Global Online Learning
Every student is different. Some students learn best in a lecture setting, taking notes, studying their text books, and completing tests. Others require a more hands-on approach to their education. For these students, service learning provides opportunities to not only enrich learning, but also to fulfill a true need in their community.
While this type of learning is more typically found at the high school or collegiate level, more and more elementary and middle schools are incorporating service-based teaching into their lesson plans. It’s been established for years that some children better retain knowledge they’ve applied in a real-world way. Service-based distance learning courses take that concept and goes one step further by allowing students to not only apply their skills, but apply them in a truly meaningful and useful way in their communities. This sort of learning doesn’t have to wait until students are older. Young children can participate in supervised activities that benefit their school or community. Teaching the importance of community service in youth may promote personal development skills at an earlier age, which will only benefit students as they grow and mature.
Older students have a lot of options when it comes to service-based programs. Often, these programs can tailor opportunities to suit a student’s special skills and needs. This is particularly helpful to those looking to gain experience for a future career or for a college application. These service experiences may also help students connect with those in the industries in which they hope to work, or with potential references that will help them in the future. In addition, students are usually asked to reflect on their work experiences. This time of self-reflection is a crucial aspect of many service programs, as it encourages personal growth and development that go beyond the usefulness of their tasks.
If your high school doesn’t offer any organized service-based opportunities, there are programs that will work with individual or groups of students, online programs, as well as local college-affiliated programs. Your school counselor may be able to provide you with information or Web sites for well regarded service-based learning programs. Many schools also have volunteer organization or clubs. While these service opportunities don’t usually tie in classroom lessons, they do allow students to gain experience doing good and valuable works in their community. These references and experiences can not only supplement a student’s education, but may positively impact his or her personal character and broaden their world view as well.