service learning essay

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What is Service-Learning?

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When searching for definitions of service-learning in the literature or on the web, you will find hundreds of definitions. However, most definitions include many of the same components.

A brief, simple definition of service-learning: “Service, combined with learning, adds value to each and transforms both.” (Honnet & Poulsen, 1989, p.1)

SOURCE'S Preferred Definition of Service-Learning

From Community-Campus Partnership for Health (CCPH): Service-learning is a structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and reflection. Students engaged in service-learning provide community service in response to community-identified concerns and learn about the context in which service is provided, the connection between their service and their academic coursework, and their roles as citizens.

Service-learning differs from traditional clinical education in the health professions in that:

• Service-learning strives to achieve a balance between service and learning objectives - in service-learning, partners must negotiate the differences in their needs and ex-pectations.
• Service-learning places an emphasis on addressing community concerns and broad determinants of health
• In service-learning, there is the integral involvement of community partners - service-learning involves a principle-centered partnership between communities and health professions schools.
• Service-learning emphasizes reciprocal learning - In service-learning, traditional definitions of "faculty," "teacher" and "learner" are intentionally blurred. We all learn from each other.
• Service-learning emphasizes reflective practice - In service-learning, reflection facilitates the connection between practice and theory and fosters critical thinking.
• Service-learning places an emphasis on developing citizenship skills and achieving social change - many factors influence health and quality of life. The provision of health services is not often the most important factor. In service-learning, students place their roles as health professionals and citizens in a larger societal context.

(Citation: Seifer SD. (1998). Service-learning: Community-campus partnerships for health professions education. Academic Medicine, 73(3):273-277.)

Important Elements of Service-Learning

From the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse:

• A form of experiential education
• Addresses human and community issues and needs
• Learning occurs through active participation in  thoughtfully organized service
• Includes  structured reflection  linking experience to learning
• Coordinated in true collaboration with the community
• Links to curriculum and/or co-curriculum but must include structured time for reflection
• Leads to acquisition of new skills, knowledge, leadership and a sense of caring and social responsibility

Types of Service-Learning

Co-curricular service-learning.

Students engage in thoughtfully planned service that meets a community-identified need.  Meaningful, structured reflection on the needs of the community, service and its impact on personal values is an important aspect of cultivating an effective service-learning experience.

Academic Service-Learning

Anchored in a specific course, faculty and students work to meet a community need and advance their understanding of course content.  Structured reflection is integrated into the curriculum to foster connections between their service, the curriculum of the class, and its impact on their personal values and community engagement.

What Service-Learning is Not

• An add-on to an existing curriculum
• An episodic volunteer program
• Logging a set number of community service hours in order to graduate
• Compensatory service assigned as a form of punishment by the courts or by school administrators
• Only for high school or college students
• One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community

Community-Campus Partnerships for Health

Service Learning.  http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/servicelearningres.html Honnet, E.P., & Poulsen, S. (1989).  Principles of good practice in combining service and learning.  Wingspread Special Report. 

Racine WI:  The Johnson Foundation.National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

Service-Learning Is…  http://www.servicelearning.org/what_is_service-learning/service-learning_is/index.php#rsrcs

TOOLKIT HOMEPAGE            NEXT SECTION: Elements of Thoughtful Service

Service Learning

An Innovative Pedagogy for the Psychology Curriculum

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• Robert G. Bringle 5 ,
• Roger N. Reeb 6 ,
• Luzelle Naudé 7 ,
• Ana I. Ruiz 8 &
• Faith Ong 9  

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

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Service learning (SL) is a high-impact pedagogy that integrates academic material, relevant community-based service activities, and critical reflection to achieve academic, social responsibility, and personal learning objectives in order to develop psychologically literate citizens. SL enhances knowledge and fosters social responsibility in students to democratically address challenges in diverse societies. SL rests on the sound pedagogical principles of active and experiential learning. This chapter focuses on the undergraduate psychology major; however, similar principles can be applied to other educational levels. Reaching educational goals is contingent on applying 11 essential elements to SL course design, implementation, and assessment, from establishing partnerships with the community to designing student reflection activities and celebrating their learning. This chapter highlights themes and issues in research, core findings, and trends, as well as challenges, lessons learned, and implications for learning, teaching, and community engagement. Finally, key resources are identified for SL.

• Civic learning
• Socially responsive knowledge
• Community partnerships
• Participatory community action research

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Robert G. Bringle

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Bringle, R.G., Reeb, R.N., Naudé, L., Ruiz, A.I., Ong, F. (2023). Service Learning. In: Zumbach, J., Bernstein, D.A., Narciss, S., Marsico, G. (eds) International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28745-0_61

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write a great community service essay.

College Admissions , Extracurriculars

Are you applying to a college or a scholarship that requires a community service essay? Do you know how to write an essay that will impress readers and clearly show the impact your work had on yourself and others?

Read on to learn step-by-step instructions for writing a great community service essay that will help you stand out and be memorable.

What Is a Community Service Essay? Why Do You Need One?

A community service essay is an essay that describes the volunteer work you did and the impact it had on you and your community. Community service essays can vary widely depending on specific requirements listed in the application, but, in general, they describe the work you did, why you found the work important, and how it benefited people around you.

Community service essays are typically needed for two reasons:

#1: To Apply to College

• Some colleges require students to write community service essays as part of their application or to be eligible for certain scholarships.
• You may also choose to highlight your community service work in your personal statement.

#2: To Apply for Scholarships

• Some scholarships are specifically awarded to students with exceptional community service experiences, and many use community service essays to help choose scholarship recipients.
• Green Mountain College offers one of the most famous of these scholarships. Their "Make a Difference Scholarship" offers full tuition, room, and board to students who have demonstrated a significant, positive impact through their community service

Getting Started With Your Essay

In the following sections, I'll go over each step of how to plan and write your essay. I'll also include sample excerpts for you to look through so you can get a better idea of what readers are looking for when they review your essay.

Step 1: Know the Essay Requirements

Before your start writing a single word, you should be familiar with the essay prompt. Each college or scholarship will have different requirements for their essay, so make sure you read these carefully and understand them.

Specific things to pay attention to include:

• Length requirement
• Application deadline
• The main purpose or focus of the essay
• If the essay should follow a specific structure

Below are three real community service essay prompts. Read through them and notice how much they vary in terms of length, detail, and what information the writer should include.

From the Equitable Excellence Scholarship:

"Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words."

From the Laura W. Bush Traveling Scholarship:

"Essay (up to 500 words, double spaced) explaining your interest in being considered for the award and how your proposed project reflects or is related to both UNESCO's mandate and U.S. interests in promoting peace by sharing advances in education, science, culture, and communications."

From the LULAC National Scholarship Fund:

"Please type or print an essay of 300 words (maximum) on how your academic studies will contribute to your personal & professional goals. In addition, please discuss any community service or extracurricular activities you have been involved in that relate to your goals."

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Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas

Even after you understand what the essay should be about, it can still be difficult to begin writing. Answer the following questions to help brainstorm essay ideas. You may be able to incorporate your answers into your essay.

