Modules 1-3 represent the unit or project plan for the user(s). It will be in this section that they answer the questions:
- What will youth know or be able to do at the end of this project? (Identify Desired Results)
- How will you know they have learned that knowledge or gained those skills? (Determine Acceptable Evidence)
- And finally what activities or lessons will they participate in to achieve those results? (Plan Student Experiences)
For each module NYLC will be capturing videos that show projects in that phase of planning and implementing. These videos could capture instruction, interviews with adults or students, or students serving in the community. While it will take time to build the video library to start off we want to capture a K-12 classroom educator at each level (elementary, middle, and high school), a group student (who serve in a youth council of some sort), and an educator that works outside of the formal K-12 classroom in each step of the planning and implementing process. Luckily, we have a budget to make this happen.
Each project that is featured through video will have the formal curriculum to support ensuring that members can cross reference the larger plan when watching shorter videos. Additional videos could also include mini (3-5) webinars or instructional videos created by NYLC. Each module is set up so that the videos and supporting documents can be modified at anytime because we know that videos age quickly and we want the tool to stay relative and build over time.
Another constant through the modules will be the presence and encouragement of using the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. While the modules represent the different steps in the recipe, the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice represent the ingredients. Majority of NYLC’s resources are based on these standards and many of these standards happen naturally within service-learning. However, there are key indicators for using the standards with quality.
Every module will feature supporting resources to guide users through answering the questions. For instance in module one there will be documents that users can call upon to look up the Common Core State Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, civic outcomes, character outcomes, and leadership outcomes if they need help defining their desired outcomes. Along with the library of standards, their will be resources to help decide guiding questions as well as unpacking those standards and goals.
Module two will have supporting resources that support users in defining how youth will prove their growth for the defined outcomes in module one. Again with videos but also with content that teaches how to create a rubric, what are examples of formative and summative assessments, how can young people self or peer assess? Often times the assessment or final project in service learning is the service itself or the demonstration of that service. This can be very tricky because one of the standards for service-learning is youth voice so how can educators ensure that students are meeting the standards but still getting voice and choice.
Module three will use the IPARD model for service-learning to plan the student experience. Often times people start with this step when planning but this is really the student inquiry process for service-learning and doesn’t represent a full plan. For each step of the IPARD process we will have supporting resources:
Investigation: community research, inquiry based lesson, defining the community need
Planning: how the need will be met, student roles and collaborations, who in the community can you call upon for support
Action: direct, indirect, or advocacy, addressing the root cause vs. putting a band aid on an issue
Reflection: cognitively challenging reflection, happens before during and after, multiple intelligences
Demonstration: reporting results to the community, proposing next steps, engaging important stakeholders
Modules 1-3 will have a similar feel, after a member plans module 1-3 they will go back and add evidence as their plan comes to fruition.