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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 1 FOSTERING COMMUNITY PRIDE AND AN ETHIC OF RECIPROCITY THROUGH A MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT By EMILY A. MAJESKI A CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2014
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2 ©2014 Emily Majeski
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 3 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my parents, Lori and Tim Smith for all their love and support. I would also like to thank the new friends I have met during my time in the program and my professors Elizabeth Delacruz and Jodi Kushins for all of your help and guidanc e.
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4 ABSTRACT OF CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS FOSTERING COMMUNITY PRIDE AND AN ETHIC OF RECIPROCITY THROUGH A MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT By Emily A. Majeski August 2014 Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Delacruz Major: Art Education Abstract This paper presents my research project for fulfillment of my University of Florida Maste r's Degree in Art Education. During the spring of 2014 I created and researched a service learning project conducted with a group of eight sixth grade students at Erie Midd le School in Erie, Illinois. The service learning project involved my students planning and promoting a beatification project for the playground at the Erie Elementary School. Student plans were completed for this service learning project i n the Spring semester of 2014. My goals were to find out what students learn from planning and promoting a community service learning project and what the benefits are to the students, the school, and the greater community. Student plans were completed for this service learning project in the Spring semester of 2014. I plan to implement the plans that my students created in my art program in the next school year . I used action research as my research methodology, guided by my analysis of student notes in journals they made, my own teach er researcher journal, photographs, prototype drawings and posters designed by the students, as well as promotional presentation videos they created in small groups. I published my process and findings in IS SUU and uploaded the groups' QuickTime videos to the
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 5 school district's Estream online video portal at http://media.erie1.net/?q=category/select school/middle school .
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8 Introduction As a teacher, I always want to help students apply what they learn in the classroo m to their own lives in some way. I once overheard a high school student ask the teacher, "What is the point of painting a design on a ceiling tile?" The teacher's answer was, "Because that's what we are doing and you are getting a grade for it". In the gr and scheme of things, there are actually more complex reasons we ask students to do even the simplest of tasks, but I challenged myself to inject more meaning into projects and to spark more dialogue in my classroom. To begin, I wanted to find out what happens when my students and I get involved in a beautific ation project in Erie, Illinois, s o I created a service learning project with my sixth grade art students with the goal of encouraging them to be come more active members of the Erie commun ity. I wanted to encourage my students to think critically about issues of conservation, city planning , ecology, and civic pride. Specifically, over the spring semester of 2014 my students and I developed plans fo r the transformation and beautification of the playground at the elementary school, which is used by children and their families during school and after school hours . My ultimate goal is that we will carry forward these plans in the fall of 2014. Using a p articipatory action research method, my University of Florida capstone project documented what happen ed during the Spring 2014 planning phase. Statement of the Problem I had noticed the playground at the elementary school was a nice large space with some grass, some pavement, and an equipment space with woodchips, but that it had some areas that were in disrepair. Over the years, well meaning fo lks have given the school sculptures and decorative benches that have cracked, chipped, or broken. In planning our beautification project, some issues we need to address include the logistics of finding a location, finding out and
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 9 gaining permission of administration, getting approval for us to work in the location, working with those who can provide additional information an d guidance to student planning , creating the promotional and documentary media needed to raise public awareness and funds for the p roject. Goals of the Study The main purpose of the study was to observe and document students working toget her during the planning p hase of a community space beautification project. I believe that students would learn to look outside of themselves and also benefit per sonally from the opportunity to work with a common goal of designing a space with the needs of the recipients in mind and an overarching spirit of caring and a commitment to the environment. I am interested in art that fosters creative thin king that studen ts can connect with on a real world level. I believe this study shows how my studen ts accomplished those things by working together to re imagine and plan this space for the elementary students and their families. Research Questions Some of the research questions that I have developed in my study of this service learning project include the following: 1. How can real world problem solving and themes of caring and social responsibility guide students ' learning process in a community based service learning project? 2. What have students have actually learned through their participation in this service learning project? Rationale I teach in a small school district in a rural town in Illinois and I have noticed that some of my middle school students are active in the community through their churches, but others have
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10 never had the opportunity to really be active in the community at all. I feel that my art program would best serve the children of the school district, the school district, and the community if students could have the opportunity to learn about ways they can help out. I want students to start thinking outside of themselves at a young age and get a taste of how great it feels to be an active com munity member who does things to make the place they live better. There are so many ways an art program can provide th is type of valuable service learning that gives children with different skill sets and talents opportunities to shine. I truly believe tha t a learning activity like planning for a community project can be all inclusive, challenging, fun, and informative. Assumptions There were a few assumptions I had going into this project. First, I believed that most of my students had not been involved in many projects with real world applications that involved actual recipients of their ideas and work. As one who desi gns curriculum in the school district, I know there have not been wide spread efforts in the school to connect st udents to community servi ce specifically as part of the curriculum. Additionally, previous art curriculum did not expose students to curriculu m involving research of this nature or designing a physical space with a practical function that people use. This made me even more aware that a project that offers these opportunities could give students the chance to potentially develop new skills. Definition of Terms Reciprocal L earning E xperience . In reciprocal learning experience (Hutzel & Russell, 2007), both participating parties col laborate and share mutual benefits and responsibilities. In a service learning project, the community and students benefit mutually from the sharing of help
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 11 and information. Service Learning. Service learning is a pedagogical approach that encourages meaningful connections between the school curriculum and the community's issues (Glickman & Thompson, 2009). Service learning is essentially learning in school subject areas through service activi ties in the greater community. This form of teaching is reciprocal, as it benefits both the students and the community and helps teachers encourage active citizenship (G lickman, 2009 ) and it allows teachers to incorporate the community in to their classroom s . Situated Cognition. Situated cognition is a real world or hands on approach to learning with its own rewards and motivation provided by the satisfaction of tangible success . Platt Gross (2010) talks about the idea of "situated cognition," based on the research of educational researchers John Brown, Allan Collins, and Paul Duguid, (1989) who seek to: embed learning in activity and make deliberate use of the social and physical context, cognitive apprenticeship methods try to enculturate students into aut hentic practices through activity and social interaction in a way similar to that evident and evidently successful in craft apprenticeship (Platt Gross, 2010, p. 359). Limitations of the Study There were limitations to the project as well. For example, due to the fact that students have quarter long (9 week) art classes at the middle school, not all sixth graders took part in each activity or phase of this project. Ad ditionally, work could not be done on t he project during summer months so work on it will need to resume the following school year . Findings from my study apply only to the students and community of Erie, Illinois, although some of my findings may be informative to teachers engaged in service learning projects in their own communities.
