Best Practices in Designing Service Learning Assessments
Start Date
November 2025
End Date
November 2025
Keywords
Service learning, assessment, curriculum design, online learning
Abstract
This interactive session explores best practices for designing service learning assessments that are pedagogically sound, inclusive, and adaptable across learning environments. Service learning offers students meaningful opportunities to engage with real-world issues, yet assessing its impact can be complex. This 50-minute workshop will guide participants through the process of developing assessment strategies that align with course objectives, measure both academic and civic learning outcomes, and support reflective practice. Emphasis will be placed on integrating assessment into curriculum design, using digital tools for online and hybrid formats, and creating rubrics that capture student growth and community impact.
Participants will engage in hands-on activities to design assessment plans tailored to their own disciplines and modalities. Sample rubrics, case studies, and collaborative design exercises will support the development of practical tools that can be implemented immediately. The session will also address challenges in evaluating service learning, including issues of equity, scalability, and institutional support.
Objectives:
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Identify key components of effective service learning assessment
-
Design assessment tools aligned with course and institutional goals
-
Explore strategies for integrating assessment into online and hybrid learning environments
-
Develop a draft assessment plan for use in participants’ own courses
Intended Audience: Faculty, instructional designers, and academic leaders interested in enhancing service-learning pedagogy and assessment practices across disciplines and modalities.
Learning Outcomes
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Identify key principles of effective service learning assessment across disciplines.
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Design assessment tools that align with course objectives and community engagement goals.
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Apply strategies for integrating service learning assessments into online and hybrid formats.
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Evaluate sample rubrics and adapt them for diverse learning environments.
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Develop a draft assessment plan tailored to participants’ own courses.
Track
Evidence-Based Practice
Session Type
50-Minute Session
Best Practices in Designing Service Learning Assessments
This interactive session explores best practices for designing service learning assessments that are pedagogically sound, inclusive, and adaptable across learning environments. Service learning offers students meaningful opportunities to engage with real-world issues, yet assessing its impact can be complex. This 50-minute workshop will guide participants through the process of developing assessment strategies that align with course objectives, measure both academic and civic learning outcomes, and support reflective practice. Emphasis will be placed on integrating assessment into curriculum design, using digital tools for online and hybrid formats, and creating rubrics that capture student growth and community impact.
Participants will engage in hands-on activities to design assessment plans tailored to their own disciplines and modalities. Sample rubrics, case studies, and collaborative design exercises will support the development of practical tools that can be implemented immediately. The session will also address challenges in evaluating service learning, including issues of equity, scalability, and institutional support.
Objectives:
-
Identify key components of effective service learning assessment
-
Design assessment tools aligned with course and institutional goals
-
Explore strategies for integrating assessment into online and hybrid learning environments
-
Develop a draft assessment plan for use in participants’ own courses
Intended Audience: Faculty, instructional designers, and academic leaders interested in enhancing service-learning pedagogy and assessment practices across disciplines and modalities.