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Service-Learning Model

Generally, there are three models of service-learning at Loyola:

  • Placement - You are expected to find a community organization with which to serve or your professor will provide you with a list of acceptable organizations where you can serve.
  • Project - You will work with your peers in the classroom to generate a product for a community organization.
  • Education/Advocacy - Your class works on an education or advocacy campaign that informs the community or advances a cause.

In each of these models, a fundamental goal is to connect your service experience with the classroom content.  Your professor will have assignments and reflection activities that will help you make these connections.

As you serve, consider the following components of service-learning:

  • Encounter - Be open to building relationships with individuals you meet as you serve.
  • Engage - Consider the context (historical, political, economic, socio-cultural) as you serve and think about how your service is part of the broader dynamic of Chicago's communities.
  • Common Good - Be mindful of how service and action in our communities can build both equity and access so that all might participate in the gifts of creation.
  • Transformation - Be open to new perspectives and ideas that may transform the way you think about your personal, career, and civic development.

Documenting in LOCUS

Documenting your service learning requires three steps:

1. Complete the Learning Agreement Form

The Learning Agreement 2023-2024 is four pages:

  • PAGE 1 contains info about YOU and your class.  Fill this out and give it to whoever will be supervising you in your volunteer work or internship.
  • PAGE 2 (back of page 1) contains general information for volunteer or internship supervisors.
  • PAGE 3 contains info about where you'll be serving/working as an intern.  Fill this out with your supervisor, get him/her to sign it, copy this information into LOCUS, and then give this page back to your professor.
  • PAGE 4 (back of page 3) contains general information for course instructors in experiential learning courses.

2. Record Engaged Learning in LOCUS

Some of the information you enter in LOCUS will also appear on your official transcript associated with your engaged learning class(es). Failure to document could result in  a failure to receive engaged learning credit.

You can easily and quickly create a LOCUS record by following the instructions in the LOCUS Student Engaged Learning Tutorial.

If you need help crafting a good learning objective for your engaged learning record, check out the CELTS's Learning Objective Worksheet! 

3. Document Your Service Hours

Most service-learning courses require that students spend a minimum of 20-25 hours in service at a partner site. If professotrs ask you to document your hours and the nature of your service each time you serve at your chosen site, you can use this Hours Log.  Turn this into to your professor when you have completed the required number of hours.