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12 Due to regulations by the University of Florida, I was required to have my research approved by the Institutional Review Board. The IRB office approved my plan and that agreement is binding (Appendix A). I was also required to collect signed consent forms from guardians of students who were involved in the research project (Appendix B). I must comply with these rules and regulations. Review of Literature In this lit erature r eview I will be discussing what scholars have to say about experiential learning (Barry & Beckman, 2007) and social emotional learning (Blatt Gross, 2010). Additionally, the work of Clark & Zimmerman (2000) will inform my understandings about place based art education in rural areas. Graham 's (2007) elaborat ion on place based education, focusing on the ways ecological issues might be addressed through art education also informs my study . In addition, some of the emerging issues that will be importa nt to my own research include information about teaching concepts like sustainability, conservation, land use, environmental issues, and most importantly, city pride. I will also examine what authors Ballengee Morris and Taylor (2004) and other art educato rs have to say about the nature of service learning in art education. Finally, the views of Powell and Takayoshi (2003) about the Ethics of Reciprocity facilitate my understanding about teaching this concept in conju nction with the principles of service le arning. Social and Emotional Learning If it's true that people learn through experience, then art education is a virtual jungle gym full of experiences for learning about the self and learning about others. Barry & Beckman observe, "The experiential learn ing theory model juxtaposes two approaches to grasping
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 13 experience (concrete experience and abstract conceptualization) and two approaches to transforming experience (reflective observation and active experimentation) " (2007, p. 229. This is especially important in regards to learning that involves collaboration. Experiential learning allows students with different learning styles work together and contribute to a project. Importantly, differences must be worked out am ongst collaborators. For example, Powell and Takayoshi state that Kairos serves as a theoretical lens for understanding discomfort and dissensus so that we can be more prepared for and responsive to the various rhetorical situations that occur in our field work" (2003, p. 416). If young learners have the opportunity to work within the social and interpersonal aspects of a project, they stand to benefit greatly and they certainly stand to make a positive impact through a community oriented service learni ng pr oject. While some students prefer to work independently, they stand to grow so much more from the challenge of working with others, which is why students in my research project lessons will have the opportunity to work alone as well as in group settings. Another relevant view of social and emotional learning is given by Blatt Gross who observes that " Although the argument for art as cognition has gained significant momentum since the cognitive revolution, recent scientific investigations of cognition have revealed the import of social and emotional thinking for meaningful, contextualized learning, thereby highlighting the inherent social and emotional properties of artmaking as inevitably cognitive attributes with educational value" (2010, p. 353) . Blatt an d Gross (2010) offer a theoretical investigation model that "seeks to balance the empirical strengths and the theoretical richness of the sciences and the humanities to achieve a more profound understanding of the role of art making in human experience and learning (p. 353). Here Blatt and Gross explore the links that bind culture and cognition, the distinctly social nature of the human brain and the role art plays
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14 in satisfying this nature, and the viability of arts education as a social and emotional form of cognition, "if only we cast the conceptual net wide enough" ( Blatt Gross, 2010, p. 353). These authors are essentially saying that students have a wide variety of strengths and everyone contributes something different to a project. When the scope of th e project crosses curricular subjects from arts and sciences into humanities, that project will ultimately tap into the talents of individuals who can contribute something valuable in each area. Students are learning socially and emotionally in service lea rning projects that require students to participate in a wide range of activities having to do with art making, cultural learning, social and environmental responsibilities, problem solving, and planning. When students are taught to look for the connection s in all these things, it creates a richer experience for them. Service Learning While service learning is not a new concept, art bas ed service learning is considered to be more of a post modern idea (Taylor, p. 127, 2002). Several authors informed my understanding about service learning in the context of art education. Here, I will outline some of the key characteristics and concepts b y which I might design my own art education service learning project. Many different authors have a wide variety of de finitions of what service learning is, but it can be broken down into these characteristics, according to Russel and Hutzel: (1) being part of the regular curriculum, (2) involving reciprocal expertise among partners, and (3) extending students' learning t o include the experiences of others in the community (p. 8, 2007). Furthermore, there are several instructional phases to consider. Service learning is considered a planned unit within the school's art curriculum. In the beginning, a "circle of experts" i s brought together to aid the process, then the "collaborate and create" process is meant to serve the needs
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 15 of the audience or public, next is the assessment and reflection phase, and finally there is recognition for the students who participated in the s ervice learning project (Russel & Hutzel, p. 11, 2007). Essentially, service learning has a natural progression, as any art education lesson would have, and it must be assessed just as all lessons are. "The keystone of service learning pedagogy is reflecti on. Service learning students, teachers, and community participants are actively involved in constant production and re production of the service project through reflective discourse, writing, exhibition, and critique" (Taylor, p. 127, 2002). These are som e of the examples I may use to assess my students in my own study. Ballengee Morris and Taylor add, "Éjournaling provide(s) the students with private spaces to reflect collectively followed by open group discussions" (p. 10, 2004). These types of insights will lead to great understanding about the extent to which students have participated and learned from the processes in the service learning project and provide me with measurable data. "Service learning involves students in what they learn in the formal study to work with others and make a beneficial difference in the world" (Ballengee Morris & Taylor, p. 6, 2004). Learning is an extremely important part of the term service learning . Ballengee Morris & Taylor say, "The hyphen [in between the words service and learning ] represents the reciprocal nature of service learning in which both the students and the community learn from each other" (p. 8, 2004). Nonetheless, one of the problems that is often associated with service learning projects is that there is community service without the formal or informal learning processes (Taylor, p. 129, 2002). Taylor states, "It is important to noteÉthat a postmodern view of art is inclusive of much more than simply making things called artÉa fairly equivalent emphasis is placed on the service and on the learning or academic study" (p. 137, 2002). So then, some important aspects of service learning art education pedagogy should be the choices of works of art and activities, a
