IPARD Service-Learning Process

THE SERVICE-LEARNING PROCESS

What is Service-Learning?

Service-Learning is a method of instruction in which students actively participate in the learning process through identifying and meeting community needs while advancing the goals of a given curriculum.  

Through service-learning, students gain a deeper understanding of the course content, build strong community ties, and prosocial behaviors increase.

IPARD is a 5 step circular process that guides your service-learning project – Investigation, Plan, (take) Action, Reflect, Demonstrate (or Celebrate).

The IPARD process works in tandem with Magnified Giving’s 6 step program.

Investigate: Students identify community needs through discussion, research, or exploration.

Plan: Students identify action steps and communicate with a nonprofit to learn more about the nonprofit organization’s needs or identify a meaningful service project and develop a plan.

Take Action: Students implement the plan that they developed as a team, learn through the action of serving.

Reflect: At each stage, participants engage in some form of activity that allows them to think
about the community need, their actions, their impact, what worked and did not work, the
ways in which their work contributes to the common good, and/or similar types of
analytic thinking.

Demonstrate: Students apply knowledge, create a final project, fundraise, and share with peers and community.

CommUnity
Launch the idea of a CommUnity using the following plans. Introduce vocabulary and understand what your students already know about how their community works together for the common good, as well as what they wish to see.

♦ CommUnity Lesson Plan
♦ Better Together Introduction Activity
♦ CommUnity Lesson PowerPoint

4 Corners by Cathryn Berger Kaye
Not your traditional “4 corners” activity, from Service-Learning expert, Cathryn Berger Kaye. Utilize this lesson plan in the investigation stage. Move more slowly through the activity or reference back, adding to the four types of service corners for the planning stage after the students research in the MISO information. It can be adapted for both small group and individual use, depending on the needs of the instructor.

♦ 4 Corners by Cathryn Berger Kaye

Financial Literacy: Earn, Save, Live and Give
Magnified Giving is thrilled to offer our facilitators another resource available to continue enhancing the education, empowerment, and inspiration of your students. We are very proud to add these Financial Literacy project-based lessons to our resources. An expert in the Financial Literacy field worked with us over the summer to create a project for our Middle Schools and High Schools.

♦ Financial Literacy by Magnified Giving

Documentar_
Documentar_ is a time capsule of this moment, highlighting student voices and collecting youth expressions. Complete a 30-40 minute activity and have your students create and submit the demonstration of their reflection to Cathy Berger Kaye’s Documentar_. Check out posts from all over the world by searching Documentar_ on Instagram. If you would like more instruction about Documentar_, contact CBK and Associates or reach out to Magnified Giving Director of Programs, Alison Kaufman (Alison@MagnifiedGiving.org)

♦ Directions for Documentar_
♦ Documentar_ on Instagram

Youth Service American (YSA) Learning Guide
This resource guide from YSA, a step by step guide to for you and your students to plan service throughout the school year or as a unit.

♦ Youth Service America (YSA) Service Learning Guide
♦ Find more resources through Youth Service America at https://ysa.org

MISO Method by Cathryn Berger Kaye
Utilize the MISO Method, by Cathryn Berger Kaye, to look at gathering information using Media, Interviews, Surveys, and Observation! Ask your students to develop multiple pathways to understanding a social cause or to link systemic social causes.

♦ MISO Method by Cathryn Berger Kaye

What is Service?  4 types of service (coming soon)

4 Corners by Cathryn Berger Kaye (continued from Investigate)
Not your traditional “4 corners” activity, from Service-Learning expert, Catheryn Berger Kaye. Utilize this lesson plan in the investigation stage. Move more slowly through the activity or reference back, adding to the four types of service corners for the planning stage after the students research in the MISO information. It can be adapted for both small group and individual use, depending on the needs of the instructor.

You Make a Difference, Just by Being Who You Are
We all contribute to our communities, are your students aware of their strengths and how to use them to learn, collaborate with their peers, and serve their community? How will they utilize them using a tool like SMART goals?

♦ Strengths Lesson Plan (coming soon)
♦ VIA Character Assessment
♦ SMART goals

Launch or conclude by asking students to think about someone who has made a difference in their lives. This activity from Brad Montague, formerly of SoulPancake, now Montague Workshop is a complete activity and guide.

♦ Because You Were PDF
♦ Because You Were Complete Lesson Resources

Asset Mapping
Asset Mapping highlights the good in the community, what are the strengths of our communities and how do we fit into the good? This complete description and lesson materials from Everyday Democracy leads you through the basics.

♦ Asset Mapping
♦ Accompanying Asset Mapping Lesson Plan (coming soon)

Evaluating a Nonprofit Organization
What questions do you have for this nonprofit organization? What do you need to know to ask a good question? Evaluate the nonprofit using the following tools from the Better Business Bureau Give.org. *Note: not all nonprofits have submitted documentation with the BBB or have completed their application.

♦ Visit Give.Org
BBB Nonprofit Evaluation Lesson Plans and Tools

Visiting a Nonprofit Organization
When planning a visit to a nonprofit organization what will your students need? See the resources below.

Sample Questions to Pose to Nonprofit Organizations
Professional Communication with nonprofit organizations (coming soon)
Mount Notre Dame – Keys To An Effective Site Visit

Service Learning Reflection Toolkit
This resource from Gateway Technical College emphasizes the benefits of reflection in learning and provides a variety of reflection resources to utilize in your class or club.

♦Americorps & NW Service Academy: Service Reflection Toolkit

Indiana University: Questions for Reflection on Service

♦CASEL:  Social-Emotional Learning Reflection Prompts 

♦ Gateway Technical College: Reflection in Service-Learning Toolkit