Overview
Service Learning challenges you to reflect on and understand the principles of equity and social justice that underpin contemporary social policy through active participation in a sustained period of service to communities characterised by diversity and disadvantage. The unit uses inquiry-based instruction methods and experiential learning to promote your understanding of the concept of "hidden curriculum" and the social, economic and environmental injustices and personal biases that affect your own teaching practice and implementation of the curriculum in diverse classroom settings. You will engage in action research to investigate, identify and collaborate in partnership with community organisations that have the potential for promoting understanding of the social realities of communities, families and students in primary school settings. You will actively participate in service appropriate to your level of skill development. and reflect on your experiences; your own previous understandings of teaching and learning; and your preconceived notions about students from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Through personal critique and evaluation of the service learning experience, pre-service teachers are equipped with strategies for involving parents and communities in the educative process and are positioned to acknowledge, appreciate and respond to the "funds of knowledge" and diverse characteristics that students bring to educational settings.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Assessment tasks
Review and clarify the assessment tasks.
Feedback from Unit coordinator reflection
Moodle materials
Develop interactive Moodle materials to further scaffold the content
- Use relevant standards, codes of conduct and/or codes of ethics to reflect on professional roles and responsibilities in relation to principles of equity and social justice
- Conduct self-assessment to identify professional attributes, dispositions, skills and strategies for responding to communities and taking informed social action
- Propose a viable plan for community engagement with the aim of developing knowledge and understanding of the strengths and needs of social contexts experienced by diverse groups and families
- Critically reflect on a sustained period of organised service to draw implications for professional practice
- Evaluate the impact of service on personal and professional learning and the development of skills for successful participation in communities and contexts characterised by diversity and disadvantage.
Successful completion of this unit provides opportunities for students to engage with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage) focus areas of:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 0% | |||||
| 3 - Practical and Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.elsmore@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1A:
What is Service Learning?
Topic 1B:
How can Service Learning contribute to professional learning?
Chapter
Topic 1A
1.2 What is Service Learning? p5-23 Walbank, C. (Ed.). (2011). In D. Whitton, Service learning handbook (pp. 5–23). Pearson Australia; Pearson Australia.
Learning With and Learning From: Reciprocity in Service Learning (Donahue, D. M., Bowyer, J., & Rosenberg, D., 2003). in Teacher Education. Equity & Excellence in Education, 36(1), 15–27.
Topic 1B
Implementing a National Service-Learning Program (Wilson, 2011) in Learn and Serve Australia.
Understanding the Circle of Courage (Brown, n.d.)
Profession based underpinning policies and standards
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2A:
Understanding community organisations
Topic 2B:
Service Learning and Global Competency
Chapter
Topic 2A
Critical social theory and transformative learning: (Carrington, S., & Selva, G., 2010) pp 45–57.
Service-learning : a valuable component of pre-service teacher education. (Chambers, D. J., & Lavery, S., 2012) pp128–137.
Topic 2B
Global Framework on Transferable Skills (UNICEF. 2019).
The Global Competence Matrix (World Savvy, 2023)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3A:
Engaging with Community Members
Topic 3B:
Legislative and organisational responsibilities in planning for Service Learning
Chapter
Topic 3A
Chapter 6: Perception, Audience Analysis and Task Analysis (Kossen, C., Kiernan, E., & Lawrence, J., 2020). pp 132 - 144
Chapter 15: Communication Barriers (Kossen, C., Kiernan, E., & Lawrence, J., 2020). pp 410 - 416
Topic 3B
Volunteering Queensland - National Standards for Volunteer Involvement (Volunteering Australia, 2024)
A Guide to Work Health and Safety for Volunteer Organisations: Guidance material (Safe Work Australia, 2020)
Profession based legislation documentation
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 4A:
Self Assessment of Personal and Professional Skills
Topic 4B:
Deepening Service Learning Experience through Reflection
Chapter
Topic 4A
Service-learning : a valuable means of preparing pre-service teachers for a teaching practicum. (Coffey, A., & Lavery, S., 2015).
Getting to the root of the matter: pre-service teachers’ experiences and positionalities with learning to teach in culturally diverse contexts. (Mark, S., Id-Deen, L., & Thomas, S., 2020).