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16 flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum that is created collaboratively, and one that incorporates the cultural identities of all parties involved (Taylor, p. 137, 2002). Today, service learning can be a great way to get students involved in the community, but clearly it takes planning and preparatio n, not just of the site and participants, but of the curriculum. What can students learn from service learning art education? It makes sense that students would learn to embrace their communities and perhaps they would learn some new techniques. However, scholars such as Taylor strongly believe that students stand to learn much more, saying, "Sharing and learning about the power of art through meaningful art education service experiences is and can be possible through the integration of service learning i nto art education programs" (p. 139, 2002). It is necessary to make these human connections to learn that in the bigger picture of a service learning project, students are not just learning how to make something or to learn a concept. They are learning to look outside themselves and find ways to help others. The Community Connection Even though special programs for at risk youth in urban areas have been popular in the US ( Clark & Zimmerman, 2000), sometimes people forget that youth in rural areas are also in need of programs of study that provide them with unique opportunities to express themselves and make connections to their communities. Acknowledging that rural areas offer special learning opportunities for students engaged in community based art proje cts, Clark & Zimmerman (2000) go on to say, The rich and unique cultural backgrounds often possessed by families living in rural communities should be taken into account when developing art curriculum options and programming opportunities. Therefore, there is a need for community involvement in successful programs for teaching art in rural areas, where teachers,
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 17 parents, and community members should be involved in developing arts programs that build upon local resources and histories. ( Clark & Zimmerma n , 2000, p. 33) While Clark & Zimmerman (2010) focused on rural place based art programs, Graham is especially concerned with an area's unique ecological concerns, adding, " Critical place based pedagogy provides a robust framework for the theory and pract ices of art education that is concerned with ecological issues" (2007, p. 375). By ecological issues, Graham (2007) refers to the environmental components that are significant to a given area. These may include farming, run off, waste management, watersheds, and wildlife in a rural setting. Elaborating on these concerns, the Promise of Place organization Web site, The Center for Place Based Learning and Community Engagement ( http://www.promiseofplace.o rg/ ) acknowledges that place based learning offers considerable benefits for students . Place based learning i mmerses students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities and experiences ; u ses these as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects across the curriculum; and e mphasizes learning through participation in service projects for the local school and/ or community. Application to My Research The scholars I have included in this literature review are relevant today because they explain how other researchers have approached topics in a way that will help me organize my own research. These topics of concern include service learning, place based p edagogy, and rural art education programs. Clark & Zimmerman say, " students interact with their communities more and have more positive social interactions and greater self esteem when they engage in their communities" (2000, p. 33). There are so many reas ons why art education is an excellent platform for service learning. "The body of the child wil l not grow if it is not fed; the mind will
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18 not flourish unless it is stimulated and guided (Kessler, 2000), and the spirit will suffer if it is not nurtured. A s oulful education embraces diverse ways to satisfy the spiritual hunger of today's youth. When g uided to find constructive ways to express their spiritual longings, young people can find purpose in life, do better in school, strengthen ties to family and fr iends, and approach adult life with vitality and vision" (Kessler, 2000, p. 33). This is an imp ortant statement for my research because it embodies why I want to explore this topic and what I believe can be gained. Methods of Research For my capstone proj ect I used the action research method. Authors such as Carr & Kemis (1996), Entwhistle (1988), Maxwell (1996), and the Center for Collaborative and Action Research informed my research procedures. I wanted to inspire my own students to tak e action in their local community through a local service learning project. My goals were to provide students wi th real world practice in the skills they're learning in the classroom, model the benefits of building ties with and proactively serving the com munity, and build a commitment to life long learning in each of my students. The Community Pride Project that I developed with my students in the spring of 2014 involved a group of my sixth grade art students looking at similar city beautification projects done for the benefit of other communities. We developed plans for improvement of the elementary school playgro und on our school campus, with ideas of how we could improve that site and make it into a special site for use by the students and families who use that space . For the planning stage, students developed ideas, prototypes, and an action plan with a timeline and budget for completion. They also create some promotional media in the form of drawin gs, posters, and public proposal presentation videos that helped us promote this project and its aims. Since was a service leaning project that was also an action research project I conducted for my capstone project for fulfillment of my Master's degree in Art
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 19 Education at University of Florida, I was concerned with specific research questions in the proposal for my capstone project. Some questions I considered ahead of time, developed by Maxwell, were: • What specifically, do you want to understand by doing this study? • What do you not know about the phenomena you are studying that you want to learn? • What questions will your research attempt to answer [and how will you use the information you gather]?" (1996, p. 4) Throughout this process my students and I developed and revised plans, refined our procedures, and consulted with a group of third graders and school administration. According to the Center for Collaborated Action Research ( http://cadres.pepperdi ne.edu/ccar/ ) I would need both inside and outside expertise to help with various parts of the project. Similarly, Ozanne & Anderson (2010) offer a useful action research structure, which called for the development of partnerships, engaging people different types of people across various research stages. In this regard, I sought advice, permission, and support from individuals in school administration , according to the stage of the project my students and I were planning. Throughout the process I kept field notes of observations of events, conversations, successes, and challenges. I had information seeking sessions with some us ers of the space and school administration. Additionally, I asked permission to use information gathered from those involved in my research report. I took photographs, collected student journals, and documented and assessed their work. As I aggregated and sifted through my collected data to make sense of what occurred , I attempted to answer my research questions. To condense and compare varying data sets used the method of triangulation suggested by Maxwell. According to Maxwell triangulation involves, "Co llecting information using a variety of sources and methods" (1996, p. 93) and creating a