• What community service activity that you've participated in has meant the most to you?
• What is your favorite memory from performing community service?
• Why did you decide to begin community service?
• What made you decide to volunteer where you did?
• How has your community service changed you?
• How has your community service helped others?
• How has your community service affected your plans for the future?

You don't need to answer all the questions, but if you find you have a lot of ideas for one of two of them, those may be things you want to include in your essay.

Writing Your Essay

How you structure your essay will depend on the requirements of the scholarship or school you are applying to. You may give an overview of all the work you did as a volunteer, or highlight a particularly memorable experience. You may focus on your personal growth or how your community benefited.

Regardless of the specific structure requested, follow the guidelines below to make sure your community service essay is memorable and clearly shows the impact of your work.

Samples of mediocre and excellent essays are included below to give you a better idea of how you should draft your own essay.

Step 1: Hook Your Reader In

You want the person reading your essay to be interested, so your first sentence should hook them in and entice them to read more. A good way to do this is to start in the middle of the action. Your first sentence could describe you helping build a house, releasing a rescued animal back to the wild, watching a student you tutored read a book on their own, or something else that quickly gets the reader interested. This will help set your essay apart and make it more memorable.

Compare these two opening sentences:

"I have volunteered at the Wishbone Pet Shelter for three years."

"The moment I saw the starving, mud-splattered puppy brought into the shelter with its tail between its legs, I knew I'd do whatever I could to save it."

The first sentence is a very general, bland statement. The majority of community service essays probably begin a lot like it, but it gives the reader little information and does nothing to draw them in. On the other hand, the second sentence begins immediately with action and helps persuade the reader to keep reading so they can learn what happened to the dog.

Step 2: Discuss the Work You Did

Once you've hooked your reader in with your first sentence, tell them about your community service experiences. State where you work, when you began working, how much time you've spent there, and what your main duties include. This will help the reader quickly put the rest of the essay in context and understand the basics of your community service work.

Not including basic details about your community service could leave your reader confused.

Step 3: Include Specific Details

It's the details of your community service that make your experience unique and memorable, so go into the specifics of what you did.

For example, don't just say you volunteered at a nursing home; talk about reading Mrs. Johnson her favorite book, watching Mr. Scott win at bingo, and seeing the residents play games with their grandchildren at the family day you organized. Try to include specific activities, moments, and people in your essay. Having details like these let the readers really understand what work you did and how it differs from other volunteer experiences.

Compare these two passages:

"For my volunteer work, I tutored children at a local elementary school. I helped them improve their math skills and become more confident students."

"As a volunteer at York Elementary School, I worked one-on-one with second and third graders who struggled with their math skills, particularly addition, subtraction, and fractions. As part of my work, I would create practice problems and quizzes and try to connect math to the students' interests. One of my favorite memories was when Sara, a student I had been working with for several weeks, told me that she enjoyed the math problems I had created about a girl buying and selling horses so much that she asked to help me create math problems for other students."

The first passage only gives basic information about the work done by the volunteer; there is very little detail included, and no evidence is given to support her claims. How did she help students improve their math skills? How did she know they were becoming more confident?

The second passage is much more detailed. It recounts a specific story and explains more fully what kind of work the volunteer did, as well as a specific instance of a student becoming more confident with her math skills. Providing more detail in your essay helps support your claims as well as make your essay more memorable and unique.

Step 4: Show Your Personality

It would be very hard to get a scholarship or place at a school if none of your readers felt like they knew much about you after finishing your essay, so make sure that your essay shows your personality. The way to do this is to state your personal strengths, then provide examples to support your claims. Take some time to think about which parts of your personality you would like your essay to highlight, then write about specific examples to show this.

• If you want to show that you're a motivated leader, describe a time when you organized an event or supervised other volunteers.
• If you want to show your teamwork skills, write about a time you helped a group of people work together better.
• If you want to show that you're a compassionate animal lover, write about taking care of neglected shelter animals and helping each of them find homes.

Step 5: State What You Accomplished

After you have described your community service and given specific examples of your work, you want to begin to wrap your essay up by stating your accomplishments. What was the impact of your community service? Did you build a house for a family to move into? Help students improve their reading skills? Clean up a local park? Make sure the impact of your work is clear; don't be worried about bragging here.

If you can include specific numbers, that will also strengthen your essay. Saying "I delivered meals to 24 home-bound senior citizens" is a stronger example than just saying "I delivered meals to lots of senior citizens."

Also be sure to explain why your work matters. Why is what you did important? Did it provide more parks for kids to play in? Help students get better grades? Give people medical care who would otherwise not have gotten it? This is an important part of your essay, so make sure to go into enough detail that your readers will know exactly what you accomplished and how it helped your community.

"My biggest accomplishment during my community service was helping to organize a family event at the retirement home. The children and grandchildren of many residents attended, and they all enjoyed playing games and watching movies together."

"The community service accomplishment that I'm most proud of is the work I did to help organize the First Annual Family Fun Day at the retirement home. My job was to design and organize fun activities that senior citizens and their younger relatives could enjoy. The event lasted eight hours and included ten different games, two performances, and a movie screening with popcorn. Almost 200 residents and family members attended throughout the day. This event was important because it provided an opportunity for senior citizens to connect with their family members in a way they aren't often able to. It also made the retirement home seem more fun and enjoyable to children, and we have seen an increase in the number of kids coming to visit their grandparents since the event."

The second passage is stronger for a variety of reasons. First, it goes into much more detail about the work the volunteer did. The first passage only states that she helped "organize a family event." That really doesn't tell readers much about her work or what her responsibilities were. The second passage is much clearer; her job was to "design and organize fun activities."

The second passage also explains the event in more depth. A family day can be many things; remember that your readers are likely not familiar with what you're talking about, so details help them get a clearer picture.

Lastly, the second passage makes the importance of the event clear: it helped residents connect with younger family members, and it helped retirement homes seem less intimidating to children, so now some residents see their grand kids more often.

Step 6: Discuss What You Learned

One of the final things to include in your essay should be the impact that your community service had on you. You can discuss skills you learned, such as carpentry, public speaking, animal care, or another skill.

You can also talk about how you changed personally. Are you more patient now? More understanding of others? Do you have a better idea of the type of career you want? Go into depth about this, but be honest. Don't say your community service changed your life if it didn't because trite statements won't impress readers.

In order to support your statements, provide more examples. If you say you're more patient now, how do you know this? Do you get less frustrated while playing with your younger siblings? Are you more willing to help group partners who are struggling with their part of the work? You've probably noticed by now that including specific examples and details is one of the best ways to create a strong and believable essay .

"As a result of my community service, I learned a lot about building houses and became a more mature person."

"As a result of my community service, I gained hands-on experience in construction. I learned how to read blueprints, use a hammer and nails, and begin constructing the foundation of a two-bedroom house. Working on the house could be challenging at times, but it taught me to appreciate the value of hard work and be more willing to pitch in when I see someone needs help. My dad has just started building a shed in our backyard, and I offered to help him with it because I know from my community service how much work it is. I also appreciate my own house more, and I know how lucky I am to have a roof over my head."

The second passage is more impressive and memorable because it describes the skills the writer learned in more detail and recounts a specific story that supports her claim that her community service changed her and made her more helpful.