Topic 4B
Knowing where we Stand: Mapping Teachers’ Conception of Reflection in Service-Learning (Camus, R. M., Ngai, G., Kwan, K. P., Yau, J. H.-Y., & Chan, S., 2021).
Review of Janet Eyler & Dwight Giles' work: Where’s the Learning in Service-Learning? (Hollander, E., & Saltmarsh, J., 2000).
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5A:
Critical Reflection, Transformation and Leadership
Topic 5B:
Critical Reflection on Service Learning Experience
Chapter
Topic 5A
Fostering Critical Reflection: Moving From a Service to a Social Justice Paradigm. New Directions for Student Leadership, (Owen, J. E., 2016) pp 37–48.
Topic 5B
Materials embedded in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Changing Perspectives: Personal, Professional and Potential
Chapter
Topic 6
Materials embedded in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Reflection on Learning
The tutorial this week will review progress with Service Learning Placement and Assessment Task 3.
Chapter
Embedded materials in Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Drop in Sessions will be held in Week 8 - 11 to check in with how you are progressing with your service learning placement and review assessment requirements. Check Moodle for scheduled times.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Assessment Task 1: Service Learning Plan
This assessment task builds deep understanding of the strengths and needs of the local communities in which your professional work might be enacted. The task provides opportunities for you to:
- identify sources of professional knowledge that support your future work;
- engage with external professional bodies and local community groups; and
- support the needs of diverse groups/individuals within your community.
After investigating the needs of your local community, choose a community based organisation/context through which you can complete 20 hours of service learning. Remember that the idea is that you move beyond the normal scope of your professional understandings. If you are a Bachelor of Education student for example, you should look beyond the educational setting for your placement. Source your own placement with the organisation of your choice. Once this is done, you can start documenting a Service Learning Plan that shows evidence of your:
- developing knowledge about service learning and its reciprocity value to community and to you as a participant;
- investigation through documented research into the goals and activities of the community organisation/context and the needs of the local community;
- reflection on ethical practices and professional responsibilities for enacting a service learning plan;
- self-assessment of your current personal and professional skills, attributes and dispositions that might support you to meet your goals for the service learning placement; and
- personal competence and accuracy in communicating a clear action plan for service learning.
Your completed Service Learning Plan must also include a signed copy of your Confirmation of Service Learning document. Please refer to the Assessment Block for further information.
Please note!
- Where possible, you are encouraged to undertake your 20 hours of service learning experience AFTER you have submitted Assessment Task 1 (Service Learning Plan). The completion of the Service Learning Plan however does rely on you having CONFIRMATION with your chosen organisation.
- You can submit your first assessment task early, if you are needing to undertake your service learning experience, prior to the Assessment Due Date. Please contact the Unit Coordinator if you are needing to do this.
Guidance will be provided and scaffolded within Zoom Session and Moodle materials to create your Service Learning Plan.
AI Tool Scale Level: Level 2 - You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. Any misuse of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Word Count: 2000 words (+/- 10%)
The word count is considered from the first word of the Introduction to the last word of the Conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 6 Friday (19 Dec 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Online submission is required. Upload the assignment through the Moodle link for Assessment Task 1 in the assessment block.
Assessment task 1 will be returned to students after moderation has been conducted and in a timely way that facilitates feedback for the completion of Assessment Task 3.
- demonstrated knowledge and understanding about service learning, its reciprocity value to community and to the participant, both personally and professionally;
- research and identify the strengths and diverse needs of wider community and explain how these align with the chosen community organisation's goals and activities in response to equity and social justice;
- propose a viable service learning plan for community engagement that identifies ethical and professional roles and responsibilities when working with diverse groups and families with a community;
- evidence of self-assessment that identifies and reflects personal and professional skills and attributes that inform goal setting relevant to undertaking a service learning experience;
- personal written competencies in communicating a service learning plan that demonstrates use of unit materials, professional policy documents and academic practices and conventions.