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20 matrix that displays information thematically. I also performed member checking with the students and adult consultants as I sought to interpret and explain what they did as this project unfolded. I asked participants what I may have left out, what I may have mischaracterized, or what I should add. As I processed the data I have gathered from my teacher researcher journal notes, photographs, student writings, and infor mation sessions with partners, I attempted to explain both the congruence with the goals of the service learning project as well as identification of any anomalies in the project. Subjects It was important for me to use my own students 1 for this study be cause I already have an established relationship with them and we have mutual trust. I want to be able to ask my students for their ideas, feelings, and opinions o n the process. Elliott (1987) states that this type of relationship can only be found in the classroom and that has been my experience as well. Therefore, I chose to study eight students in my sixth grade a rt class at Erie Middle School because they are ea sily accessible to me and because I have an established rapport with them and I will be asking them to provide feedback throughout the process of the study. Research Site My research site was my classroom and the playground down the street at the elementary school. Our campus covers about two blocks and it contains our high school, middle school, elementary, annex with kindergarten and preschool, and the administration buil ding. This allowed excellent access for my students and I to visit the space and document the problem. The 1 Although I will be conducting my research with real people, I will be using pseudo names to protect their confidentiality. .
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 21 middle school art classroom is large and open with plenty of work tables to spread out, which worked well for groups to spread out, discuss ideas, an d work on their large posters. It also allowed students the privacy of practicing fo r their promotional video presentations. Data Collection Procedures Action research deepens one's understanding of the problem and it helps to reveal appropriate action, according to Elliott (1987). From this methodology I was able to understand the problem and I implemented solutions to it. I was able to analyze the outcomes and adjust the curriculum as needed. I not only collected data, I also taught my st udents to use the process to find and collect data that would help t hem understand and find creative ways to solve the problem. I kept notes of observations in a journal and my students did this as well. I started out discussing with my students what service learning was and how it differs from community service. I talke d to them about community space beautification projects similar to what we were attempting, such as the service learning guide for the project Building Character Through Community Service Learning (Buil ding Character Through Service Learning, 2008) . We looked at that group's problem and the process they used to strategize and implement their plan. Next, students used the Internet and Birds and Blooms magazines in the classroom, which frequently highlight volunteer community oriented projects, to find other examples of service learning projects that incorporated service and learning well and also showed the methods that our guide had shown us. Students took notes in their journals about what processes, goa ls, and what they though would be important considerations for our project and we discussed those in class. I took notes on the discussion and on a brainstorm session we had about what we ought to look for on our visit to the space and how we should docume nt what problems we find that need to be addressed in our plans so that we make the most our of our visit. During the visit students
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22 worked in groups to document anything they wanted to address with their group as a potential problem to work on and find solutions to. They would create a proposal on how they would like to solve these issues or what they would l ike to add to improve the playground space for the elementary students. To aid them in the proce ss, students had the opportunity to meet with the elementary principal to explain their goals and they met with a third grade class to find out what things they liked and did not like about their playground. The next step in my research was to have the three small groups of students each create a poster with photographs of the spaces they wanted to address, bullet points of things they thought they would need to do to address the problems, and they included a drawn prototype or map of how they though the s pace would look after their plan had been implemen ted. Students decided to focus on the problems of repainting some of the chipped or broken sculptures on the p erimeter around the concrete play area, planting flowers in some of the dirt area under the classroom windows and around the bench, installing new swing seats, and perhaps adding some bases for kickball in the grassy area off to the side of the library. I found that, while my students were generating the ideas themselves, I prompted students with directive questions and guided them on the organization of their ideas so they would be able to understand more clearly what they wanted to say later in their prop osal videos. I kept things moving, kept the time, and kept students engaged with their group mates. In the final stages of designing the plan for the playground, students created a solution they wanted to present as their final proposals with their group s. They used their posters as a visual aid to discuss their solutions. Students had written their own scripts for the part of the plan they would each discuss in the QuickTime video. Each group presented for the other students in the class and for me as I filmed them. I then uploaded these videos to Estream , a video sharing
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 23 portal on the school district's website , and shared them with the principals at both the Elementary and Middl e School. Additionally, I showed t hem to the third grade class my middle scho ol students had shared their ideas with earlier on in the planning process. These parties provided feedback to the students about their proposed plans for the project and I documented some of the feedback we received in my journal. At the end of the study, I produced a capstone paper, reporting the findings of my study in a middle s chool art classroom, as well as an ISSUU online document and a series my students' video s . Data Analysis Proce dures Participant observers become part of the collaboration team in action research. According to Baskerville and Myers (2004) the reasoning, action plan formation , and the act ion should involve the teacher and the students. Interviewing, self reflection, and participant observation are integral to students understanding and addressing the problem. Most of the data I analyzed was tied to my students' observations, reflections, o pinions, and reactions. Every day of our research, I added deta ils to my journal about what was working, what was not going so smoothly, and how things could be approached differently. I can refer back to these observations in the future as I plan other pr ojects of a similar nature. One of the things I noticed neede d to changed after some analysis was that students were having a difficult time deciding who should work on which part of the promotional poster project. Photographs needed to be printed, someo ne needed to write the bullet points, and someone needed to wor k on the prototype drawing. I described what each of these tasks entailed and asked each group which students felt the strongest about their skills in each of the criteria for these tasks and I helped them come to the best conclusion without just telling e ach person what