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Step 7: Finish Strong

Just as you started your essay in a way that would grab readers' attention, you want to finish your essay on a strong note as well. A good way to end your essay is to state again the impact your work had on you, your community, or both. Reiterate how you changed as a result of your community service, why you found the work important, or how it helped others.

Compare these two concluding statements:

"In conclusion, I learned a lot from my community service at my local museum, and I hope to keep volunteering and learning more about history."

"To conclude, volunteering at my city's American History Museum has been a great experience. By leading tours and participating in special events, I became better at public speaking and am now more comfortable starting conversations with people. In return, I was able to get more community members interested in history and our local museum. My interest in history has deepened, and I look forward to studying the subject in college and hopefully continuing my volunteer work at my university's own museum."

The second passage takes each point made in the first passage and expands upon it. In a few sentences, the second passage is able to clearly convey what work the volunteer did, how she changed, and how her volunteer work benefited her community.

The author of the second passage also ends her essay discussing her future and how she'd like to continue her community service, which is a good way to wrap things up because it shows your readers that you are committed to community service for the long-term.

What's Next?

Are you applying to a community service scholarship or thinking about it? We have a complete list of all the community service scholarships available to help get your search started!

Do you need a community service letter as well? We have a step-by-step guide that will tell you how to get a great reference letter from your community service supervisor.

Thinking about doing community service abroad? Before you sign up, read our guide on some of the hazards of international volunteer trips and how to know if it's the right choice for you.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Center for Teaching

• What is Service Learning or Community Engagement?

• Benefits of Community Engagement

Models of Community Engagement Teaching

Ways to integrate community engagement into an existing course.

Community engagement pedagogies, often called “service learning,” are ones that combine learning goals and community service in ways that can enhance both student growth and the common good.  In the words of the National Service Learning Clearinghouse , it is “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.”  Or, to quote Vanderbilt University’s Janet S. Eyler (winner of the 2003 Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service Learning) and Dwight E. Giles, Jr., it is

“a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students. . . seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves. In the process, students link personal and social development with academic and cognitive development. . . experience enhances understanding; understanding leads to more effective action.”

Typically, community engagement is incorporated into a course or series of courses by way of a project that has both learning and community action goals.  This project is designed via collaboration between faculty and community partners, such as non-governmental organizations or government agencies.  The project asks students to apply course content to community-based activities.  This gives students experiential opportunities to learn in real world contexts and develop skills of community engagement, while affording community partners opportunities to address significant needs. Vanderbilt University’s Sharon Shields has argued that service learning is “one of the most significant teaching methodologies gaining momentum on many campuses.” Indeed, when done well, teaching through community engagement benefits students, faculty, communities, and institutions of higher education. Below are some of the benefits that education researchers and practitioners have associated with community engaged teaching.

Student Benefits of Community Engagement

Learning outcomes.

• Positive impact on students’ academic learning
• Improves students’ ability to apply what they have learned in “the real world”
• Positive impact on academic outcomes such as demonstrated complexity of understanding, problem analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, and cognitive development
• Improved ability to understand complexity and ambiguity

Personal Outcomes

• Greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual growth, and moral development
• Greater interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work well with others, and build leadership and communication skills

Social Outcomes

• Reduced stereotypes and greater inter-cultural understanding
• Improved social responsibility and citizenship skills
• Greater involvement in community service after graduation

Career Development

• Connections with professionals and community members for learning and career opportunities
• Greater academic learning, leadership skills, and personal efficacy can lead to greater opportunity

Relationship with the Institution

• Stronger relationships with faculty
• Greater satisfaction with college
• Improved graduation rates

Faculty Benefits of Community Engagement

• Satisfaction with the quality of student learning
• New avenues for research and publication via new relationships between faculty and community
• Providing networking opportunities with engaged faculty in other disciplines or institutions
• A stronger commitment to one’s research

College and University Benefits of Community Engagement

• Improved institutional commitment to the curriculum
• Improved student retention
• Enhanced community relations

Community Benefits of Community Engagement

• Satisfaction with student participation
• Valuable human resources needed to achieve community goals
• New energy, enthusiasm and perspectives applied to community work
• Enhanced community-university relations

Discipline-Based

Discipline-based model.

In this model, students are expected to have a presence in the community throughout the semester and reflect on their experiences regularly.  In these reflections, they use course content as a basis for their analysis and understanding of the key theoretical, methodological and applied issues at hand.

Problem-Based

Problem-based model.

Students relate to the community much as “consultants” working for a “client.” Students work with community members to understand a particular community problem or need.  This model presumes that the students have or will develop capacities with which to help communities solve a problem.  For example: architecture students might design a park; business students might develop a web site; botany students might identify non-native plants and suggest eradication methods.

Capstone Course

Capstone course model.

These courses are generally designed for majors and minors in a given discipline and are offered almost exclusively to students in their final year. Capstone courses ask students to draw upon the knowledge they have obtained throughout their course work and combine it with relevant service work in the community. The goal of capstone courses is usually either exploring a new topic or synthesizing students’ understanding of their discipline.

Service Internship

Service internship model.

This approach asks students to work as many as 10 to 20 hours a week in a community setting. As in traditional internships, students are charged with producing a body of work that is of value to the community or site. However, unlike traditional internships, service internships have on-going faculty-guided reflection to challenge the students to analyze their new experiences using discipline-based theories.  Service internships focus on reciprocity: the idea that the community and the student benefit equally from the experience.

Undergrad Community-Based Action Research

Action research model.

Community-based action research is similar to an independent study option for the student who is highly experienced in community work.  This approach can be effective with small classes or groups of students.  In this model, students work closely with faculty members to learn research methodology while serving as advocates for communities.  This model assumes that students are or can be trained to be competent in time management and can negotiate diverse communities.

Directed Study Extra Credit

Directed study additional/extra credit model.

Students can register for up to three additional/extra credits in a course by making special arrangements with the instructor to complete an added community-based project.  The course instructor serves as the advisor for the directed study option.  Such arrangements require departmental approval and formal student registration.

There are many ways to integrate community engagement into an existing course, depending on the learning goals, the size of the class, the academic preparation of the students, and the community partnership or project type. Below are some general tips to consider as you begin:

• One-time group service projects: Some course objectives can be met when the entire class is involved in a one-time service project. Arrangements for service projects can be made prior to the semester and included in the syllabus. This model affords the opportunity for faculty and peer interaction because a common service experience is shared. One-time projects have different learning outcomes than ongoing service activities.
• Option within a course: Many faculty begin community engagement with a pilot project. In this design, students have the option to become involved in the community-based project.  A portion of the normal coursework is substituted by the community-based component.  For example, a traditional research paper or group project can be replaced with an experiential research paper or personal journal that documents learning from the service experience.
• Required within a course: In this case, all students are involved in service as an integrated aspect of the course. This expectation must be clearly stated at the first class meeting, on the syllabus, with a clear rationale provided to students as to why the service component is required. Exceptions can be arranged on an individual basis or students can transfer to another class. If all students are involved in service, it is easier to design coursework (i.e., class discussions, writing assignments, exam questions) that integrates the service experience with course objectives. Class sessions can involve agency personnel and site visits. Faculty report that it is easier to build community partnerships if a consistent number of students are involved each semester.
• Action research projects: This type of class involves students in research within the community. The results of the research are communicated to the agency so that it can be used to address community needs. Action research and participatory action research take a significant amount of time to build relationships of trust in the community and identify common research agendas; however, community research projects can support the ongoing research of faculty. Extending this type of research beyond the confines of a semester may be best for all involved.
• Disciplinary capstone projects: Community engagement is an excellent way to build upon students’ cumulative knowledge in a specific discipline and to demonstrate the integration of that knowledge with real life issues. Upper class students can explore ways their disciplinary expertise and competencies translate into addressing community needs. Other community-based classes within the department can prepare the student for this more extensive community-based class.
• Multiple course projects :  Community engagement projects with one or more partners may span different courses in the same semester or multiple courses over a year or longer.  These projects must be broad enough to meet the learning goals of multiple courses over time, and because of this they may have a cumulative impact on both student learning and community development that is robust.  Such projects may be particularly suited to course clusters or learning communities within or across disciplines, or course sequences, say, within a major, that build student capacity towards advanced learning and community action goals.

