1. Service learning is a philosophy of education which emphasize active, engaged learning with the goal of social responsibility. It is reciprocal, dynamic and interactive--which suggests mutuality in learning between the student and the community with whom he or she is actively engaged.

2. Service learning is a credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and 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. Unlike extracurricular voluntary services, service learning is a course-based service experience that produces the best outcomes when meaningful service activities are related to course material through reflection activities such as writing and small group discussions. Unlike practica and internships, the experiential activity in a service learning course is not necessarily skill-based within the context of professional education.

3. Service learning is an instructional method--

Under which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet actual community needs and that are coordinated in collaboration with the school and the community;

That is integrated into the students' academic curriculum or provides structured time to think, talk, and/or write about what the student did and saw during the actual service activity;

That provides students with opportunities to use newly acquired skills and knowledge in real-life situations in their own communities; and

That enhances what is taught in school by extending student learning beyond the classroom and into the community and helps to foster the development of a sense of caring for others.