Background:
My service-learning experiences as student and instructor
Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences 365 Days of Learning and Service initiative (FROM AY 2022, 2023 AND 2024)
Mission: "The 365 Days of Learning & Service initiative is intentionally designed to bring students, faculty, and staff together to examine a contemporary relevant issue facing our communities, and to go beyond research and study by putting into practice new knowledge acquired throughout the year and facilitate ongoing positive change."
Experiences on the inaugural 365 Days Steering Committee
Inaugural year 2022-2023 - focus on housing insecurity:
ONE CLASS SECTION OF SPEECH students FORMED FOUR tabling event teams to promote awareness of FOUR PARTNERS:
- Students were given $20 per team for tabling event supplies.
- Each team was asked to meet with community or campus partner to gather materials, get guidance on talking points, etc.
- Each team was asked to do two tabling events.
- Speech students also toured the KSU CARES pantry.
Speech students ALSO chose between participating in the KSU Creative Jam OR the KSU Day of Service
- More students chose the KSU Day of Service option.
- Our class produced the winner for the KSU Creative Jam with the film, "Is a Couch a Home?" by Lukas Kriechbaum.
- Several students chose to do BOTH projects!
2023-2024 - focus on sustainabLE PRACTICES:
TWO CLASS SECTIONS OF speech students RESEARCHED current events related to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals
Speech students created videos as visual aids to supplement their speech and also FOR CONSIDERATION to compete in the 2024 KSU Creative Jam
- Students were asked to cast ballots for their favorite sustainability videos in each class section.
- Class certificates were given to the winner, runner-up, and for honorable mention in each class section.
- Small prizes - seed packets - were given with the certificates.
- Finalists advanced to the university-wide KSU Creative Jam competition.
- ALL speech students were required to attend the event to support their classmates.
Exemplar with permission from Gian Shepard:
Students were encouraged to participate in the 2024 KSU Day of Service for Extra Credit in the course
2024-2025: FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
In Preparation: I completed the Mental Health First Aid certification course this past summer 2024, and presented on a panel at the National Communication Association convention this past fall 2024 to speak about the instructor experience of helping undergraduate students navigate their mental health struggles.
ONE CLASS SECTION OF SPEECH STUDENTS RESEARCHED CURRENT EVENTS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH
ASSIGNMENT RE-DESIGN TO A PANEL SPEECH APPROACH EARLY IN THE SEMESTER
FOCUS ON PSA (PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY), AND STRATEGIES FOR HANDLING this common fear
Discussed strategies such as visualization, meditation, and more.
Collected pre and post tests for personal perceptions of Public Speaking Anxiety:
public speaking STUDENTS CREATED VIDEOS AS VISUAL AIDS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR SPEECH AND ALSO FOR CONSIDERATION TO COMPETE IN THE 2025 KSU CREATIVE JAM
- Students were asked to cast ballots for their favorite mental health videos on each day of the panel presentations.
- Class certificates were given to the winners and runners-up.
- Small prizes - Starbucks gift cards - were given with the certificates.
- Finalists advanced to the university-wide KSU Creative Jam competition.
- ALL speech students were required to attend the event to support their classmates.
FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH TED TALKS FOR PEER REVIEW
BONUS PARTICIPATION FOR SPRING 2025 PROFESSIONALS WITH PURPOSE
BONUS PARTICIPATION IN THE 2025 KSU DAY OF SERVICE
BONUS PARTICIPATION IN THE UNITED WAY TOILETRY DRIVE
BONUS PARTICIPATION IN THE KSU OWLUMINATE DESIGN CHALLENGE
Student Perceptions of the Learning and service approach:
spring 2023 Student Feedback (housing insecurity focus):
Pre- and Post-Surveys Distributed (Paper)
Main Takeaways: Perceptions of the rate of individuals facing housing insecurity at the local/college level increased dramatically from the pre-test to the post-test. Definitions of "housing insecurity" expanded beyond traditional views of homelessness.
QEP - It's All About Engagement, Reflections Collected through KSU QEP Task Force and standard course evaluations
Positive overall report, curricular connections were made!
Anonymous Student Quote: "The skills that I learned will likely help me throughout my entire life regardless of if I have to present a speech ever again. It helped me grow as a public speaker, person, and writer."
spring 2024 Student Feedback (sustainability focus):
Pre- and Post-Surveys Distributed (Survey Monkey)
Reflection Papers assigned as part of classwork
Example with permission by Cadence Huntsinger:
SPRING 2025 STUDENT FEEDBACK (MENTAL HEALTH FOCUS):
PRE- AND POST-SURVEYS DISTRIBUTED (SURVEY MONKEY)
PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY UTILIZED PRPSA PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST
- 17 of 19 students completed valid pre and post tests
- 12 students reported that their public speaking anxiety decreased
- 5 students reported that their public speaking anxiety increased
- Average pre-test score: 106.7
- Average post-test score: 80.35
- Note on PRPSA Scoring: Your score should be between 34 and 170. If your score is below 34 or above 170, you have made a mistake in computing the score.
- High = > 131
- Low = < 98 (post-test average)
- Moderate = 98-131 (pre-test average)
- Mean = 114.6; SD = 17.2 (pre-test students were slightly below the mean at 7.9 points under; post-test students were significantly below the mean at 26.35 points under)
REFLECTION RESPONSES to three questions ASSIGNED AS PART OF CLASSWORK
Prompts:
- How did you feel about the panel approach to the current event speech?
- Did you learn anything new about mental health matters?
- How did you feel about the Creative Jam video creation assignment?
Student Exceprts:
Example with permission from Gunner Bryson:
Example with permission from Kaitlin Davis:
DATA ON ENGAGEMENT WITH BONUS OPPORTUNITIES:
- 3 students attended Professionals with Purpose sessions
- 3 students provided donations for the United Way Toiletry Drive
- 2 students participated in the 2025 KSU Day of Service
- 1 student submitted design work for the KSU OWLuminate Design Challenge
My Personal OBSERVATIONS OF THE 365 LEARNING AND SERVICE APPROACH
PROS:
Allows opportunity to connect with students in creative & meaningful wayS
Encourages critical thinking and collaboration
Focuses on a "real-world" connection and why communication and advocacy matters
Fosters a sense of citizenship beyond just the classroom, but also at the college and university levelS.
CONS:
TIME-CONSUMING COURSE DESIGN and execution
SCHEDULING CONFLICTS FOR STUDENTS
typical GROUP WORK WOES when heavy coordination is required
SENSITIVE AND PERSONAL TOPICS/ISSUE
Credits:
Created with an image by netrun78 - "Mental health matters motivational quote on the letter board. Inspiration psycological text"