Other CFT Guides About Community Engagement Pedagogies

• A Word on Nomenclature
• Best Practices in Community Engaged Teaching
• Community Engaged Teaching Step by Step
• Challenges and Opportunities of Community Engaged Teaching
• Additional Resources

Teaching Guides

• Online Course Development Resources
• Principles & Frameworks
• Pedagogies & Strategies
• Reflecting & Assessing
• Challenges & Opportunities
• Populations & Contexts

Quick Links

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• Examples of Online Instructional Modules

18 Service Learning Examples

Service learning is a type of experiential learning activity where students apply academic concepts to practical situations that involve addressing community needs. The last component of this definition (addressing community needs) is key.

This component is what distinguishes service learning from other pedagogical approaches such as performance-based or project-based learning.

Service Learning Definition

Definitions of service learning usually emphasize a combination of academic outcomes, benefit to the community, and developing a sense of civic responsibility.

One of the key service learning theorists is Robert Bringle. Here are two definitions he provides (with colleagues):

• “students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.” (Bringle & Hatcher, 1996, p. 222)
• “Service learning classes engage students in service activities that simultaneously pursue two goals: (a) benefit to community stakeholders (e.g., agency, clients, neighborhood 4 residents) and (b) academic learning outcomes.” (Bringle, Phillips, & Hudson, 2004, p. 5)

For a newer definition, we can turn to Capella-Peris and colleagues:

• “to a teaching methodology that seeks to develop academic competencies and increase reflection while providing a community service to meet social needs.” (Capella-Peris, Gil-Gómez & Chiva-Bartoll, 2020, p. 102)

Service Learning Examples

• Voter registration: Students in a political science class volunteer to help with voter registration targeting the elderly that also involves conducting interviews and surveys assessing their needs and opinions regarding various political issues.
• Books in schools: Students pair up with local charities and churches to run a campaign to improve the school library’s book offerings.
• Rural community service: Nursing majors hold health fairs in rural areas to disseminate information regarding healthy habits and perform basic health checks for attendees.
• Recycling programs: Mechanical engineering students use recyclable materials to construct playgrounds in inner cities and analyze the physics of each piece of equipment.
• Migrant support: IT majors teach courses to immigrants on web design and e-commerce as part of group projects assessing the functionality of various web design software programs.
• Supporting budding businesses: Business majors work with local small businesses on strategic planning, marketing, and hiring practices to improve revenue. The students create portfolios documenting their experiences.
• Websites for businesses: A group of digital marketing students are asked to connect with local businesses to help them to develop a web presence and consistent brand image.
• Addressing local tax changes: An accounting class works with local businesses to help them implement standard accounting principles and understand the local tax code.  
• Working with local children: Anthropology students conduct a participant observation study in local orphanages as helpers to document the children’s narratives and produce short films.
• Missionary work: A faith-based university sends its students to a third-world country to help single mothers apply for micro-finance loans and start their own businesses. Students create video documentaries that detail each stage in the service-learning process.
• Upskilling locals: Communication majors conduct a pre- post-design study on the effectiveness of training the unemployed on interview techniques and presentation skills.
• Charity work: Students in an International Studies course work in teams to write and submit a grant for the charitable cause of their choosing.   
• Local waterway management: Biology students study local waterways and identify strategies to improve the biodiversity in the area.
• Urban farming: Students develop an urban farm on the rooftops of local buildings in order to supply fresh food to local impoverished families.
• Local town hall: Students from an event management course organize a local town hall for political candidates to meet with locals and address their concerns.
• Bike to work day: To encourage green transit, students start a bike to work campaign, culminating in one day where an additional 1000 people use the local bikeways to get to work.
• Animal housing: Students run a campaign to support pet adoption by not only encouraging adoption, but implementing regular support for the new owners so the animals transition to a happy new life.
• Traffic management: Students from an advanced math course conduct a study of the traffic light pattern at a particularly busy bottleneck and find a way to improve the pattern to minimize congestion. They bring the report to the local council to consider.

Real-Life Service Learning Case Studies

1. urban farming.

Poor nutrition and food insecurity in many countries is a situation that can be addressed in a variety of ways. According to a report by the BBC , the UN estimates that approximately 900 million tons of food is wasted every year. 

There are a multitude of factors at work which create this catastrophe. However, there are also many solutions. For example, students in a university agriculture course could work with local communities to design and implement urban farms.

These farms could be located on abandoned lots, rooftops, or in smaller areas around households that could fit a vertical garden. There are more places than you can possibly imagine to grow food in urban areas .

It’s one thing to read about how to install a vertical garden, but it is a completely different learning experience to actually put one on a wall and make it work.

2. Put Some Blue in Your Green School

High school students in an AP Environmental Science course help schools use their water resources more efficiently. They work to raise awareness regarding the importance of water conservation and demonstrate water management practices.

First, the students analyze the water use practices of their own school. They conduct detailed measurements and create the necessary graphs that will allow a pre- post-program comparison.

Then they enact behavioral and structural changes that allow their school to conserve water more efficiently. Once the program has demonstrated results, it can be applied to other schools in the community or even at the state level.  

To learn more about this program, click here .

3. Discarded Books Library

Students in an education course collaborate with local garbage collectors to create a library for the poor. The students learned about this type of project on the news and decided to pursue a similar endeavor.

They find a permanent location in the inner city to create the library. The local government agrees to fund the daily operation of the library, paying for electricity and basic upkeep of the facility.

As part of their course requirements, each student volunteers to work in the library a certain number of hours per month and conduct literacy classes for local children.

The classes are video recorded and then shared in class for analysis and discussion regarding the teaching techniques learned in class.

4. Environmental Service Learning

Undergraduate students in introductory science courses at Indiana University and Purdue University engage in a service-learning program involving environmental stewardship.

What is environmental stewardship ? It basically means students do things to help restore land or improve the ecology of a specific area. For example: restoring wetland and floodplain ecosystems, native plant installation, invasive exotic plant species eradication, or hill slope stabilization.

Work days are in partnership with local community members. As the webpage about this program explains, this service-learning:

“… provides the students with an opportunity to directly experience many of the topics discussed in their courses as well as to observe how communities can work together to solve environmental problems.”

