Table Of ContentReflecting on Reflection as a Critical Component in
Service Learning
Catherine Bloomquist, MLIS
Phone: (612) 309-9255; Email: [email protected]
Despite the popularity of service learning, it is sometimes criticized for its lack of aca-
demic rigor. This piece provides a counterpoint to that argument by describing a LIS
service-learning course from the student’s perspective. I focus particularly on the role
of reflection, a key component in service-learning courses that helps to differentiate
service learning from other types of experiential learning. I describe how the structured
reflection opportunities in this course acted as an essential learning catalyst, helping to
forge not only course-based learning but also learning related to larger LIS theory.
Reflecting on Reflection as a ment (LIS7620), which was built on the
Critical Component in Service service-learning model. Experiential learn-
Learning ing opportunities, such as service learning,
are seen as a way for students to develop
Service learning, a type of experiential their professional identity (O’Brien, et al.,
education that combines credit-earning, 2014). In this spirit, this course sought to
course-based learning with community teach students how to engage with their
service (Becker, 2000; Bringle & Hatch- future communities about the provision
er, Riddle, 2003) has rapidly expanded of literacy services, ultimately encourag-
across college campuses since the 1990s ing the development of students’ sense
(Harkavy & Hartley, 2010). In library and of civic responsibility. As the course title
science (LIS) education programs, service implies, community engagement formed a
learning and similar learning opportunities major component of this course, and was
are representative of library schools’ long- fostered through a service-learning project
standing belief in a combination of class- conducted in partnership with the Minne-
work and practical work as the best prepa- sota Literacy Council (MLC). The MLC,
ration for the profession (Brannon, 2014). a non-profit community literacy organiza-
However, despite its popularity, Harkavy tion that provides a variety of literacy ser-
and Hartley (2010) note that service learn- vices around the state of Minnesota (MLC,
ing has sometimes been criticized, among 2012), was at that time involved in a state-
other things, for its lack of academic rigor. funded pilot project designed to improve
In this article, I offer a counterpoint to the basic computer skills of unemployed
that criticism by describing how a service- adults, and needed an intern for one of the
learning course led to some of the deepest project’s pilot sites. Fulfilling this intern
learning of my LIS education. I will par- need comprised the “service” component
ticularly focus on the role that reflection of the course. Over the course of the se-
played in effecting such learning. mester, I provided 40 hours of computer-
In the fall of 2013, during my final se- skills tutoring as well as an additional 20
mester in the Master of Library and Infor- hours of project-focused work, such as
mation (MLIS) program at St. Catherine creating an introductory tutorial on using
University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I en- Mac computers.
rolled in a directed-study elective course The “learning” component of the
called Literacy and Community Engage- course included weekly assigned readings
J. of Education for Library and Information Science, Vol. 56, No. 2—(Spring) April 2015
ISSN: 0748-5786 © 2015 Association for Library and Information Science Education 169
doi:10.12783/issn.2328-2967/56/2/1
170 JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
on course-related subjects (e.g., commu- gram had required me to respond to read-
nity engagement and partnerships, service ings, but reflection in this course required
learning conceptualizations, literacy ser- conscious and deliberate consideration
vices and community information needs) of the connections between my service
combined with weekly reflection, which experience and the readings. Though my
I will discuss in more detail below. Be- reflection pieces were generally short, av-
cause I took the class as a directed study, eraging around 1,000 words, they were se-
there were no formal classroom lectures; rious thought pieces in which writing was
instead the professor and I arranged regu- placed within “a discipline, a subject and
lar in-person meetings and frequently serious purpose” (Sawyer, 2009, p. 69).
communicated by email. The learning Approaching reflection in this way elevat-
component of the course also included a ed it from being merely a catalog of my
semester-long community-based research experience to being a true learning cata-
project in which I identified and recom- lyst. I will illustrate this with an example
mended possible remedies to the digital that occurred about mid-way through the
literacy barriers faced by the community semester.
of computer trainees at the pilot site. One During this particular week, I worked
of the findings of this community-based with a trainee who had very low com-
research project was that trainees placed puter skills. At the same time, the trainee
a high value on the learning support pro- demonstrated high literacy in other areas,
vided by the tutors. As a result, the MLC such as the field of work that had been
agreed to consider my recommendation the trainee’s profession for over 30 years.
to increase its tutor recruitment and sup- Despite the trainee’s high level of work-
port efforts. related literacy, the trainee’s inability to
Next, I will describe how reflection use a computer to confirm compliance
forged the connection between the service with safety protocols had cost the trainee
and learning components that I described their job. My instructional skills were se-
above. Reflection, described as “thought- verely challenged in working with this
ful self-examination” (Ball & Schilling, trainee. Most trainees I had worked with
2006, p. 279) or “introspective and prob- to this point had at least some computer
ing self-assessment” (Ball, 2008, p. 73) experience and were familiar with ba-
serves to link the separate service and sic concepts such as using a mouse and
learning experiences in a service-learning keyboard. That week I floundered as I
course (Riddle, 2003; Swords & Kiely, struggled to explain foundational com-
2010). Indeed, Becker (2000) notes that puter concepts that I previously took
reflection is the key differentiator between for granted as common knowledge. The
service learning and other types of experi- instructional challenges I experienced
ential learning (e.g., internships, practica, that week were certainly rife for self-
volunteerism). Reflection frequently takes assessment and could have been the fo-
the form of written assignments, such as cus of my reflection. However, Swords
journaling, short reflection pieces or lon- and Kiely (2010) call for reflection to be
ger research papers, but it may also take “critical,” in which students move be-
other forms, such as in-class or online dis- yond self-discovery in favor of questions
cussions between the student, classmate(s) around power relations, ideology and so-
and/or the instructor (Becker, 2000; Cu- cial structures.