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24 they were going to do and without making them argue over each other about who wanted to do what. T his pragmatic approach made this part of the process go more smoothly. Research lasted eight days and was broken into several phases of planning and preparation for presenting the pro posal of plans for the improvement and beautification of the playground . At the end, I wanted students to reflect on the project overall and state their feelings and opinions about it, but I did not want to co heres them into saying what I wanted to hear, so I simply asked them to respond in the their journals to the questions : How do you feel about the process of playground beautification project so far? Is there anything you would do differently? What do you t hink the impact of your ideas and work will be after the project is complete? I collected their notebooks and analyzed their observations, opinions, and reflections, and took note of significant statements in my journal as well. Findings In the Spring semester of 2014, I created a service learning project with a group of eight sixth grade art students to find out what happens when my students plan and promote their ideas for a playground beautification project at the Erie Eleme ntary School . Goals for this research project included teaching students how to think critically about issues of conservation, city planning, ecology, and civic pride. Using a participatory action research method, my University of Florida capstone project documents wh at happened during the s pring 2014 planning phase of this project. My findings from this research includ e three significant areas that stood out as important, both in terms of what actually happened as the project unfolded, and in terms of my understanding of the planning process itself. These three areas include Responding to Needs , Turning Learning into Action, and Sharing and Assessing Learning
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 25 Identifying and Responding to Needs In this service learning project, my art s tudents learned they would be planning a proposal to improve the Erie Elementary School playground . T hey first researched similar playground and public space beautification projects. They kept their own research/planning journals and worked in small groups of two or three to develop w hat things they should be thinking about and doing when they visit the playground space to observe the space. On our visit to the site , students took photographs, made notes, and brainstormed ideas with their group partners about what things they would imp lement to improve the space for students and families who use the space. When students came back to the school they worked with their group and made a list of the best changes they could make, based on their obs ervations. They considered budget, materials they would need, safety concerns, and what benefits these changes would provide for those who use the space , and they considered the potential positive impact their actions could make on the community as a whole. Students consistently documented their idea s and the progress of their planning in their journals , and in dialogue within their groups, they revised their ideas so as not to become stagnant in their approach or too tied to one aspect until they had more information. Students were asked to answer a set of questions about those criteria before going to the playground , including : Why do you personally want to help the elementary students who use the playground? What do you hope to accomplish during this project? Their answers ranged from the fact that some of them have siblings who attend there. Others remembered thinking the playground was a bit run down and hoped to make it look nicer. Several students felt that it would be great to add some sort of artistic elements because they wanted to leave thei r mark. Nearly all students felt more nature needed to be brought into the space, so gardens, flowers, and
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26 even birdhouses were mentioned in the students' journals. I found that answering questions and making lists before students went to the space made th em slow down and really think about the problem and real reasons for what we wanted to do to help beautify the space. Students really showed caring and critical thinking during this process and it prepared them more for the actual visit to the space. As st udents worked through this phase of planning, they were responding to a need , in this case, the need for improving a public space. They considered how the space looked, how it would be used, and who would use it, and they identified what needed to be done to make the playground a better place for all. Figure 1. A c orner grassy area needs some flowers . Figure 2. A donated s culpture needed repainting.
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 27 Figure 3. Students felt this poor farmer should have his head put back on and decided we could use leftover cement from our steppin g stones to do that inexpensively. Figure 4. Students remembered playing kickball in this part of the playground and they thought children would benefit from having real bases there, as a safety precaution over using the concrete steps as a base. Turning Learning Into Action During this phase of the project , each of the groups took actions to make their ideas grown in to real world solutions. Students used their findings and their evidence from photographs and journals to create a poster that highlight ed key elements of their proposed plans
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28 for the playground space. Students focused on six things they would implement to improve , and provided images and bullet points they could discuss in their group video proposals. For example, some of the things Group A proposed included a mural, repainting the existing sculptures, adding a garden with flowers. They priced out all the materials they felt they would need using the Internet and came up with a total cost of $257 and proposed that the class make wildflower bombs and plant markers to sell in the Erie Triangle if they needed additional funds to make up the difference of what the school offered for our project . I found that all my students took this part of the project very seriously as they itemized materials and compared prices before just writing down a number. They really cared about making sure their budgets would look app ealing to the school board and the principals of both the middle school and the elementary. In this phase I noticed that my students really caring about the process and their recipients. Some had to revise their original ideas as they worked, because the y realized that some of their things they hoped to do did not make sense for the age of students, the safety factors, the budget, or maintenance issues. Conversations between t he students were very proactive, as they talked about what the students at the e lementary school would like or what would be fun for them to do. Some students even said things like, "Maybe the science classes could go out and study the flowers or the insects that come to the garden". They were really thinking about how the space could be used by the teachers and their classes as well, not just how the space is used for play at recess or after school. After students completed their posters , they used their main points from them to build a script for each member of their group to discus s some of the key ideas they had for a more in depth presentation of their plans in the QuickTime videos they created for promotional purposes. These videos would show the organization of ideas and reasoning behind each element they