It is more than just volunteerism because the work is performed in the context of classroom study and directly connected to 9 learning goals in the course.

5. Growing Voters by CIRCLE

We all know what a circle is, but this acronym stands for something wholly more substantial: Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement by Tufts University.

The Growing Voters report presents a research-based framework for how institutions can facilitate the development of the next generation of voters in the U.S.

It provides actionable recommendations for educators, community leaders and policy makers on ways to:

“…close voting gaps, expand the electorate, and support a more equitable and representative American democracy” .

This is a perfect example of how students and higher education can engage in learning-based endeavors that also serve a greater public good.

Service-learning is all about taking students out of the classroom and into the real world to address a need in society. It strives to achieve more than just providing assistance in a community because students must perform the service in the context of their academic studies.

This can involve writing papers that detail the experience in the field and tying those experiences to classroom concepts. Or, students may choose to produce a mini-documentary that can be shared on social media and possibly inspire others to action.

The possibilities are endless, from increasing voter registration numbers to repairing the ecology of nearby wetlands. These types of endeavors are being enacted by universities around the world, instilling a sense of responsibility in students that may impact their way of thinking long into the future. That is of course, the goal.

Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (1996). Implementing service learning in higher education.  The Journal of Higher Education ,  67 (2), 221-239.

Bringle, R. G., Phillips, M. A., & Hudson, M. (2004). The measure of service learning.  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .

Capella-Peris, C., Gil-Gómez, J., & Chiva-Bartoll, Ò. (2020). Innovative analysis of service-learning effects in physical education: A mixed-methods approach.  Journal of Teaching in Physical Education ,  39 (1), 102-110.

Furco, A. (2002). Is service-learning really better than community service? A study of high school service. In A. Furco & S. H. Billig (Eds.), Advances in service-learning research: Vol.1. Service-learning: The essence of the pedagogy (pp. 23–50). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers.

Furco, A. and Billig, S.H., (2002) Service-Learning: The Essence of the Pedagogy . Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

Toole, J., & Toole, P. (1995). Reflection as a tool for turning service experiences into learning experiences. Evaluation/Reflection, 63 . https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slceeval/63

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Service Learning Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best service learning topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 good essay topics on service learning, 🔎 simple & easy service learning essay titles.

• Economic Development of Dubai and Service Learning The purpose of this project is to analyze the role of the services provided by the Department of Economic Development of Dubai in the community’s development with the focus on interviewing the persons who participate […]
• Service-Learning Reflective Process It focused on the components of the project with regards to the summer school programme, how it will be linked to the schools language arts curriculum, the aim and purpose of the project and how […] We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Social Work and Human Service-Learning Experience The skills I acquired in class could be put to assessment, and points of improvement could be identified. While there are many skills a social worker should possess, I was able to use and assess […]
• Academic Service Learning for Teacher Preparation In part, this method is based on the premise that these people should take an active part in the life of the community in order to understand the various challenges, to which students and their […]
• A Strategic Plan to Involve School-Family-Community Partnerships via Service Learning The process makes students responsible citizens who actively contribute to the needs of the community through the practical application of their formal instructions. The interaction of the students, members of the community and the educators […]
• Research Process of Service Learning It enables students to review what they did, learned and the effects of learning on his or her capacity to perform in future.
• Service Learning Strategy: Process and Outcomes They help the students in appreciating some of the activities that take place in the community as they learn. Through the linking of issues taught in the classroom with participation in the community, students get […]
• Should Service Learning Be A Requirement For College Graduation? This paper addresses the impact that service learning has on the students and the community to gauge whether it would be viable to make it a requirement for learning or not.
• The Importance of Service Learning for Students: Self-Reflection
• Using Service Learning and Project-Based Learning as a Conceptual Framework
• How Service Learning Can Be Utilized Throughout Your
• Leveraging Community-Based Service Learning Experiences
• Reflections From Inside a Service Learning Partnership in a California Juvenile Hall
• Building Effective Service Learning Programs in Local Communities
• How Academic Service Learning Informs Practice of Pre-service Teachers
• Service Learning Within the Walls of an Orphanage
• Does the Service Learning Experience Help Students Promote the Character of Servant
• Service Learning and the Homeless Center
• The Experience and Importance of an Effective Community Service Learning
• The Principles for Success in Service Learning
• Pros and Cons of Service Learning
• Embedding Social Innovation and Service Learning in Higher Education’s
• Our Schools Need Community Service Learning Programs
• Benefits of Service Learning Programs
• Animal Rights: Service Learning Requirement
• Enhancing Undergraduate Geographic Education With Service Learning
• Cross-Cultural Communication: Applying Concepts to Service Learning
• Service Learning With the Veterans Administration
• Compare and Contrast Volunteerism, Community Engagement, and Service Learning
• Community Service Learning Project at College
• Learning With Older Adults Through Intergenerational Service Learning
• Developing Leadership Skills Through Service Learning Courses
• Service Learning and Integration Within Community
• Integrating Community Service Learning to Ladderized Curriculum in Bsce
• Native American Service Learning Opportunities
• Service Learning and Nursing Education
• The Difference Between Service Learning and Volunteerism
• The Positive Relationship Between Communication and Service Learning
• Experience and Pluralist Pedagogy: Service Learning as a Means and an End
• How Service Learning Enriches the Learning Experience
• Nontraditional Approach for Interprofessional Service Learning in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
• Factors That Affect Service Learning Teams
• Service Learning for Improving Academic Success in Students
• Nonprofit Financial Assessment in Research Service Learning
• The Importance of Critical Perspectives on Service Learning in Higher Education
• Community Service Learning: Pedagogy at the Interface of Poverty, Inequality, and Privilege
• Bridging Generation Gaps Through Service Learning
• The Difference Between Service Learning and Community Service
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• Chicago (N-B)

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Service Learning: A Complete Guide

Many new ways of learning have been developed over the last few years. However, of all those, service learning is among the most intriguing. Service learning is a form of learning that occurs when students learn through experience. However, service learning should not be confused with hands on learning or active learning .

Although it does include elements of those types of learning, service learning is distinguished by the fact that it is conducted during service in the community while still helping students to learn.

At its core, service learning is about getting students out of the classroom and into the community. There, a student can learn about a subject not only from teachers, but from people who have experience working in areas as diverse as park maintenance to small business growth.

These kinds of experiences are beneficial because they get students engaged wither real world figures who can connect their learning to practice. At the same time, students give back to their communities in real ways that can be beneficial.

Six Qualities of Service Learning

There are six qualities to service learning that characterize it. These include the following:

• Integrative Learning
• Reflective Learning
• Contextualized Learning
• Strength-based Learning
• Reciprocal Learning
• Lifelong Learning

The integrative aspect of service learning refers to the fact that learning cannot only occur in the classroom. Instead, learning also occurs when integrated into the real world. Service learning works on this basis by integrating classroom objectives into the community.

Under the guidance of instructors as well as other community leaders, students learn as they serve in the public. This approach makes students not only learners, but also positive members of the community and success is gauged not only when the student meets academic goals, but also as they succeed as members of the community.