- evidence of Confirmation of Service Learning arrangements
- Use relevant standards, codes of conduct and/or codes of ethics to reflect on professional roles and responsibilities in relation to principles of equity and social justice
- Conduct self-assessment to identify professional attributes, dispositions, skills and strategies for responding to communities and taking informed social action
- Propose a viable plan for community engagement with the aim of developing knowledge and understanding of the strengths and needs of social contexts experienced by diverse groups and families
2 Practical Assessment
This is an opportunity for you to move beyond and away from your usual work and study context and to engage with a specific organisation within your local community. The purpose of the service learning is to assist you to develop an understanding about the diverse community members that the organisation serves and supports. This heightens your awareness about the diverse backgrounds and circumstances of community; socio-economic, cultural, spiritual/religious, physical, social and intellectual.
This is a non-graded but compulsory participation component of this unit. You MUST COMPLETE 20hrs of service learning in a community organisation/context of your choice. If you are a Bachelor of Education student, then you are required to undertake your service learning outside of the normal education/schooling context.
What to Do
- You must complete 20 hours of service learning in a community organisation/context of your choice as identified in your Assessment Task 1 Service Learning Plan
- Where possible, the commencement of this placement should, start after your AT1 submission. Please contact the Unit Coordinator if you are needing to complete the service learning experience prior to the submission date for AT1.
- A SIGNED Checklist for Completion of Service Learning MUST be included as evidence of successful completion of the service learning. Please include this as an appendix to your Assessment Task 3 submission.
DO NOT SUBMIT ANY DOCUMENTATION through Moodle for Assessment Task 2. This is a systemic place-holder for a compulsory component of your assessment.
Failure to complete the required 20 hours of service learning will result in a failed grade overall for the unit.
No submission method provided.
- Critically reflect on a sustained period of organised service to draw implications for professional practice
3 Practical and Written Assessment
Assessment Task 3: Critical reflection on, for and in Service Learning
This individual written assessment task provides an opportunity for critical reflection on, for and in the service learning placement experience; a critical reflection on your service learning experience. The focus for your reflection is on the diverse backgrounds and circumstances of those in the community and the ways in which your experience and your learning through that experience, can contribute to your professional future work.
This critical reflection reviews, evaluates and discusses the impact and influence that the service learning experience has had in shaping your personal and professional views and enhancing understanding of equity, diversity and social justice within your community. Use the following prompts to guide your critical reflection and draw upon examples from your experience to illustrate the significance of service learning.
- Community and Organisation – Critically analyse the complexity of your community’s needs and reflect on your engagement with, and response to, diverse stakeholders through meaningful service.
- Personal Learning – Reflect on your personal learning goals, skills, attributes, and perspectives, evaluating how these have developed through the service learning experience.
- Professional Learning – Critically reflect on your evolving professional views and values, analysing how engagement in the service learning experience has informed your professional identity and practice.
- Future Personal and Professional Implications – Evaluate how this experience has influenced your personal and professional actions, decision-making, and engagement, and discuss the implications for your future professional practice in relation to equity, diversity, and social justice.
AI Tool Scale Level: Level 2 - You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas. Any misuse of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Word Count: 2000 words (+/- 10%)
The word count is considered from the first word of the Introduction to the last word of the Conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 12 Monday (9 Feb 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Online submission is required through the link on the Moodle site for Assessment Task 3 in the assessment block.
Feedback on the final assessment task will be provided following moderation.
- Critically reflects, evaluates and discusses engagement with the complexities of community contexts, the diverse needs of stakeholders, and the significance of meaningful service.
- Reflection that reviews, evaluates and discusses the ways in which personal learning has been impacted and influenced through the service learning experience.
- Reflection that reviews, evaluates and discusses the ways in which professional learning has been impacted and influenced through the service learning experience.
- Critically reflects on the principles of equity, diversity, and social justice, demonstrating understanding of their significance and implications for future personal and professional practice through analysis of the service learning experience.
- Personal written competencies in communicating ideas accurately, that demonstrates the use of relevant literature, unit materials and service learning experience to support reflection while highlighting the value of the reflective process and using academic conventions.
- Evidence of Completion of Service Learning Experience
- Use relevant standards, codes of conduct and/or codes of ethics to reflect on professional roles and responsibilities in relation to principles of equity and social justice
- Critically reflect on a sustained period of organised service to draw implications for professional practice
- Evaluate the impact of service on personal and professional learning and the development of skills for successful participation in communities and contexts characterised by diversity and disadvantage.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
