For teachers: Preparing a Service Learning Activity

Contents

For teachers: Preparing a Service Learning Activity#

🧭 Getting Started: Planning Your Service Learning Activity
Designing a Service Learning experience that is both pedagogically meaningful and logistically feasible requires thoughtful planning. Below, we present three possible approaches—or scenario types—that teachers can adopt depending on their course goals, student profile, and level of institutional support. Each model offers distinct advantages and challenges. To support your planning, we also provide a Teacher Preparation Sheet and a reflective AI-powered prompt to help you define learning outcomes, align the activity with your curriculum, anticipate administrative needs, and evaluate the expected impact on the partner institution and the students. Choose the model that best fits your teaching style, and use the tools provided to craft a purposeful, sustainable, and impactful Service Learning activity.

Service Learning Teacher Preparation#

Service Learning Activity – Teacher Preparation Sheet#

Item	Description
1. Subject / Course Title
2. Learning Outcomes	• • •
3. Integration with Curriculum	How this activity supports course/program learning goals.
4. Expected Impact on the Institution and Sustainable Development Goals	What value or benefit will this bring to the partner?
5. Competences Students Will Acquire	• • •
6. Student Profile	☐ 1st Year Bachelor ☐ Upper-Year Bachelor ☐ Master’s Students ☐ Other: _________
7. Type of Scenario	☐ Challenge-Based Simulation ☐ Structured Service Learning ☐ Immersive Service Learning
8. Estimated Teaching Time / Calendar
9. Logistics & Administrative Requirements	☐ Trip Authorization Forms ☐ Image Rights Release Forms ☐ Institutional Permissions ☐ Scheduling Meetings ☐ Communication with School ☐ Other: _________
10. Possible Social Partner Institution(s)	• • •
11. Description of the Activity	Brief overview of the students’ tasks and engagement.
12. Assessment Methods	How will students be evaluated? (e.g., reflection, presentation, report)
13. Supporting Materials / Tools	Digital tools or templates to be used (e.g., Gamma, Canva, forms).
14. Reflection Activities	Will students reflect individually, in groups, or via a specific format?

📋 Reflective Prompt (Copy and Paste)#

Here’s a prompt you can use to help you reflect and complete each section of the Preparation Sheet.

I'm designing a service learning project for my course and I’d like your help crafting a comprehensive and impactful plan. Please walk me through a reflective process to complete a Teacher Preparation Sheet, focusing on both pedagogical and practical aspects. I want to ensure that the activity:
Aligns with my course’s learning outcomes and curricular goals
Challenges students to apply disciplinary knowledge in a real-world context
Benefits the social institution in a meaningful, sustainable way
Is feasible given my students’ profile and institutional resources
Help me define and refine the following:
Clear, measurable learning outcomes linked to specific competencies (cognitive, social, civic)
How the activity maps onto my course or program goals (integration with curriculum)
The kind of impact the institution might expect—and how to ethically manage expectations
The most appropriate service learning scenario type (simulation, teacher-led, student-led) based on my teaching style and class profile
A timeline and calendar that accounts for both classroom and field work
Logistical requirements (authorizations, forms, permissions, risk management)
Possible assessment strategies (rubrics, reflections, peer feedback, presentations)
Reflection activities that encourage metacognition and social awareness
Appropriate tools/platforms to support student planning and communication
A realistic list of potential social partners and how to approach them
Here is a short summary of my course, students, and any initial ideas I have:
[Insert context here]
Please prompt me with questions or suggestions for each section. I'd like to generate a polished preparation document from this.

