National Workshop on Service-Learning Set April 24-25

Silliman University, through its Institute of Service-Learning (ISL), is spearheading a national workshop on “Planning and Managing Reflection Sessions in Service-Learning” on April 24 to 25. 

To be held at the Sillman Hall, the workshop gathers 50 professors and community workers from around the Philippines who have initiated service-learning activities in their respective academic institutions. 

The workshop aims to enhance skills of faculty members in the area of planning and facilitating reflection sessions in service-learning. These skills include being able to analyze the critical role or contribution of reflection as an element in service-learning, and plan appropriate and effective structural opportunities for students in service-learning.

Service-learning is a teaching pedagogy that exposes students to social realities on the ground. It is a graded activity which forms part of the academic curriculum. One of the tools used in facilitating learning and insights from the students is reflection. It is during reflection sessions where students confront themselves with a set of questions, and are able to interact with each other on their preconceptions/misconceptions, observations, learning, and realizations arising from their community interaction. 

Silliman is one of the universities in Asia which service-learning program is being tapped as a model. Every year, batches of students from Asian countries and the United States come to Silliman for service-learning.