Teaching civic responsibility through service learning

Service-learning pedagogy can help develop both writing skills and civic responsibility by involving students in writing projects for nonprofit organizations. This linking of the classroom and the world beyond merges theory and practice, allowing students to serve their community while applying and testing the effectiveness of their classroom learning. Most important, service learning makes students aware of the power of writing on the job and of their own ability to make a difference when they use their skill for the benefit of a cause greater than themselves.