There is some confusion about the definitions of community service and service learning. The term service learning gets thrown around quite a bit, an educational buzz word at times used to describe virtually anything that involves some type of service to the community. But what are the actual differences?

Of course, we should hesitate from looking down our noses at terms other than service learning. Charity and philanthropy for altruistic purposes is a part of American civil society, although admittedly in decline, particularly among younger people. But how do we show students that service is something they should (and might even like) to do? How do we help them understand that it is one of the "underpinnings of American democracy?"

It doesn't help that terms such as "community service" evoke stereotypical images of handcuffed men in orange jumpsuits cleaning up a stretch of highway. If community service is a punishment for crime, why would anyone do it willingly?

In essence, service learning is a way to take that service to the community and turn it into a reciprocal act. In order to know if something is truly service learning, we can start with these basic questions:

Are students learning something?

This is actually harder to define than most other aspects of service, but of the utmost importance. Some may argue that most service acts offer some type of learning situation. But not all learning is created equal. If learning in a project equates to simply feeling better about one's self, or understanding that an individual can make a difference in a community, then this project is probably community service. Service learning should have loftier learning, followed by reflection and high standards of output. Additionally, if the project is occurring in school during regular school hours, there should definitely be connections to the curriculum.

Is something being given back to students as they give to others?

Working at a soup kitchen is a very noble act. But if our students are consistently playing the part of savior and philanthropist, how can they help but imagine service as a deed done by the "haves" on behalf of the "have-nots" who are incapable (or unwilling!) to take care of themselves? And what does this do to the students who may see their family's situation reflected in the people they are "helping?" Students need to understand that service is done by people from all walks of life, rich and poor, to improve communities. Spartacus, after all, was a slave, not a king. We need to find projects that students can engage in where they understand that they are receiving something of equal social value to what they give. If there is no "we're in this together" feeling to the project, there is probably room for improvement.

Does the duration of the project go beyond the course of a one day event?

Many a community service project is based around a "day." There's "Earth Day" and "Martin Luther King Day of Service." These are great reminders of our responsibilities to our communities, but they do not foster the level of involvement that grows engaged citizens. So projects should have an adequate period of duration that allows students to become immersed in the work to see it grow and mature.

There are, of course, several other differences between service learning and community service, but these are some of the most common causes of misrepresentation of service learning.

Why all the fuss? Defining something as "service learning" that is actually not service learning can be detrimental. If a project is touted as being service learning that is actually a half-day of missed class where students are found raking leaves and mowing lawns, teachers and administrators can sour on the idea, regretting the valuable learning time lost and the headache of managing "unruly" students who have made no connection to the service they are blindly and painfully sleepwalking through. They may say (and have said, actually) that service learning is useless and a waste of time, because they have been misinformed about what service learning actually is! And then, they are more resistant to trying it ever again.

So service learning vs. community service. Does it matter which term we use? Has mistaking one for the other ever gotten us into trouble?