For teachers: Evaluation Rubrics#

Final Pitch Presentation Rubric#

Criteria	Excellent (4)	Good (3)	Fair (2)	Needs Improvement (1)
Challenge Definition	Clearly and compellingly defines the problem	Defines the problem clearly	Problem is somewhat unclear or vague	Problem is not defined or confusing
Solution Innovation	Creative, feasible, and well-aligned with needs	Feasible and aligned with needs	Somewhat feasible but lacks innovation	Solution not feasible or unrelated
Connection to Institution	Strongly connected to institution’s challenge	Connected to institution’s challenge	Weak connection to challenge	No clear connection to institution’s challenge
Presentation Delivery	Engaging, confident, well-timed	Clear and mostly confident	Somewhat unclear or rushed	Difficult to follow or unprofessional
Visual Aids/Support	Visuals are clear, professional, and effective	Visuals are clear and supportive	Visuals are present but unclear or distracting	No visuals or visuals hinder presentation
Teamwork	All members contribute equally and effectively	Most members contribute	Uneven contributions	One or two members dominate or do not participate
Q&A Response	Answers questions confidently and thoroughly	Answers questions clearly	Answers are incomplete or unclear	Unable to answer questions

Peer Assessment Form#

Criteria	Member 1	Member 2	Member 3	Member 4
Contribution to Planning	What did they do well? How could they improve? _______	_______	_______	_______
Participation in Work	Did they contribute consistently? _______	_______	_______	_______
Communication & Collaboration	Were they respectful and clear? _______	_______	_______	_______
Reliability & Responsibility	Did they meet deadlines and follow through? _______	_______	_______	_______
Overall Comments	Kindly share strengths and areas to improve _______	_______	_______	_______

[IF USING SCENARIO 2 OR 3] Social Partner Feedback Form#

Question	Response Options
How well do you feel the students understood your institution’s challenges?	☐ Very well ☐ Somewhat ☐ Poorly
How practical or useful is the solution they proposed?	☐ Very useful ☐ Somewhat useful ☐ Not useful
How professional and respectful were the students in their interactions?	☐ Very professional ☐ Mostly professional ☐ Needs improvement
Additional comments or suggestions	[Open text field]

🧠 Rubric Design Prompt (Copy and Paste)#

Create your own evaluation rubrics, using the following prompt.

I am designing an evaluation rubric for [insert activity type, e.g., a service learning project, final pitch presentation] in my [insert course name] class. The key learning outcomes I want to assess are: [list learning outcomes, e.g., critical thinking, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, ethical reasoning].
Please help me develop a detailed rubric that includes:
Clear assessment criteria aligned with these learning outcomes.
Performance levels (e.g., Excellent, Good, Fair, Needs Improvement) with specific, measurable descriptors for each level under each criterion.
Suggestions for how to weight each criterion based on its importance.
Recommendations for incorporating formative and summative assessment components if applicable.
Ideas on how to include self-assessment and peer-assessment elements.
Guidance on ensuring the rubric promotes fairness, transparency, and constructive feedback.
Examples of language that encourages growth mindset and positive reinforcement in feedback comments.
Any relevant adaptations or considerations for diverse student needs or remote learning environments.
Generate a rubric framework with detailed criteria and descriptors that I can adapt and apply directly to my class. Also, provide tips on how I can pilot, revise, and implement the rubric effectively."

[IF USING SCENARIO 3] Image Rights Preparation#

If your proposed solution involves visiting the institution, make the necessary preparations for your visit.

For students: If your proposed solution includes capturing images, audio, or video of individuals, make sure to secure their image rights through a formal consent form.

Example Image Rights Release Form#

Image Rights Release Form
University:	__________________________
Course/Project:	_______________________
Student(s):	___________________________
Date:	________________________________
Participant Name:	_______________________
Consent Statement:	I give permission to be photographed, recorded, or interviewed for academic purposes related to this university project. I understand that my image, voice, or statements may be used in project materials (e.g., reports, presentations, videos) and that I will not receive compensation.
Consent Options:	☐ I consent to the use of my image/voice. ☐ I do not consent to the use of my image/voice.
Signature:	___________________________
If under 18, Parent/Guardian Signature:	___________________

📝 Image Rights Form Prompt (Copy and Paste)#

We are students working on a university project that involves photographing, interviewing, or recording people from a social institution. We need to create a short and clear Image Rights Release Form to get their consent.
Please help us draft a simple form that includes:
A statement of consent for photo, video, or audio use
The purpose (academic/university project)
An option to agree or not agree
A space for the participant’s name, signature, and date
A parent/guardian signature if the person is under 18
Keep it short and easy to understand. Add a professional tone suitable for a university setting.