The University of Hawaii and the community colleges have many opportunities for students to earn credit by working in the community. UH institute encourages
Service learning in Palolo
service-learning in classBy Treena Shapiro
tshapiro@starbulletin.com
On April 6, UH-Manoa will host an Institute for Service Learning that will discuss some of the service-learning initiatives already in place and encourage more faculty to incorporate service learning in their classrooms.
One project is Adopt an Ahupua'a, which gives students a hands-on education in traditional Hawaiian use of land and water, ethnic botany and the environment.
Other projects include helping elderly immigrants and refugees prepare for the naturalization test. Some students read to younger children for a literacy project.
"The general idea is that you learn while you're serving in the community and you use what you learn in the classroom," said ethnic studies lecturer Ulla Hasager, who is in charge of the institute.
Bringing UH and other communities together also helps make college seem more accessible to young people who otherwise may not have considered it, Hasager said.
Members of a teen club working with UH students on a service project are "talking about going to college as if it's a natural thing, so it's a beginning," Hasager said.
The goal of the April 6 institute is to generate interest in developing more service learning projects at UH-Manoa.
"We'd like to see service learning become a requirement in the core curriculum," said ethnic studies chairman Dean Alegado.
The institute is free and open to the public. It includes free breakfast, lunch and refreshments and a complimentary service learning curriculum tool kit.
Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. at the UH Campus Center executive dining room.
University of Hawaii