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 29 wanted to provide for t he playground. These videos were then shared with the administrators and others in the school community through the school district's online video portal. What they did during this phase of the project was to turn their initial ideas into concrete recommendations, or actions to be taken. The creation of the posters and videos were instrumental in this aspect. Their recommendations (as articulated on the post ers and in the videos) were informed by their research about needs and budgetary considerations. Students were very proud to see how all these proce sses led to real results, that is a concrete plan, and they understood that the positive result of all the w ork they put in is that people really respected their work and listened to their ideas because of the amount of thought and care they put into the presentations after all their research and preparation. Assessing Learning By looking at students ' final promotional video s , the groups' posters, and each individual student's project journal, I was able to measure individual learning as well as students' ability to interact and make successful contributions in a g roup setting. Their journal r eflections showe d that students were concerned with their personal contributions and wanted to ensure that the y would be able to partake in all the phases of the project because they were proud of their work and what they had accomplished with their group. They felt like a team, according to one female member of group B and they wanted to see the project through a ll phases. I found that my students were treating this project as a learning experience and not just an activity, because they had no prior understanding of the process of putting together a proposal before and they needed to research and learn about the space and recipients on their own to understand the problem and solutions they should apply. I was able to assess their research notes,
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30 my observations about the ways groups worked together, the way they generated and used the ideas they came up with, and the quality of their final products (their posters and videos) . In each group, at least one leader emerged and two of the groups had one member each who provide d minimal support to the others. In those cases, I noted that it is important in these group scenarios for each person to be individually assessed on their level of participation, no matter the success of the final product. If one person does most of the w ork they should not receive less credit, as one who makes less contributions should not reap the full benefits of their group's success. Instead of taking it upon myself to dole out responsibilities to each student, I found it to be more productive to ask the groups to make these decisions together and I discovered that students did this very judiciously. Whether it is children or adults who engage in a group project, the individuals will have to manage conflict resolutions and gauge their own strengths and weaknesses to understand how they can make the most useful contributions. Having the students' individual journals allowed me to see exactly how much thought each person put into their work, as those with the most notes and most in depth reflections were the same students I observed being the most active and engaged group members. Teacher assessment of student learning, as it turns out, is a critical aspect of service learning, just as it is important in other kinds of art projects and learning activities . In a service learning project, teachers must look at the quality of students' independent work and group work. I asked each student involved to provide specific examples of what they did in their group. For example, some students showed me the page of no tes where they itemized and researched prices for every material the group would need for their plan of action. Other students provided copies of the scripts they wrote for the presentation, while others designed the diagram or map of what the playground w ould look like after their plan had been implemented. These physical products
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 31 could help me assess each student in a more concrete way, beyond mere participation. My criteria for assessing these products were quality of craftsmanship, effort, accuracy of i nformation presented, consistency with the group, and incorporation of evidence of the learning objectives from this service learning project, which consists of ideas and vocabulary expressing the themes of caring and social and environmental responsibilit y. Figure 5. Student project journals.
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32 Figure 6. Student notes. Figure 7 . Group A presenting their proposal .
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 33 Figure 8 . Group B making their QuickTime video . Figure 9 . Group C wi th their Poster . Discussion Looking across these above findings, some commonalities and important considerations that have emerged . For example, students continually took into account of who would be served by their actions and they used the knowledge they have gained about the plann ing process to better gauge what they can or should do to improve the playground for all who would benefit.
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34 Students understood all the way through what criteria they needed to consider in order to meet t he goals of their project. Students contributed in d ifferent ways throughout the process so that each could have an individual voice and bring different talents and ways of sharing knowledge to their groups. In the end, all shared the ir knowledge and delivered it, not only to be assessed or evaluated, but a lso to obtain potential feedback from their peers, school administration, and community members. Students also l earned that service learning is most successful when that learning is exercised, shared, and built upon in a communal team atmosphere and when t he project is believed to be of value to others . They started out thinking about what they wanted to do for the playground, but came to understand that the planning process incorporates many steps and many individuals who bring something different to the t able and that their endeavor would not be m eaningful or possible without these considerations and interactions. Based on my findings, I believe that when students are given the opportunity to provide real world solutions to real world problems and have a recipient who will enjoy the benefits of their work, students feel more engaged in the process. I also have found that students learn more about the stages and events that must take place before any project can unfold. For example, in the very beginning m y students assumed they could just go to the playground and start painting and "fixing" things. The idea that they needed to take all of these other steps and propose what they wanted to do and have it approved first was an important insight into how real construction projects might be planned or how one might make a business model, for example. Within the process, my students developed a strong sense of responsibility and caring for the recipients and for the work they were doing. Pride was the result of t his project and now students can not wait to go forward with the next stages.
