HOW DO I CREATE A LEARNING PLAN?

A learning plan can be thought of as a "blueprint" that maps out what you hope to learn/accomplish as a result of your service-learning experience. It includes specific learning objectives that provide a way to measure progress toward completion of your educational goals. Learning objectives are brief statements that define results expected in a specific period of time. They should:

• Be specific as to exactly what is to be accomplished.

• Be scheduled for accomplishment in a defined period of time.

• State in measurable terms results to be accomplished.

• Be realistic, but challenging.

Discuss your plan with your instructor and site supervisor. You all should have input and each of you should sign it and keep a copy. It is your responsibility to ensure that this is done.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Knowledge/Understanding

Gaining knowledge implies acquisition of information, facts, concepts, ideas, or theories. Gaining understanding implies an ability to apply this information to problem-solving situations-seeing patterns and relationships, using knowledge for reasoning, analyzing, and to extend learning beyond information acquisition.

Example:

To gain knowledge about how computers are used in bill collection.

To develop an understanding of the psychology used in writing fund-raising letters.

Skills

The ability to do some activity; skills improve with use and practice; skills and the results of their use are observable. Skills may be mental or physical and can pertain to activities carried out with people (interviewing, counseling), with things (photography, artifacts, computers), or with data (analyzing or preparing reports, gathering research information).

Example:

To develop skill in interviewing clients at the Mental Health Association.

To develop skill in categorizing photographs at Tempe Historical Museum.

Attitudes/Values

These objectives usually involve formulation and/or clarification of personal values or feelings. Think in terms of the personal convictions you think will be affected by this experience. What opinions, attitudes or feelings do you hope to clarify?

Example:

To clarify my opinion about the use of behavior modification in the treatment of juvenile delinquents.

To clarify my feelings about the moral issues surrounding the debate on the safe disposal of toxic waste materials.

*Reproduced from Student Guide CPPS

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Direct feedback to: Randy Kimmens
URL: http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/servicelearning/creating.htm
Last update: Tuesday November 14 2000