What is service-learning? Chapdelaine et. al. quote this definition from Bringle and Hatcher: it is a

Course-based, credit-bearing educational experience that allows students to (a) participate in an organized service activity that meets community needs and (b) reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.

Cress et. Al. write

Service-Learning: Students engage in community service activities with intentional academic and learning goals and opportunities for reflection that connect to their academic disciplines.

What are the benefits of service-learning? Chapdelaine et. Al. cite studies that show service-learning increasing commitment to civic responsibility, tolerance toward and understanding of diverse others, prosocial behaviors, and moral development; Cress et. Al. declare that

Students who participate in community-based learning realize greater educational and learning gains than their peers. Their academic and social self-concept is higher, they tend to be more moral and ethical in their decision making, their tolerance and empathy for others is improved, their understanding of societal and community issues is broadened, their cognitive and problem-solving skills are more advanced, and their interest in influence positive social and political change is increased.

But, though it is good to have it affirmed, none of this is radically new. What is new about these two books is that each of them assumes adoption of service-learning as a powerful pedagogy and moves forward to serve a need resulting from that adoption.

Service-Learning Code of Ethics is a provocative book, the authors of which have done the work of thinking through, and bringing together in one place, many of the ethical considerations entailed on colleges by service-learning. The result is a three-part code of ethics, spelling out the ethical expectations of students, faculty, and administrators. In a series of chapters keyed to the statements of ethical expectation (for instance, "Faculty shall minimize potential harm to agencies, their constituencies, and students") the authors explain the meaning and ramification of the ethical principles, then offer at least one case study and a step-by-step guide to resolving the dilemma presented. These include such matters as "conflict between student personal commitments and service-learning requirement," "research and informed consent," "misuse of results of service-learning research project," and "allocation of institutional resources and service-learning implementation." All these are grounded in a set of ethical principles announced early in the book (these are fairly common in discussions of ethics, particularly in the professions): beneficence; nonmaleficence; justice/fairness/equity; fidelity/responsibility; autonomy and respect for people's rights; and integrity.

A short book like this cannot foresee or solve all ethical problems that will arise with service-learning; but the authors have thought through many important issues and suggest good solutions. Any college or university with a service-learning program needs to have a copy of this book on hand, along with (even more important) someone who has read it.

Learning Through Serving is designed to be assigned as a textbook in a service-learning class. Thus it is aimed at the student. Though it begins with definitions like the one quoted above and some explanation of why students will benefit from service-learning, it goes on to very important and pragmatic matters. There is every effort made to be honest and transparent with students; for instance, on page 10 the authors acknowledge that "[p]erhaps the greatest single resistance voiced in service-learning classes is the argument that service is volunteerism and, by definition, cannot be required," followed by a good attempt to answer this objection. A later chapter addresses the problems of group work, from the students who viscerally object to it on principle, to dysfunctional groups, bossiness, members who coast, fairness in assessment. Another is called "Failure with the Best of Intentions: When Things Go Wrong."

The chapters are filled with exercises-probably too many, though the authors have starred the ones they think are most important. Readers, or the students themselves, may quarrel with some of the exercises, but the key point is that THEY ARE AIDS TO REFLECTION. And reflection is, as everyone insists, the key to putting the learning into service learning. We have no right to assume that students know what to do when asked to "reflect" on their experiences. There are scores of questions like this one: "Connect the project goals to larger societal or political issues (e.g., does removing graffiti assist a neighborhood in community-building?)" Chapter Six, entitled "Reflection in Action: The Learning-Doing Relationship," with the candor the whole book models, addresses itself to the questions of why students should reflect and then goes on to help them do it. There is even an exercise, "Reflecting on Reflection."

The authors of this book work at Portland State University, which has a reputation for serious commitment to a learning paradigm, a thoughtful general education curriculum, and a concern for student mindfulness and active citizenship. On the evidence of Learning Through Serving, it is well-deserved.

Merritt Moseley
University of North Carolina at Asheville