ban & Hayes, 2001; Yontz & de la Pena One of the assigned readings for that
McCook, 2003). In my case, reflection week had been a chapter from Brandt’s
took place as a weekly written reflection Literacy in American Lives (2001), which
submitted electronically to the instructor. discussed the different economic value
Many of the courses in the MLIS pro- and outcomes of various literacies. I found
Reflecting on Reflection as a Critical Component in Service Learning 171
the reading powerful but it only affected most powerful learning experience of my
me in an abstract way until I later sat down LIS education.
to write my reflection and considered
that week’s service experience in light of References
Brandt’s words. The trainee I worked with
that week was clearly highly literate—just Ball, M. (2008). Practicums and service learning in
not in the right literacies. This had not only LIS Education. Journal of Education For Library
& Information Science, 49(1), 70–82.
cost the trainee their job, but also rendered
Ball, M., & Schilling, K. (2006). Service learning,
them effectively illiterate and unable to
technology and LIS education. Journal of Edu-
regain access to the economy. I had been
cation for Library & Information Science, 47(4),
previously exposed to digital divide is- 277–290. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/40323821
sues during my LIS education but now Becker, N. (2000). Service learning in the curricu-
I comprehended the power of literacy as lum: Preparing LIS students for the next millen-
an economic resource (Brandt, 2001) in a nium. Journal of Education for Library and In-
formation Science, 41(4), 285–293. http://dx.doi.
way that was not possible in the classroom
org/10.2307/40324046
alone.
Brannon, S. (2014). Assessment in Fieldwork
This is but one example of how reflec-
Courses: What are we rating? Journal of Educa-
tion enhanced my understanding of key tion for Library & Information Science, 55(4),
concepts in this service-learning course. 274–302.
However, my learning in this course also Brandt, D. (2001). The means of production. In
transcended course concepts, serving to Literacy in American Lives (pp. 169–186).
Cambridge University Press. http://dx.doi.
crystallize much of the theoretical knowl-
org/10.1017/CBO9780511810237.007
edge I gained during my LIS education.
Bringle, R.G. & Hatcher, J.A. (1995). A service-
For example, early courses in the MLIS
learning curriculum for faculty. Michigan Jour-
program introduced me to LIS ethical man- nal of Community Service Learning, 2(1), 112–
dates regarding equity of access. Given 122.
my own relatively privileged experience, Cuban, S., & Hayes, E. (2001). Perspectives of five
I did not have the frame of reference to library and information studies students Iivolved
in service learning at a community-based literacy
comprehend the everyday implications of
program. Journal of Education for Library & In-
such inequities, but here I was confronted
formation Science, 42(2), 86–95. http://dx.doi.
with people who were in serious economic org/10.2307/40324022
peril because of low digital literacy. Simi- Harkavy, I., & Hartley, M. (2010). Pursuing Frank-
larly, my LIS education had introduced me lin’s dream: Philosophical and historical roots of
to libraries’ social justice and advocacy service-learning. American Journal Of Commu-
nity Psychology, 46(3/4), 418–427. doi:10.1007/
roles. I recognized the need for such activ-
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ism, but felt thwarted by my own personal
Minnesota Literacy Council. (2012). About the Min-
inhibitions as well as a lack of knowledge
nesota Literacy Council. Retrieved from http://
about how to engage with communities. mnliteracy.org/about
This course not only provided me with this O’Brien, H.L., Freund, L., Jantzi, L. & Sinahan, S.
knowledge also mobilized me, because I (2014). Investigating a peer-to-peer community
saw that my efforts could have an effect. service learning model for LIS Education. Jour-
nal of Education for Library & Information Sci-
As a result, I initiated and circulated an
ence, 55(4), 322–335.
online petition about inequity of access
Riddle, J. S. (2003). Where’s the library in ser-
to the Gmail webmail service that has
vice learning?: Models for engaged library in-
garnered over 500 signatures to date. In struction. Journal Of Academic Librarianship,
so doing, I was able to reimagine myself 29(2), 71–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0099-
as not just a librarian but as an activist, 1333(02)00424-X
which was a key step in the development Sawyer, P. (2009). The writing program and the call
to service: A progress report from a land grant
of my professional identity (O’Brien, et
university. Michigan Journal of Community Ser-
al., 2014), and also resulted in truly the
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172 JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
Swords, A. S., & Kiely, R. (2010). Beyond Peda- Yontz, E., & McCook, K.d.l.P. (2003). Service-
gogy: Service Learning as Movement Building in learning and LIS education. Journal of Educa-
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