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Beyond facts: service-learning and Asian history.

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Abstract

Study of East Asian history in a community college survey course can be effectively enhanced and deepened by including appropriate service-learning assignments. Three model sites--the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, and Portland Community College's Student Success Center--have provided students the opportunity to experience another culture and develop a personal awareness and appreciation for it.

How many of us in America can identify the central issues in Chinese history or have basic knowledge of the major dynasties? How many of us know the characteristics and rationale of the Tokugawa regime? The amazing population of China; the intense relationship between the U.S. and Japan in the past 150 years; the volume of trade between the U.S. and both of these countries: all argue for an introduction to the history of each. To address this need, Portland Community College (PCC) offers East Asian history as a specialized course in the History of Eastern Civilizations sequence.

The challenge in this course, even though it is considered a "specialized" topic in the community college setting, is to cover broad swaths of history in a meaningful and memorable manner--all in an eleven week term. The "facts" are essential, but essentially boring if the student were simply to memorize essential facts. And indeed, learning just the facts would not meet PCC's overarching goals for students. PCC has included in its formal philosophy statement that "a prime mission of the college is to aid in the development of educated citizens. Ideally such citizens possess ... appreciation of history both from a global perspective and from a personal perspective, including an awareness of the role played by gender and by various cultures.... "More specifically, listed in the core college outcomes, are goals that go beyond the "facts" in any given discipline:

* Graduates of Portland Community College should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the varieties of human cultures, perspectives, and forms of expressions as well as their own cultures' complexities.

* Graduates of Portland Community College should be self-appraising in applying the knowledge and skills they have learned, examining and evaluating personal beliefs, and comparing them with the beliefs of others.

While I employ various techniques in an attempt to add affective and reflective dimensions to these survey courses, none have been more effective than service-learning assignments. Servicelearning, for those unfamiliar with the terminology, is a teaching method that connects students with a community organization so that the student not only renders useful volunteer and civic service but also learns concepts related to course work in a practical manner.

Much has been written on the value of service-learning projects to enhance and deepen students' learning...

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