Experiential community service-learning projects promote both intellectual and civic engagement by relating academic learning to solving real-world problems and needs. Experiential community service-learning projects can be held in partnership with external organisations, initiated by external organizations, or even initiated by students themselves. Community services can be interdisciplinary, bring students from different disciplines to work together for the public good. The E3R website introduces the educational theories, assessment, guideline etc about community service. For more details, please visit https://hke3r.cetl.hku.hk/ExpLearn.php?page=1
Community service cases
Integrating disciplines and community service at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
In this case, students from various schools (Engineering, Science, Business) serve as teachers teaching how to build an underwater robot to an identified community group (e.g. primary and secondary school students/students with special needs, etc.). An experiential learning opportunity integrating community service and project works has been created for these students to develop their problem-solving skills, sense of social responsibility and collaboration skills. The project is accompanied by a series of innovative assessment methods including self-reflection, peer evaluation and email reports.
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Developing Solutions for Community Projects at La Trobe University
Students from different disciplines undertake a group community project or an individual project that links to research in humanities and social sciences. Through the activities of symposium/ workshop, online modules, and community projects, students are expected to enhance their communication, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork collaboration skills.
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Rebuilding a Sichuan Community with Knowledge and Skills at the University of Hong Kong
Engineering students of the University of Hong Kong were given an opportunity to travel to Sichuan in a real-world construction community service project. Apart from using knowledge and skills to help victims of the Sichuan earthquake, the project enables students to encounter an authentic work environment while rebuilding a school. Students also develop generic competencies in interacting with different stakeholders of the project, and develop intellectual and civic engagement in solving social problems.
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Experiencing Social Issues through Community Internships at the University of Hong Kong
Local or overseas internship opportunities are offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong for students to gain practical experience working in the real world, to enhance students' understanding of social issues and allow students to establish a network of community service learning partnerships. Through the course, students are expected to demonstrate their awareness of local or global issues related to their experience, and develop strategies to enhance social development and promote social innovation.
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Integrating Academic Knowledge in Community Service at Lingnan University
Service learning courses at Lingnan University combines lecture learning with fieldwork practice within the course design. While conducting service learning with community projects, students can contextualise social issues in the real-world context, and cultivate understanding of core issues and debates about their field of study. Logical opinions and sounds judgements can be made, along with the development of critical assesment of social issues, contemporary practices in their profession, and the application of classroom-learnt theories in the real world.
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Learning about Governance from Community Needs at the University of the Free State
This module in the University of the Free State’s B.A. Governance and Political Transformation program combines the efforts of community partners, service providers (i.e., the government), and the school (i.e., faculty and students) that gives students opportunities to discover needs and issues in the community. Learning outcomes cover intellectual and theoretical objectives, interpersonal and life skill objectives, and workplace skills and applied knowledge. Students are encouraged in citizen particilation through community service learning and gain knowledge, and experience of their workstation.
