel ethics and sustainability play into community engagement in an international setting? (1 page, handed in next week)

Closing/Summary:

• Assign journaling assignment: Reflect on the presentations.  How do you feel ethics and sustainability play into community engagement in an international setting? (1 page, handed in next week)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/opinion/14kidder.html

“Fortunately, it also offers a solid model for independence — a model where only a handful of Americans are involved in day-to-day operations, and Haitians run the show. Efforts like this could provide one way for Haiti, as it rebuilds, to renew the promise of its revolution.”

What do you think?

@ Marine Drive Residences-check it out!!

http://sustainubc.wordpress.com/

https://blogs.ubc.ca/ethicsofisl/eiesl-code-of-conduct/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml

Sample project: Kuwasha

http://www.kuwasha.org/

Week 2 (Jan 13^th) – Introduction to Ethics, Formation of Grading Rubrics, Discussion on ISL

Objective:

By the end of the session, students will be able to understand from the keynote speaker, Dr. Shafik Dharamsi, what ethics is to a level where it can be used to analyze existing ISL models. A grading rubric will be created and agreed upon by students and coordinators for the journal entries (with the help of Dr. Dharamsi) as well as the final project. Further, through discussions of the assigned ISL paper, students will summarize their assigned portions to the class and a discussion will ensue.

Bridge:

The grading rubric for the journal entries and final project that are agreed to in this class will be adhered to throughout the rest of the course.

Engaging the Group:

Activities (in order of how they will be carried out):

• 9:00: Hand in (ie. obtain initials) on completed journal entry #1. Completion of entries will be logged.
• 9:05-9:50: Discuss ISL paper assigned last week
• 9:50-10:40: Introduction to Ethics presentation
• 10:40-10:45: Five minute break
• 10:45-11:00: Presentation and feedback on grading rubric for journal entries from Dr. Dharamsi
• 11:00-11:50: Create and agree on grading rubric for final presentation project as a class

For each person to bring to class:

• Your copy of both “Theoretical Foundations of International Service-Learning” and the class outline (this paper)
• Any previous copies (from other courses) of grading rubrics for presentations
• Assign journaling assignment: Do you think everyone has a different benchmark for what they consider “ethical”? Are there some fundamental standards for participation in ISL that you feel are absolutely necessary, regardless of what project you participate in? If so, can you come up with two or three ethical standards that support this, with examples?
  

Closing/Summary:

Please note the change of classroom location, and meet at 9:00 AM in GEOG 101.