The reflective elements of service learning is characterized by the fact that learners learn best when they have a chance to reflect on what they have done. In service learning, there is a great emphasis on learners critically reflecting upon their experience out in the community. This allows learners to identify not only what they learned, but also the value they gained as community members. They have to review their beliefs and values and challenge preexisting assumptions and judgments on the basis of their new experiences serving the community.

The third aspect of service learning is the contextualized aspect of learning. This means that service learning offers a unique chance to learn by contextualizing within the context of the larger community, which has not typically been an element of education. By placing learning out in the public, it helps to connect classroom learned knowledge to actual practice.

Students can actually see how their work plays out in the real world and impacts the surrounding community. Book knowledge does not communicate the fact that, in practice, much of what a person learned is impacted by unforeseen events. When a person puts into practice their learning, they quickly realize that the real world is full of events that can impact outcomes.

The strength-based aspect of service learning is a reference to the fact that in every community, there are certain strengths and resources. Community members themselves are a resource who serve as co-educators to students. In any given society, each individual brings their own set of strengths to the building of the community.

In service based learning, students are encouraged to draw on the strengths of many different types of community members. This approach helps students to learn the value of partnering with others in helping achieve community goals.

The reciprocal aspect of service based learning acknowledges the fact that all members of a community benefit when people make contributions into that community. Students invest their time, talent, and intellect to helping the community. In return, they receive the wisdom and experience of community members as well as come to a better understanding of the materials they’ve learned.

All of society is a give and take, with each member contributing. Students come to a better understanding of this fact as they engage with the pubic.

Finally, one of the greatest lessons that service based learning communicates is the fact that learning is lifelong. Knowledge is retained for longer because it is actually put into practice in a real world context. This context also has the benefit of being meaningful, since it involves engaging with other members of the community and creating positive outcomes for all members.

Students become more aware of the important role they can play while at the same time reinforcing their learning. As a result, not only is learning retained for longer, but students also learn the important role they can play in the community over their lifetimes as well.

Examples of Service Learning

It’s easy to conceive of the idea of learning while working in the community, but examples can help reinforce what service learning can look like. There are many ways that students can become engaged in the community, such as adopting a highway, cleaning up a local park, or working on a Habitat for Humanity building site. Each of these experiences can be used as an educational experience so long as a teacher plans in advance to use the experience to educate.

To go into these examples a little bit more in-depth, students working in a park can plant trees or grass. They might also do this in a wetlands parts of their community. Through this planting process, not only do students help to improve the environment, but they also learn more about biodiversity, plat life cycles, and environmental degradation.

Yet another example of service learning can be found when students help other students prepare chemistry demonstrations. In this example, more advanced students can help design age appropriate chemistry demonstrations. This can be part of a science fair, for example. In doing so, students help younger students to learn and grow as scientists themselves. At the same time, the teaching students can reinforce their own knowledge of STEM content and learn how to creatively approach scientific topics.

A third example of service learning is a particularly creative approach to service learning. In this example, English writing students volunteer time at a homeless shelter, serving food and socializing with guests.

Following the experience, students can then write an essay arguing their perspective on homelessness, social safety nets, and wealth in the country. This approach to service learning helps those who are less fortunate while giving students a very real topic on which to write.

Even a class like accounting classes can make room for service learning. Accounting students can develop presentations on business credit and deliver those presentations to members of the community or those clients attending local, small business incubators. This kind of approach to service learning helps students solidify their own knowledge of the business environment, accounting, and financial processes. At the same time, the student also contributes to local small businesses and, perhaps, helps them contribute to job creation in the community.

As one final example, students in a marketing class could be asked to devise a marketing strategy meant to popularize a local housing organization. In this example, students can get to know the brand better, identify ways of making the brand more widely known, and develop strategies that area based around both traditional and social media. This strategy helps not only to improve the marketing skills of these students but helps connect them to a local organization committed to benefiting those without affordable housing. This is a particularly timely topic in communities where the cost of living has become an increasingly sharp point of debate.

The Service Learning Unit

Critical to making service learning an actual learning experience is the importance of developing a well thought out lesson. Fortunately, educator Heather Wolpert-Gawron lists a simple four step process that can help teachers to effectively teach using a service learning model. This approach is largely distinct from the actual service learning experience and occurs largely in the classroom, before and after the community experience.

The first of these steps is the pre-reflection phase. During this phase, students must think about the ways in which they can help their communities. If the teacher has a specific organization in mind that they want to partner with, then students can begin by thinking about how their work with that organization will benefit others.

The second step to learning includes research. Students should research materials related to the organization they will be helping with, such as statistics related to homelessness, pollution, or other issues that are important to the community.

The third stage of the service learning unit, the presentation, involves presenting these findings. Presentation can take on many forms. It can occur after the class has participated with an organization or before. Presentations made after the event can include materials and media taken from the service learning experience. Some presentations may need to occur before the event and justify, using research and evidence, why the class should be working with an organization. This should all be presented using images, graphs, and other multimedia elements that help illustrate the urgency of the problem.

Finally, after the lesson has been completed and the event finished, students should have a time to reflect. They should think back upon their experiences and consider what they’ve learned about the subject, how their own views have changed, and how they intend to address the topic in the future.

The Benefits of Service Learning

One of the most frequently cited problems that educators have with service learning is their concern regarding whether students will really benefit from this approach. However, research seems to indicate that this approach to learning is helpful to students. In one study, 80% of students indicated that they found their service learning projects to be very beneficial. They felt that, because of their experience, they became better communicators and became more aware of needs that the surrounding community faced.

A second study suggested that students who participated in these kinds of community projects saw their grade point average rise. These students felt more engaged with their materials are were more interested in their course content.

Service learning is beneficial because, with a little creative thinking, teachers can find ways of aligning it with student learning outcomes. However, it’s also beneficial for a number of other reasons. It helps increase student engagement while improving communication skills, and important soft skill that students will need in the workplace.

More highly engaged students are also students who generally perform better in school. Not only are they academically more successful, but they also tend to persist to graduation and have better attendance rates. Beyond all of these school based benefits, service learning also has the potential to benefit society in the long term.

Students who more frequently connect with the community and are more highly aware of community issues will carry those lessons on with them into adulthood and make them more aware of the importance of addressing community issues.

Case Study in Service Learning

To truly see how service learning occurs, you don’t have to look farther than “ Of the Student, by the Student “, a program hosted by the Journey National Heritage Area. In one example of service learning, students were taken to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

These students analyzed primary source documents from the park then took place in the creation of six mini-documentaries which told the history of the park and struggles of slavery leading to the John Brown Raid at Harpers Ferry. These students put together real, viable mini-documentaries on the basis of what they learned while also sharpening their critical thinking skills and critical reading skills at the same time. Students had to evaluate sources and make judgments about which document to include.

Yet another case study in service learning, “ A Forest for Every Classroom ,” was hosted by the National Park Service. In this program, teachers partnered with various organizations committed to the environment. “A Forest for Every Classroom” helped teachers better instruct students regarding the conservation of public lands by taking students to real locations. During their time, students came toa better understanding of the natural resources in their community and the importance of preserving those resources.

It’s clear from the existing case studies that service learning is naturally best suited for classrooms that can align their lessons with on location learning in areas that are of value for the community. However, with some creative thinking, even classes that don’t seem naturally oriented toward service learning, such as math classrooms, can be adjusted to accommodate some service learning lessons throughout the year.