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 35 Implications , Recommendations , and Conclusion T he goals I had for my research project were to provide students with real world practice in the skills they're learning in the classroom, model the benefits of bu ilding ties with and proactively serving the community, and build a commitment to life long le arning in each of my students . When students are given the opportunity to work toward a common goal of solving problems with creative solutions with the recipien ts of the project in mind, they not only build a stronger connection to the recipients, this a lso fosters lifelong commitment to serving others (Clary & Snyder, 1999; Clary et al, 1999). I sought to provide my students a soulful education (Kessler, 2000) a nd put students in touch with meaning behind their actions. I used action research methodology to find out how real world probl em solving and a theme of caring and social responsibility can empower and teac h students how they affect their community in a positive way and make them feel good at the same time . I found that students were more motivated by a real cause and they did in fact feel empowered that their hard work was noticed by people they look up to and that their efforts were going to make a real difference to the recipients. What also stands out as important to me about this study is ho w students are taken to a place outside of themselves in a service learning project. My students love making art, but typically they are concerned with what people will think of their own work. Here, they not only were challenged to work with others, but t o produce for others and they needed the approval of others to be able to move forward on the project. This really drove home the concept that creativity is meant to be shared and desi gn is something we do with functionality in mind and how others will use the products of our creativity. Teachers and others interested in doing a service learning project could use my research to inform their pedagogy and curriculum around
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36 the themes of c aring, social responsibility and real world problem solving . Going forward, I will stress the importance of having students do their own research to provide the solutions. Student's own internal motivations stemming from development of their own projects i s the most successful approach (Edmunds & Wall, 2009). In my own pr actice I will continue to incorporate my findings from this research into my classroom and I will seek new ways to include cross curricular connections whenever possible. I believe that inc luding other disciplines in a service learning project will only ma ke a more well rounded experience overall for the students. There are so many ways an art program can provide this type of valuable service learning that gives children with different skil l sets and talents opportunities to shine. After completing this pr oject I truly believe that a learning activity like planning for a community project can be all inclusive, challenging, fun, and informative. What stands out as especially important is prov iding students with the tools to create change and allow them to ch allenge themselves and guide each other to solve problems and make their own discoveries. I would recommend providing some structured activities with lots of opportunities for students to l earn from others besides the teacher and for students to teach each other. Conclusion This project was challenging and engaging for my students, but also for mys elf. I only wanted to do work on a project that would hold meaning for me on a professional level, because I would like to continue to do projects of this nature with future students in my art program. I feel more inspired by my students' efforts and the r esounding positive feedback we all received from administration, other students, and from the community at large. This project has only just begun. This group of stud ents already made some stepping stones and in the fall we will move forward on the next ph ase of implementing elements of the students' plans. As for my personal
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 37 goals, no matter where I live or teach I will continue in my mission to provide real worl d experiences and creative outlets for students. It has and will always be important for me to find new ways for students to find what they are passionate about and successful at and help nurture and support that. In the next couple of years I plan to be s hifting from teaching grades K 8 to grades 5 12 at my school and I am also looking into teachin g art overseas on some level. I never want to stop learning and growing and whatever changes or opportunities come to me, I shall embrace them.
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38 References Bailey Jr., T. (1903). Character study and education. The Elementary School Teacher , 3 (6), 355 Ã 363. Ballengee Morris, C., & Taylor, P. G. (2004). Service learning: A language of "we". Art Education , 57 (5), 6 12. Barry, M. , & Beckman, S. L. (2007). Innovation as a lea rning process: Embedding design thinking. California Review Management , 5 (1), 25 56. Baskerville, R. , & Meyers, M. (2004). Making research relevant to practices. MIS Quarterly, 28 (1), 229 236. Blatt Gross, C. (2010). Casting the conceptual net: Cognitive possibilities for embracing the social and emotional richness of art education. Studies in Art Education , 5 (4), 353 367. Blouin, D. D., & Perry, E. M. (2009). Whom does service learning really serve? Community based organizations' perspectives on service learning. Teaching Sociology , 37 (2), 120 135. Bray, A. E. (2002). The community is watching, and replying: Art in public places and spaces. Leonardo , 35 (1), 15 21. Buffington, M. L. (2007). "The big idea": Service learning and art education. Art Education , 60 (6), 40 45. Building Character Through Community Service Learning , 2008. Building Character Through Service Learning . Retrieved from : http://www.tantasqua.org/ Carr, W., & Kemmis, S. (1986). Becoming critical: Education knowledge and action research . London: Falmer Press. Carver, R. (1996). Theory for practice: A framework for thinking about experiential education. Journal of Experiential Education , 19 (1), 8 Ã 13.
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 39 Center for Collaborative Action Research (2006). Retrieved from http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/ccar/ Clark, G., & Zimmerman, E. (2000). Greater understanding of the local community: A community based art education program for rural schools. Art Education , 53 (2), 33 39. Cla ry, E. G. (1999). The motivations to volunteer: Theoretical and practical considerations. Psychological Science, 8 (1), 156 159. Clary, E. G., Snyder, M. , & Sukas, A. (1999). The effects of "mandatory volunteerism" on intension to volunteer. Psychological Science, 10(1) 59 64. Edmunds, J. S. , & Wall, A. (2009). Schoolwide literacy and learning through the millennium development goals. Voices from the Middle, 17 (1), 16 23. Elliott, J. (1987). What is action research? Journal of Curriculum, 10 (4) 355 357. Entwhistle, N. J. (1988). Styles of learning and teaching: An integrated outline of educational psychology . London: David Fulton. Glickman, C ., & Thompson, K. (2009). Tipping the tipping point: Public engagement, education and service learning. Voices f rom the Middle, 17 (1) 9 15. Graham, M. A. (2007). Art, ecology, and art education: Locating art education in a critical place based pedagogy. Studies in Art Education , 48 (4), 375 391. Lewis, H. M. (2001). Participatory research and education for social change: Highlander Research and Education Center. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury, (Eds.), Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice (pp. 356 Ã 62). London: Sage Public ations.
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40 Maxwell, J. A. (1996). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach , (3 rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Mooney, L A., & Edwards, B (2001). Experiential learning in sociology: Service learning and other community based learning. Teaching Sociology , 29 (2), 181 194. Ozanne, J. L., & Anderson, Laurel (2010). Community action research. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing , 29 (1), 123 137. Place based Education (PBE). (2013). Promise of Place . Retri eved from http://www.promiseofplace.org/ Powell, K. M., & Takayoshi, P. (2003). Accepting roles created for us: the ethics of recip rocity. College Composition and Communication , 54 (3), 394 422. Russel, Robe rt L., & Hutzzel, Karen (2007). Promoting social and emotional learning through service learning art projects. Art Education , 60 (3), p. 6 11. Stankiewicz, M. A. (1996). Community, art, and culture. Art Education , 51 (3), 4 5. Taylor, P. G. (2002). Service learning as postmodern art and pedagogy. Studies in Art Education , 43 (2), 124 140. Ulbricht, J. (2005). What is community based art education? Art Education , 58 (2), 6 12. Walker, S. R. (2001). Teaching meaning in artmaking . Art Education in Practice Series. Worchester, Massachusetts: Davis Publications, Inc.
