Service Learning in Interpreter Education: Strategies for Extending Student Involvement in the Deaf Community

Introduction

3 Introduction Starting Points For it is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest, that holds human associations together. H. L. Mencken Service learning offers the promise of allowing higher education institutions to articulate their missions, to engage students more deeply in the learning process, to develop meaningful relationships with their host communities, and to educate men and women to take leadership roles in a changing world. It also offers the opportunity for faculty to find deeper meaning in who they are, why they teach, and how to bring their personal and professional insight to bear on society. James Birge As the practice of service learning grows more prevalent in higher education , the evidence that supports it increases. Eyler and Giles (1999) conducted extensive research on the learning in service learning and concluded that it enhances personal and interpersonal development, acquisition of knowledge, engagement, curiosity, reflective practice, critical thinking, perspective transformation, and citizenship, all of which are extremely important characteristics for interpreting students. In the decade that followed the research of Eyler and Giles, a series of books, Advances in ServiceLearning Research (Billig, 2002–2012), documented the outcomes of service learning that make it one of the most innovative and well-researched developments in education today. It is a unique teaching-learning strategy that can be intricately woven into the academic experience, preferably as a stand-alone course or a series of courses. The service-learning partnership mutually benefits students, interpreter education programs, and the Deaf community (Barbara Jacoby and Associates, 2003). From the standpoint Slie_Introduction.indd 3 Slie_Introduction.indd 3 2/11/2013 10:30:23 AM 2/11/2013 10:30:23 AM 4 Foundations of Service Learning of the instructor, rather than focusing on what the students can learn, this form of experiential learning requires the instructor to help students identify local organizations or other entities related to the Deaf community that could make use of a partnership to further their missions and goals. What Is Service Learning? The term service learning could be described best as collaboration learning or alliance learning, as its purpose is to build relational strength while honoring ethical boundaries between interpreters and the Deaf community. Applying these terms allows us to more readily accept the premises of service learning as a means of supporting the goals of the Deaf community and facilitates our transition to it as effective pedagogy. However, as long as we clearly distinguish it from community service and operationally define service learning as a mutual partnership between interpreters/students and the Deaf community, we can apply the most current research on its efficacy to interpreter education and incorporate the evidence into our planning for implementation . It is important to define service learning in terms of its value to personal and professional relationships because the way we discuss it affects how students receive the message that this concept will become an important part of their approach to the Deaf community well into their careers. Service learning falls under the umbrella of experiential learning. Also under this umbrella are related terms such as civic engagement (which takes on a political tone), community-based learning, transformational learning, and engaged learning. To ease the inherent confusion with so many related terms and to improve our chances of reconciling academic service learning to perceptions about professional distance from the Deaf community, perhaps it is helpful to clarify that academic service learning is associated with a course. It is not cocurricular, one-sided community service, such as a project added to language or beginning interpreting courses. In fact, Monikowski and Peterson (2005) refer to community service as a “false synonym ” (p. 194) because the relationships formed through volunteering are quite different from those developed through mutual partnerships. Merely being in the presence of Deaf community members, participating in community events, observing other interpreters, providing pro bono interpreting, or participating in optional service projects are all examples Slie_Introduction.indd 4 Slie_Introduction.indd 4 2/11/2013 10:30:23 AM 2/11/2013 10:30:23 AM Introduction 5 of involvement that do not qualify as service learning. Likewise, practica, internships, and mentorships, although constructive and essential forms of experiential learning (interpreting under the supervision of other interpreters or Deaf community members), are not representative of the same type of service-learning model that empowers the Deaf community and centers it within our programs (Howard, 2003). Additionally, service learning is not cultural or linguistic...