Service Learning: Economics 202
As suggested in the course of
study for economics 202students are required to complete an out of class
option. One of the ways that requirement
can be fulfilled is through engaging in a service learning experience. The expectation is that through a carefully
selected service learning experience one will be able to enhance their
understanding of economic principles. Additionally, the expectation is that the
student’s knowledge of economic principles may in turn provide a benefit to the
community agency where the student’s service learning takes place. The purpose of this handout is to describe
the procedures and requirements for this assignment.
1)
Students
interested in this option must schedule an appointment with the instructor by
the third week of the semester to receive a service learning packet prepared by
Ms. Julie Little, VHCC coordinator of service learning. The packet contains information about service
learning as well as forms that must be filled out by the student as well as the
agency where service learning takes place.
2) Selection of
an appropriate service experience is important to the successful
completion of this assignment. Since
this service learning experience is taking place within the context of an economics
class it would follow that one should select a service experience that has a
clear link to economics or some particular economic problem. Frequently local governments or agencies get
involved in economic impact studies. For
example, recently the creeper trail club did an economic impact study of how
the creeper trail affected the economies of
Service learning must be related to
economics and allow one to learn something about economic core principles as
well as economic problems in our region.
3) The
requirements for service learning in economics are listed below:
a)
Students
interested in service learning in economics should meet with the instructor to
receive a service learning materials
no
later than the third week of the semester.
b) Students will submit a proposal for service learning
to be approved by the instructor no later than the fifth week of the semester.
c) Service learners will provide a minimum of twenty
hours of volunteer service.
d) The service learner will keep a dated journal
outlining the day to day activities engaged in by the service learner. The journal needs to include a description of
the activities of the service learner, but also provides a means where the
service learner can make connections to issues discussed in economics. For example, through service learning one
might find examples of some of the guideposts to economic thinking found in
chapter one of the text. We study secondary effects in economics and it is
likely that at some point during the service learning experience one might
observe real secondary effects. Service learning might give the service learner
the opportunity to observe first hand some economic problem that exists within
our region and to gain some insight into the root cause of the problem. Participation in a local economic study would
give the service learner access to a primary research material and the
opportunity to be involved at the grass roots level in some basic economic research.
e) The service learner will reflect upon their experience
in a paper to be turned into the instructor upon completion of the service
learning experience. The purpose of this
“reflection” is to help the student discover the “learning” that has been
accomplished through the service learning experience. In the paper, one could reflect upon the
economic insights discovered during the service learning activity. A central focus of the reflection paper needs
to be upon the core concepts in economics (the eight guideposts to economic
thinking found in chapter one). In
brief, those guideposts are:
1) The wants and needs that people have for goods and
services are virtually unlimited, while
the resources they have are limited. As a result, difficult economic choices must be made. The making of these economic choices gives
rise to what economists refer to as “opportunity
costs”.
2) Economizing behavior involves making economic choices
that provide the greatest benefit at the
least cost.
3) The wants and needs that people have are subjective, giving rise to the fact
that people see the potential benefits or costs of an economic choice
differently.
4) Marginal thinking is used to determine the potential
benefits and costs of an economic choice.
In other words, when an economic choice is made, people consider the additional (marginal) benefits that
they will gain as a result of that choice and compare that to the additional (marginal) costs of that
choice. Economizing behavior takes place
when the marginal benefits of a
particular economic choice are greater than the marginal costs of that choice.
5) Economic
incentives can change the marginal
benefits or costs of an economic choice.
6) Secondary
effects must be considered as we the
weigh the marginal benefits or costs of a particular economic choice.
7) Information
is scarce and costly to acquire. In
other words, there are opportunity costs involved with the gathering of
information about the marginal benefits and costs of any economic choice.
8) The test of a theory
is its ability to predict. We use
scientific thinking in economics, as we develop theories from the core
principles listed above, and check them against events in the real world.
The
content of the service learning reflection paper will be judged in terms of how
well it demonstrates learning of as many of the core concepts in economics as
possible.
The
following items are to be turned into the instructor at the beginning of the
last week of the semester:
1)
Two copies of the
service learning forms.
2) A service learning journal initialed by the person who
was the supervisor of the service learning at the service learning location.
3) A service learning reflection paper, to be at least
three pages in length.