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 41 Appendix A UFIRB 02 Protocol Submission Form UFIRB 02 Ã Social & Behavioral Research Protocol Submission Form This form must be typed. Send this form and the supporting documents to IRB02, PO Box 112250, Gainesville, FL 32611. Should you have questions about completing this form, call 352 392 0433. Title of Protocol: Fostering Community Pride and an Ethic of Reciprocity Through a Middle School Service Learning Project Principal Investigator: Emily A. Majeski UFID Degree / Title: Masters in Art Education Mailing Address: Email: Department: Department of Art Education Telephone #: Co Investigator(s): UFID#: Email: Supervisor (If PI is student) : UFID#: Degree / Title: Mailing Address: ( If on campus include PO Box address ): Email : Department: Telephone #: Date of Proposed Research: January 6, 2014 December, 2014 Source of Funding (A copy of the grant proposal must be submitted with this protocol if funding is involved): N/A
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42 Scientific Purpose of the Study: To create a resource on a service learning project based on the Golden Rule, or Ethics of Reciprocity, involving efforts to teach students about social and ecological responsibility and to use creative design and construction processes to fulfill an aesthetic need in the community and to communicate a positive message to others about being good stewards of the environment. Describe the Research Methodology in Non Technical Language: Participatory action research methods will be used. Students and adults from the community who inform the project may be interviewed, may be photographed, or may have their work, words, and acti ons documented in notes or photographs. Follow ups with interviewees will occur to check for accuracy. Data will be analyzed and included in the final written study, a capstone research paper. Describe Potential Benefits: Students will engage in their community, the town of Erie, Illinois. They will plan a special beautification project for an area of the downtown, which will inspire caring and positive actions. They improve skills in higher order thinking through questioning, problem solving, and plann ing. In turn, the community will have a product to inspire pride, draw interest, and enjoy for years to come. Describe Potential Risks: None. Student artifacts will be graded blind to identity. Describe How Participant(s) Will Be Recruited: Participants will be middle school students in Art class at Erie Community Unit #1 Middle School during Spring and Fall 2014. Maximum Number of Participants (to be approached with consent) 30 Age Range of Participants: Age 10 12 Amount of Compensation/ course credit: 100 points for participation or for doing the alternative assignment if not participating.
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 43 Describe the Informed Consent Process. (Attach a Copy of the Informed Consent Document. See h ttp://irb.ufl.edu/irb02/samples.html for examples of consent.) (SIGNATURE SECTION) Principal Investigator(s) Signature: Date: 12 / 20 /1 3 Co Investigator(s) Signature(s): Date: Supervisor's Signature (if PI is a student): Date: Department Chair Signature: Date:
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44 Appendix B Informed Consent Protocol Title: Connecting Art Education to Service learning Please read this consent document carefully before you decide to participate in this study. Purpose of the research study: To examine ways to incorporate service learning into art education through a special project providing creative design and beautification to the Erie playground. What you will be asked to do in the study: To help provide information or assistance that will aid this study and the project that the students are planning for the playground. This may involve answering questions or being a resource for the study or part of the students planning or production for the project. Time required: Approximately 1 hour Risks and Benefits: N o perceived risks or immediate benefits Compensation: No compensation Confidentiality: Your identity will be kept confidential to the extent provided by law. Your information will be assigned a code number. The list connecting your name to this number will be kept private. When the study is completed and the data have been analyzed, the list will be destroyed. Your name will not be used in any report. Voluntary participation: Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. There is no penalty for not participating. Right to withdraw from the study:
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 45 You have the right to withdraw from the study at anytime without consequence. Whom to contact if you have questions about the study: Emily Majeski, Erie Art Teacher and Graduate Student of University of Florida, (information redacted for this paper) Whom to contact about your rights as a research participant in the study: IRB02 Office, Box 112250, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 2250; phone 392 0433. Agreement: I have read the procedure descr ibed above. I ________________________, voluntarily agree to participate in Miss Majeski's Art & Service learning study, and I have received a copy of this description. Participant: ___________________________ Date: ___________________ Principal Invest igator: _________________________Date: 12/20/2013
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46 List of Figures with Figure Captions Figure 1. A corner grassy area needs some flowers. Figure 2. A donated sculpture needed repainting. Figure 3. Students felt this poor farmer should have his head put back on and decided we could use leftover cement from our stepping stones to do that inexpensively. Figure 4. Students remembered playing kickball in this part of the playground and they thought chil dren would benefit from having real bases there , as a safety precaution over using the concrete steps as a base. Figure 5 . Student project journals. Figure 6. Student notes. Figure 7 . Group A presenting their proposal. Figure 8 . Group B making their QuickTime video. Figure 9 . Group C with their poster.
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ETHICS OF RECIPROCITY AND SERVICE LEARNING 47 Author Biography Emily Majeski has been an art educator for four consecutive years. She teaches kindergarten through eighth grade in Erie Community School District in Erie, Illinois. Miss Majeski earned her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and Graphic Design from St . Ambrose University in 2002 and she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education in 2009. Emily plans to graduate from the University of Florida in the summer of 2014 and will continue to atten d professional development opportunities in her area and across th e United States.
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