Why is the Harry Singer Foundation promoting community based learning?
Studies have shown that students
learn better with a combination of studying and doing; particularly the MTV
generation. Even math teachers use it. Some believe learning is enhanced by
teaching. They claim that after a student is exposed to a mathematical idea
they've only become acquainted with it. It is only after they have explained it
to someone else that they've really learned it. These teachers often have their
students tutor elementary school youngsters, figuring their students are not
only learning to get their tongue around math ideas, but they are learning how
young children think, and why they are often puzzled by math problems.
Too many critics erroneously believe that universities are giving academic credit for straight volunteer work, but that's not the case. There is a serious academic component to working within the community and benefits to the community are incidental.
For example a college professor had students in his sociology course provide some service to the organizations they research. The idea was to enrich classroom learning by having students interpret information through an actual event, occurring in real time. It's through these dynamic interactions with the local community that interesting and relevant questions emerge. Almost always community-based problems are bigger than a single discipline can resolve.