Even including one or two such lessons during the school year may help to promote higher engagement and excitement among students, leading to better outcomes for those students in the long-term.

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3 Most Common Mistakes You Make in a College Essay

Why you never make it as good as an essay writer.

The world is changing and these changes affect all spheres. What your parents and seniors taught you might not longer work. For example, learn hard, get good grades and you'll be admitted to college. Well, turns out this rule is also in the past. College admission committees are no longer looking for studious and obedient applicants. What matters is the personality that shines through the pages of your college essay, ability to think and to create, spatial intelligence and your personal opinion. Do you think you can nail this piece of writing? Check out 3 most common mistakes you might be making!

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Home » Blog » What Is Service Learning?

What Is Service Learning?

SERVICE LEARNING  | 3 MIN READ

Service Learning is an educational approach where a student learns theories in the classroom and at the same time volunteers with an agency (usually a non-profit or social service group) and engages in reflection activities to deepen their understanding of what is being taught.

It is a cycle of theories, practices, and reflection tools to broaden knowledge and critical thinking skills for social change.

You might commonly hear it related to terms such as civic engagement, community development, advocacy, philanthropy, social change, volunteerism, community service and experiential learning.

As a result of service learning, students learn more about the community and themselves while fulfilling a need in the community and meeting classroom or degree requirements.

Students in any discipline can participate. The courses are usually most directly tied to social science courses (for example: political science, sociology, environmental studies and psychology) and pre-professional courses (for example: education, social work and business).

What Are Some Examples of Service Learning Projects?

Service Learning involves almost any helping activity. We generally refer to direct service to individuals, indirect service to people, and advocacy work.

• Direct service includes tutoring, serving meals, working with patients, helping a refugee family, walking foster dogs, or participating in events at a nursing home. Many psychology and education courses incorporate direct service.
• Indirect service is doing something behind the scenes to help, such as organizing a fundraising event, working in a resale shop, stocking a food pantry, collecting donations or planting trees to help the environment. Fields such as environmental studies and sociology tend to offer more indirect service opportunities.
• Advocacy can take the form of students writing letters to government officials, demonstrating in a picket line or educating others about possible policy changes. Political science and criminal justice classes often feature more advocacy work.

Why is Service Learning Important?

For starters, service learning is important because it connects student learning in the classroom with real-world experiences in the community. Students who participate in it are more deeply engaged in their local communities, gain practical skills, develop their career and personal interests, and are usually more engaged citizens.

At a societal level, it is important for people to be involved and aware of their communities so they can assist each other and be more conscientious individuals. Creating opportunities for young people increases their involvement.

Finally, it instills the habit of performing a service for others. Students who engage early on often continue service work for the rest of their lives.

How Do I Find Opportunities Near Me?

Most colleges and universities maintain partnerships with community groups, governmental agencies and service organizations. Making use of their resources is a great way to get started.

At Elmhurst University, the service learning webpage lists more than 60 community partners in need of student volunteers. Students who wish to count this work as service learning can speak to staff about classes or independent study options so they can also engage in theoretical learning and reflection activities.

How Do I Benefit as a Student?

Through service learning, students:

• Learn more about their relationship with the communities they engage with
• Learn more about their capacity for serving others
• Refine their decision-making abilities and acquire other career-related skills
• Better understand the meaning of responsible citizenship
• Grow in their awareness of cultural differences

Explore Elmhurst University

The Elmhurst University Service Learning program matches students who feel a responsibility to serve the community with opportunities to help. Visit our Community Partners page to learn more, and follow us on Instagram or Facebook .

Want to learn more? Request information today!

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ESSAY; Moscow's China Card

By William Safire

• Sept. 8, 1986

Every decade or so, China undergoes a political convulsion. In 1948-49, the Communists threw out the Kuomintang; in 1956, Mao's ''Great Leap Forward'' plunged the country into a depression; in 1966, the Cultural Revolution to purify the party brought on a new Dark Ages; in 1976-78, we saw Mao's would-be radical successors, the ''Gang of Four,'' replaced by pragmatic Deng Xiaoping.

Now we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the death of Mao, and some Pekingologists would have us believe that this decade's upheaval will not come.

Mr. Deng, at 82, has provided for his succession, we are assured: it's all set for Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang to succeed him, with Hu Qili of the next generation right behind. Not to worry, goes the current Edgar Snow-job: China's new era of ''commutalism,'' communism with a capitalist face, will march undisturbed into the next millennium.

I wonder. Maybe the conventional wisdom will prove right for once. But for argument's sake, let's look at what is happening in China through a different set of glasses, seeking truth from facts.

Fact number one is that a wave of materialism is sweeping across the billion people of China. After a generation of repression, good ol' greed is back in the saddle, and an I'm-all right-Deng attitude permeates the new entrepreneurs.

As a longtime expositor of the virtue of greed in powering the engine of social progress, I cannot cluck-cluck at this. But there is a difference between the materialism of the Chinese on Taiwan, who are accustomed to free enterprise, and the lust for the good life of available goods on the mainland, where a terrible thirst has been a-building.

Let us assume that the outburst of materialism in China leads to some reaction: that some spoilsport faction emerges to summon up the ghost of Mao's ideological purity, and that this new gang of fortyish Outs finds its way back in. It is at least a possibility.

I think that shrewd old Deng is well aware of this possibility. That is why, despite his ostentatious rejection of personal cultdom, he is preparing his most dramatic assault on the memory of Mao. That father of the revolution startled the world by breaking with the Soviet Union; Mr. Deng, playing a revisionist Lenin to Mao's Marx, wants to startle the world and overwhelm internal opposition by a rapprochement with Moscow.

Accordingly, fact two: He has abandoned his demand that Russia move back its huge army from the Chinese border, thereby double-crossing his own Army leaders. He has forgotten his requirement that Soviet forces be withdrawn from Afghanistan, thereby double-crossing his Westernish ally, Pakistan.

All Mr. Deng now asks of the Russians is that they try to squeeze their Vietnamese clients to pull out of Cambodia. Of course they'll try - ''best efforts'' is an easy promise - and since the Vietnamese are notoriously independent, Moscow cannot be blamed for not succeeding. Result: Mr. Deng takes the salute from atop the wall in Red Square.

That reestablishes his Communist credentials, defanging hard-left opposition at home. And it is Middle Kingdom orthodoxy; I suspect Chinese agents in the U.S. supply the K.G.B. with intelligence, just as Peking permits our Big Ears on its soil to overhear Kremlin transmissions. Chinese policy has always been to play the barbarians against each other.

This theory would also explain fact three: Mr. Gorbachev's seizure of a U.S. newsman as hostage. It is no coincidence that this particular hostage selection follows China's arrest and expulsion of a reporter for a U.S. newspaper. The Soviet leader, advised by Anatoly Dobrynin, must have known that this slap in the face would jeopardize a summit - and went ahead with his calculated humiliation, similar to Mr. Nixon's mining of Haiphong harbor before his Moscow summit in 1972.

Because the Russians now have the prospect of a pilgrimage to Moscow by Mr. Deng, they can taunt the U.S. President with impunity. As Mr. Dobrynin probably predicted, Mr. Reagan is reduced to begging for the hostage's release, in effect volunteering testimony to a Soviet court, in his eagerness to crown his Presidency with a peacemaking summit.

Now Mr. Gorbachev can hang tough, holding a show trial and thereby delaying negotiations with the U.S. until the Deng visit - or can graciously accede to the Reagan plea, thereby establishing his dominance. And the overconfident Mr. Reagan never suspected, as he sat down to summit poker, that this time the China card was in his opponent's hand.

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Ch. 9 The Development of Russia

Ivan the terrible, learning objective.

• Outline the key points of Ivan IV’s policies and examine the positive and negative aspects of his rule
• Ivan IV is often known as Ivan the Terrible, even though the more correct translation is akin to Ivan the Fearsome or Ivan the Awesome.
• Ivan IV was the first Rus’ prince to title himself “Tsar of All the Russias” beginning the long tradition of rule under the tsars.
• Lands in the Crimea, Siberia, and modern-day Tatarstan were all subsumed into Russian lands under Ivan IV.
• The persecution of the boyars during Ivan IV’s reign began under the harsh regulations of the oprichnina.

A state policy enacted by Ivan IV that made him absolute monarch of much of the north and hailed in an era of boyar persecution. Ivan IV successfully grabbed large chunks of land from the nobility and created his own personal guard, the oprichniki, during this era.

Moscow Print Yard

The first publishing house in Russia, which was opened in 1553.

A member of the feudal ruling elite who was second only to the princes in Russian territories.

Ivan IV Vasileyevich is widely known as Ivan the Terrible or Ivan the Fearsome. He was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and reigned as the “Tsar of all the Russias” from 1547 until he died in 1584. His complex years in power precipitated military conquests, including Kazan and Astrakhan, that changed the shape and demographic character of Russia forever. He also reshaped the political formation of the Russian state, oversaw a cultural Renaissance in Russia, and shifted power to the head of state, the tsar, a title that had never before been given to a prince in the Rus’ lands.

Rise to Power

Ivan IV was born in 1530 to Vasili III and Elena Glinskaya. He was three when he was named the Grand Prince of Moscow after his father’s death. Some say his years as the child vice-regent of Moscow under manipulative boyar powers shaped his views for life. In 1547, at the age of sixteen, he was crowned “Tsar of All the Russias” and was the first person to be coronated with that title. This title claimed the heritage of Kievan Rus’ while firmly establishing a new unified Russian state. He also married Anastasia Romanovna, which tied him to the powerful Romanov family.

18th-century portrait of Ivan IV. Images of Ivan IV often display a prominent brow and a frowning mouth.

Domestic Innovations and Changes

Despite Ivan IV’s reputation as a paranoid and moody ruler, he also contributed to the cultural and political shifts that would shape Russia for centuries. Among these initial changes in relatively peaceful times he:

• Revised the law code, the Sudebnik of 1550, which initiated a standing army, known as the streltsy. This army would help him in future military conquests.
• Developed the Zemsky Sobor, a Russian parliament, along with the council of the nobles, known as the Chosen Council.
• Regulated the Church more effectively with the Council of the Hundred Chapters, which regulated Church traditions and the hierarchy.
• Established the Moscow Print Yard in 1553 and brought the first printing press to Russia.
• Oversaw the construction of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.

St. Basil’s Cathedral. This iconic structure was one cultural accomplishment created under Ivan IV’s rule.

Oprichnina and Absolute Monarchy

The 1560s were difficult with Russia facing drought and famine, along with a number of Tatar invasions, and a sea-trading blockade from the Swedes and Poles. Ivan IV’s wife, Anastasia, was also likely poisoned and died in 1560, leaving Ivan shaken and, some sources say, mentally unstable. Ivan IV threatened to abdicate and fled from Moscow in 1564. However, a group of boyars went to beg Ivan to return in order to keep the peace. Ivan agreed to return with the understanding he would be granted absolute power and then instituted what is known as the oprichnina.

1911 painting by Apollinary Vasnetsov. This painting represents people fleeing from the Oprichniki, the secret service and military oppressors of Ivan IV’s reign.

This agreement changed the way the Russian state worked and began an era of oppression, executions, and state surveillance. It split the Russian lands into two distinct spheres, with the northern region around the former Novgorod Republic placed under the absolute power of Ivan IV. The boyar council oversaw the rest of the Russian lands. This new proclamation also started a wave of persecution and against the boyars. Ivan IV executed, exiled, or forcibly removed hundreds of boyars from power, solidifying his legacy as a paranoid and unstable ruler.

Military Conquests and Foreign Relations

Ivan IV established a powerful trade agreement with England and even asked for asylum, should he need it in his fights with the boyars, from Elizabeth I. However, Ivan IV’s greatest legacy remains his conquests, which reshaped Russia and pushed back Tatar powers who had been dominating and invading the region for centuries.

His first conquest was the Kazan Khanate, which had been raiding the northeast region of Russia for decades. This territory sits in modern-day Tatarstan. A faction of Russian supporters were already rising up in the region but Ivan IV led his army of 150,000 to battle in June of 1552. After months of siege and blocking Kazan’s water supply, the city fell in October. The conquest of the entire Kazan Khanate reshaped relations between the nomadic people and the Russian state. It also created a more diverse population under the fold of the Russian state and the Church.

Ivan IV also embarked on the Livonian War, which lasted 24 years. The war pitted Russia against the Swedish Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Poland. The Polish leader, Stefan Batory, was an ally of the Ottoman Empire in the south, which was also in a tug-of-war with Russia over territory. These two powerful entities on each edge of Russian lands, and the prolonged wars, left the economy in Moscow strained and Russian resources scarce in the 1570s.

Ivan IV also oversaw two decisive territorial victories during his reign. The first was the defeat of the Crimean horde, which meant the southern lands were once again under Russian leadership. The second expansion of Russian territory was headed by Cossack leader Yermak Timofeyevich. He led expeditions into Siberian territories that had never been under Russian rule. Between 1577 and 1580 many new Siberian regions had reached agreements with Russian leaders, allowing Ivan IV to style himself “Tsar of Siberia” in his last years.

Ivan IV’s throne. This decadent throne mirrors Ivan the Terrible’s love of power and opulence.

Madness and Legacy

Ivan IV left behind a compelling and contradictory legacy. Even his nickname “terrible” is a source for confusion. In Russian the word grozny means “awesome,” “powerful” or “thundering,” rather than “terrible” or “mad.” However, Ivan IV often behaved in ruthless and paranoid ways that favors the less flattering interpretation. He persecuted the long-ruling boyars and often accused people of attempting to murder him (which makes some sense when you look at his family’s history). His often reckless foreign policies, such as the drawn out Livonian War, left the economy unstable and fertile lands a wreck. Legend also suggests he murdered his son Ivan Ivanovich, whom he had groomed for the throne, in 1581, leaving the throne to his childless son Feodor Ivanovich. However, his dedication to culture and innovation reshaped Russia and solidified its place in the East.

• Boundless World History. Authored by : Boundless. Located at : https://www.boundless.com/world-history/textbooks/boundless-world-history-textbook/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike