Developing the Distinctive UWI Graduate:

World of Work and Service Learning Best Practices

Dianne Thurab-Nkhosi, Sandra Gift, Lynda Quamina-Aiyejina and Claudia Harvey

April 2013

Abstract

UWI has a vision of developing the distinctive UWI graduate, who possesses the ability to think

creatively and critically, has all the attributes expected of any higher education graduate, and is

well grounded in his/her regional identity. There have been indications from employers and

other stakeholders that the institution may not be achieving its vision in its entirety, and that the

current UWI graduate might not always be adequately prepared for the world of work, or to

fulfil a broader responsibility for regional development. Several examples of initiatives that

integrate service learning and community engagement into UWI’s core teaching and learning

practices, and that address preparation for the world of work, have been documented as part of a

Report on UWI Best Practices prepared in July 2012. This paper analyses the objectives of

selected cases for evidence of characteristics of the distinctive UWI graduate, and assesses the

documented cases in relation to their institutionalisation, using a Self-Assessment Rubric for the

Institutionalization of Service-Learning in Higher Education, developed by Andrew Furco.

Keywords: Best practices; Service learning; World of work: Distinctive UWI graduate

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Background

The University College of the West Indies (UCWI) opened in Kingston, Jamaica on February 1st

1947 with “no ceremony, no fanfare” (Sherlock and Nettleford 1990, 3). The fledgling

institution was envisioned as an agent of social development and economic growth. From its

inception, the UCWI represented a conscious search for a mode of higher learning that was

“consonant with West Indian sensibility and historical experience” (Nettleford 1986, 9). As the

UCWI morphed into The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University grew in size

and scope, various regional educators emphasised the need for the institution, and for education

in the region in general, to contribute to the development of individuals who demonstrated the

qualities and characteristics required to assure the social and economic development of the

region. The type of individual envisioned by the early leaders of the University is in consonance

with the vision of the “Ideal Caribbean Person” that was endorsed at the 18th

Meeting of

CARICOM Heads of Government held in Montego Bay, Jamaica in July 1997. Among the

laudable characteristics identified in this profile are two that have particular relevance for UWI’s

vision:

The Ideal Caribbean Person should be someone who among other things:

demonstrates multiple literacies independent and critical thinking [sic], questions the

beliefs and practices of past and present and brings this to bear on the innovative

application of science and technology to problems [sic] solving;

demonstrates a positive work ethic; … (CARICOM, 1997)

Several academics in the region have also contributed to the refinement of the concept of “The

Ideal Caribbean Person.” Louisy (2004) states that the ideal Caribbean person must be flexible,

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adaptable and multi-skilled. While Nettleford (2002) does not use the phrase “ideal Caribbean

person,” he advises that:

The University of the West Indies (UWI) must ensure that its graduates are not only well

trained in their particular disciplines but also sensitive to the various issues and imbued

with a strong sense of social responsibility in order that they might contribute to the

debate. (v)

Nettleford’s (2002) vision of the UWI graduate is also reflected in UWI’s strategic plans (2007-

2012; 2012-2017) via the concept of the “Distinctive UWI Graduate.” The Strategic Plan 2012-

2017 notes that:

A Distinctive UWI Graduate should demonstrate that he/she is: a critical and creative

thinker; an effective communicator with good interpersonal skills; IT-skilled and

information literate; innovative and entrepreneurial; globally aware and well grounded

in his/her regional identity; socially, culturally and environmentally responsible; and

guided by strong ethical values. (3)

In seeking to fulfil its role and realise its vision of the distinctive graduate, UWI has undertaken

various initiatives that integrate service learning and community engagement into its core

teaching and learning practices, and that address preparation for the world of work. While these

initiatives have been documented as best practices at UWI, researchers stress the importance of

the institutionalisation of service learning initiatives and strategies for the development of

employability skills to ensure effectiveness.

This paper assesses documented cases of service learning and world of work strategies in the

Report on UWI Best Practices in relation to development of the distinctive UWI graduate and

the institutionalisation of service learning. The literature review sets the context for the paper by

exploring the expectations of UWI graduates and perspectives on the institutionalisation of

service learning. The authors use the term service learning (SL) interchangeably with the term

community service learning (CSL).

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Literature Review

Expectations of University Graduates

Work-readiness

The philosophical pronouncements on the “Ideal Caribbean Person” and the “Distinctive UWI

Graduate” are very laudable. Together, these philosophical statements recognise the importance

of developing key attributes that can ensure work-ready graduates capable of becoming

responsible leaders, consistent with the growing calls for universities to fill this need. The

challenge for the UWI is the successful realisation of this philosophy through relevant and

sustainable formal and non-formal curricula. Harvey (2000) notes that “in many countries, since

the 1980s, there has been increasing pressure on higher education to contribute directly to

national economic regeneration and growth” (4), and he argues that “at the heart of the UK’s

National Committee on Inquiry into Higher Education, chaired by Lord Dearing … is the

assertion that the primary purpose of higher education is to prepare students for the world of

work” (4). This notion is also evident in Australia, where McIlveen and Pensiero (2008) record

that “Australian industry demands university graduates who can readily transit into the

workforce and effectively demonstrate their employability skills” (489). They also reveal that

reports commissioned by the Government all highlight the importance of preparing university

students for the workplace (489). Perrone and Vickers (2003) note that similar expectations are

found in reports in the United States, with particular reference to the Boyer Commission Report

on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University.

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Employers appear to have definite ideas of what they expect of graduates seeking employment

with their establishments. Harvey (2000) suggests that employers want “interactive and personal

attributes”:

The core interactive attributes are communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills….

Personal attributes are attitudes and abilities including intellect, knowledge (in some

cases) willingness and ability to learn and continue learning, ability to find things out,

willingness to take risks and show initiative, flexibility and adaptability to respond, pre-

empt and ultimately lead change and ‘self-skills’ such as self-motivation, self-

confidence, self-management and self-promotion. (8)

However, not everyone agrees that universities should be concerned with preparing graduates

for the world of work. Harvey (2000, 3) notes that in some areas of academia, this approach is

seen as being “an apologist for anti-intellectualism, for the erosion of academic freedom and as

proposing that higher education should be about training graduates for jobs rather than

improving their minds.” This position is supported by Blair (2012, 70) in his assessment of “The

relationship between ‘employability’ and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in

Caribbean university education.” He argues that the focus on employability and work readiness

“charges university education to develop skilled graduates who are ready for the labour

market… focusing on teaching students so that they may become ‘employable’ reduces what it

is to be a university….”

However, from the perceptions of stakeholders that are reviewed in this paper, it is evident that

the role of a university in developing employability skills is particularly important, especially in

the context of a developing region. It is more so in a region comprising small island states with

limited human resource capacity, and in which it is recognised that the development of human

capital is a sine qua non for sustainable economic development.

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Community engagement

In addition to being work-ready, university graduates are also expected to be committed

members of society, prepared to make a positive contribution to the development of their

communities. Universities have always played a role in developing the future leaders of society;

however, in the face of the serious social challenges being confronted by many countries and

communities, there have been increasing calls for universities to renew their commitment to

producing civic-minded and engaged citizens. In response to these demands, “tertiary Education

Institutions worldwide have identified Community Engagement as a means to develop a

graduate culture of civic responsibility, while contributing institutionally to the wider society”

(The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 2012, 9). Community engagement can be

accomplished in many ways, but Osiemo (2012, 133) suggests that “in addition to teaching the

subjects that are the core of any field of study, the curriculum should be used to make the

students more aware of their social environment.” This approach is encapsulated in the concept

of “service learning,” which Osiemo defines as:

gaining skills or knowledge while at the same time offering service to society, and in so

doing enabling students to translate from the earliest opportunity the theory they learn

into practice…. It entails engaging students through active participation in activities

designed to meet needs of communities. (140)

Mayhew and Engberg (2011, 21) see service learning (SL) as an “engaged pedagogy” that

“provides the opportunity for students to connect to a particular community, and through these

connections, students begin to identify their civic roles within that community.” A more formal

definition of SL is provided by Bringle and Hatcher (as cited in Thompson et al 2011, 216-217),

who define it as:

a course-based educational experience in which students: (a) participate in an organized

service activity that meets identified community needs and (b) reflect on the service

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activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader

appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility.

Stakeholders’ Perceptions of UWI Graduates

Given the vision of the “Distinctive UWI Graduate” articulated by the University’s leadership

and the expectations of university graduates generally, the perception of stakeholders is very

valuable in helping to determine whether the goals set by the institution are being achieved.

Results of surveys of the various stakeholders suggest that the institution may not be achieving

its vision in its entirety, and that the current UWI graduate might not always be adequately

prepared for the world of work, or to fulfil a broader responsibility for regional development.

Perceptions of Staff

Data on staff perceptions of the UWI graduate are not readily available, but a report on

community engagement at the St. Augustine Campus (The University of the West Indies St.

Augustine 2012, 57) provides some interesting insights into the views of staff on the

University’s role in the moral formation of the region’s citizens. Although one cannot generalise

for the entire Campus based on these views because of lack of sufficient data, the following two

views reflect some perceptions that are shared informally:

“The UWI is responsible for providing not only academic qualification but overall

development. There is an obligation to teach about values and integrity…”

“… needs greater development of social capital. Interpersonal skills need to be

developed…. Students need to be taught that they have a greater responsibility. This can

be integrated into the curricular [sic]…”

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Perceptions of Employers

Employer feedback about UWI graduates has been assessed by quality assurance review teams

appointed to review programmes on each Campus, and by the Office of Planning and

Institutional Research, UWI, Mona in Jamaica (2011). Surveys of the perceptions of employers

have also been conducted in the Non-Campus Countries (1998); and in Barbados, Jamaica, and

Trinidad and Tobago (2004) by UWI’s Office of the Board for Undergraduate Studies (OBUS).

Information generated by these reports provides evidence of employers’ perceptions of UWI

graduates.

With regard to the information generated by UWI surveys, employers in the non-campus

countries (NCCs) indicated that “the graduates were meeting their expectations only

moderately” (OBUS 1998, v). A major strength identified was:

The UWI graduates possessed a strong desire to excel. Their UWI degree evidently

engendered self-esteem and consequently, self-confidence, and willingness to confront

the challenges of the Caribbean work place… (v)

On the other hand, a major weakness identified was that:

The UWI graduates lacked creativity, innovativeness and inventiveness. Their education

had made them too rigid to be able to consider alternatives and other possibilities… (vi)

Bell-Hutchinson (2005) summarised the report of a Survey of the Perceptions of Employers of

Graduates of the University of the West Indies in Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago,

which was commissioned by OBUS in the 2003-2004 academic year. Bell-Hutchinson (2005,

12) notes that “a fair level of dissatisfaction was revealed concerning graduates’ ability to apply

theory to practical situations, with a higher level of dissatisfaction being expressed concerning

their communicative competence.” In addition, “graduates’ knowledge was not seen to be at the

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frontier of new developments, and some employers were dissatisfied at the graduates’ entry

knowledge, expressing the view that graduates should be able to ‘hit the ground running’” (13).

The most common expectations that these employers had of the UWI graduate were “the ability

to display flexibility, apply theory to practice and demonstrate technical competence” (13).

The 2011 Employer Survey of UWI Graduates, conducted in Jamaica, found that “UWI is

fulfilling its mission of providing a well-rounded education to its students. Students are

academically prepared for the world of work and have the technical expertise for the job” (22).

However, employers identified the lack of work readiness of UWI graduates as an area requiring

improvement, and the top four suggestions for improving the quality of graduates were “more

work experience, more practical than theoretical knowledge and applications, proper workforce

etiquette and decorum, and better interpersonal skills” (19).

Reports of quality assurance reviews with employer feedback regarding UWI graduates’

readiness for the world of work draw direct attention to the gaps to be closed in the preparation

of the distinctive UWI graduate. Employer feedback for the St. Augustine Campus for the period

2008-2011 serves as an example of this, and generally highlights some similarities in

experiences of employers of graduates across the disciplines with regard to graduates’ ability to

apply theory to practice, to write reports, their research and leadership skills, their customer

care, empathy and work ethic. In the social sciences, for example, employers mentioned that,

although the programme did an admirable job educating students in theories and basic concepts

of the discipline, practical experience and training in application of theory seemed to be lacking.

Employers also noted that while students on placement and graduates of a specific social science

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programme generally functioned well with clients and others in the workplace, there was

evidence of poor writing skills, particularly in relation to professional report writing, and weak

research skills.

Employers of graduates of the French programme felt that these graduates were able to organise

and manage their priorities in a timely manner, demonstrated a good understanding of the core

principles of their discipline, had no difficulty applying theoretical concepts to practical

situations and used their creativity when faced with work‐related challenges.

In the medical and health-related fields, employers were of the opinion that graduates lacked

professionalism and customer care training. Employers highlighted a lack of empathy, poor

customer relations and absence of leadership skills. Employers described graduates as being

well-equipped theoretically, but lacking in people skills or customer care skills. Employers

stated that most of the graduates needed additional training and supervision during the first

several months of their employment, but eventually most were able to move into leadership

roles in their specialty areas. At least one employer believed graduates would benefit from

having been exposed to more clinical practice experience in the programme.

Perception of Students

The 1998 study of employer perceptions in the NCCs “also sought to determine from the

graduates themselves, their views of the extent to which the UWI education had prepared them

for their respective jobs” (Severin 2001). The comments of the graduates focused heavily on

their lack of work-readiness after completion of their programme of study:

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“The academic content of my degree was highly theoretical…. It lacked practicality and

in this regard has left a feeling of inadequacy in the first few years of the working life.”

“… a period of internship could prepare us even better particularly with regards to

budget preparations and practical leadership skills and stress management.”

“There should be an opportunity to gain practical experience since too much emphasis is

placed on theory.”

“… more time could have been spent exposing students to the situations and experiences

which may be encountered in the field of work.”

“The academic content should be complemented strongly by practicals and attachment to

relevant institutions or organisations in order for one to develop fully in the subject

area.”

Barclay (2010) refers to a 2008 tracer study of UWI St. Augustine first degree graduates (class

of 2007), in which the graduates were asked to assess the impact of their university education.

Among the noteworthy insights from this study was the feeling of graduates in engineering,

sciences, and agriculture that the University provided only a “moderate contribution to their

critical thinking and problem-solving skills” (Barclay 2010, 8). Some of the other areas in which

graduates across disciplines identified deficiencies were: IT communication skills,

innovativeness and entrepreneurship, foreign language proficiency, and writing and speaking

skills.

In addition to the views of graduates, the views of current students have also been canvassed. In

2003, OBUS commissioned a Survey of the Perceptions of Final Year Students of the University

of the West Indies on Their Experiences at the University, across the Cave Hill, Mona, and St.

Augustine Campuses. The survey found that “both regionally and within individual Campuses

there was consensus with the positive assessment made of the soundness of subject area

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knowledge resulting from students’ university experience” (Brown and Stewart 2005, 54).

However, the students stressed “the need for a close connection between what is being taught at

UWI and what is needed in the workplace” (55). The students’ views were therefore in

consonance with the views expressed by employers in the region.

From the perceptions of the employers it is clear that UWI graduates are recognised as having a

strong desire to excel and confront challenges in the workplace. Stakeholders also confirm that

UWI graduates are academically well-prepared and demonstrate evidence of a strong theoretical

background. When this is examined in relation to the characteristics of the distinctive UWI

graduate, it is clear that while stakeholders see the UWI graduates as confident and effective

communicators, they do not perceive the UWI graduates as critical and creative thinkers. There

is no evidence in the literature that explicitly refutes or supports the IT skills or global and

regional awareness of the UWI graduate. These are issues which need to be explored further.

While there is little evidence in the literature of the extent to which The UWI is being successful

in developing in graduates the characteristics of the distinctive UWI graduate, employer

feedback serves as a particularly valuable gauge in this respect.

More recently, employer feedback was received for graduates of the following programmes at

St. Augustine:

1. The Department of Chemistry, 2013

2. The School of Pharmacy, 2013

3. The School of Education, 2013

4. The Social Work Unit, 2011

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5. The Department of History, 2013

Twenty-four questionnaires were analysed; however, not all were fully completed. Regarding

attributes of the distinctive UWI graduate, in 79% of responses, respondents agreed that the

computer skills of graduates are satisfactory; and in 63% of responses, respondents agreed that

“graduates display the ability to evaluate issues critically and analytically.” Further, in 52% of

responses, respondents agreed that “graduates demonstrate the ability to balance theoretical

knowledge with technical competence”; this being a concern of both employers and students

themselves and thus should also be viewed as a characteristic of the distinctive UWI graduate.

Employers were less positive about graduates’ leadership qualities. In 39% of responses,

respondents were undecided whether or not “graduates show leadership qualities in the way they

undertake various tasks.”

Over the years the perceptions of the graduates of UWI have not changed significantly. This is

demonstrated in the views of the participants in a panel discussion on Education and Workforce

Development at the Conference on the Economy (COTE) 2012, which took place at the St.

Augustine Campus on 28 October, 2012. It was reported (COTE 2012, 4) that there was

consensus on one point: “new graduates aren’t performing to their full potential in the

workplace.” A more concerted effort may be required by UWI to infuse service learning and

world of work preparation into the curriculum to ensure that students are more adequately

prepared for life after university.

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Institutionalisation of Service Learning

The Office of the Deputy Principal (ODP), St. Augustine (2009/2010), in attempting to provide

an operational definition of service learning and community engagement, uses the terms

interchangeably with the term community service learning (CSL). In the report Service Learning

and Community Engagement, the author points out that CSL is distinct from but not totally

unrelated to internships, voluntary community service, cooperative training programmes and

practicum, and provides a concept of the term by stating that CSL:

uses community service as the means to achieve students’ academic goals and objectives,

for course credits or other forms of recognition; involves students in practical work in the

community outside the university in various activities and services as an avenue for

students to gain practical experience in their field of instruction. (10)

The report on Service Learning and Community Engagement identifies several programmes that

are considered CSL activities, based on the definition in the report. These are included in

Appendix 1 as a supplement to the information presented in Table 2. It is of note, however, that

the report on service learning identifies the need for transformation of the political, social and

ethical culture of the UWI to facilitate service learning.

Furco and Holland (2005) point out that many institutions of various types in higher education

are implementing service learning, and highlight the fact that research is revealing the potential

of service learning to transform students. They also identify the conditions that must be present

for institutionalisation of service learning

…1) the institutionalisation of service-learning is about much more than the acquisition of

sustained funding; it is about defining academic culture and curricular philosophy; and 2)

service-learning is not implemented with the goal of being a separate, distinctive program

initiative and in fact cannot survive as such because it inspires and requires a complex web

of internal and external relationships. (2)

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The Self-Assessment Rubric for the Institutionalization of Service-Learning in Higher Education

developed by Furco (2002) establishes a set of criteria to measure the progress of service

learning in an institution at a particular point in time. It was envisioned by Furco as a tool to

generate information for the development of action plans to advance service learning.

The rubric contains five dimensions, and a corresponding set of components that characterise

each dimension, as indicated in Table 1.

Table 1: Components of the Rubric

DIMENSION COMPONENTS

I. Philosophy and Mission of Service-Learning •Definition of Service-Learning

•Strategic Planning

•Alignment with Institutional Mission

•Alignment with Educational Reform Efforts

II. Faculty Support for and Involvement in

Service-Learning

•Faculty Awareness

•Faculty Involvement and Support

•Faculty Leadership

•Faculty Incentives and Rewards

III. Student Support for and Involvement in

Service-Learning

•Student Awareness

•Student Opportunities

•Student Leadership

•Student Incentives and Rewards

IV. Community Participation and Partnerships •Community Partner Awareness

•Mutual Understanding

•Community Agency Leadership and Voice

V. Institutional Support for Service Learning •Coordinating Entity

•Policy-making Entity

•Staffing

•Funding

•Administrative Support

•Departmental Support

•Evaluation and Assessment

Source: Furco (2002, 2)

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For each component of the rubric, Furco identifies three stages, namely, Critical Mass Building,

Quality Building and Sustained Institutionalization. The layout of the rubric is represented in

Figure 1, which depicts Dimension 1: Philosophy and Mission of Service Learning.

Figure 1: Dimension 1: Philosophy and Mission of Service Learning

Source: Furco (2010, 1)

Gelmon et al (2005) developed another self-assessment rubric by drawing on elements of the

Furco rubric. Gelmon’s rubric has the following Dimensions with accompanying elements:

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I: Definition and Vision of Community Engagement (8 elements)

II: Faculty Support For and Involvement in Community Engagement (6 elements)

III: Student Support For and Involvement in Community Engagement (3 elements)

IV: Community Support For and Involvement in Community Engagement (6 elements)

V: Institutional Leadership and Support For Community Engagement (9 elements)

VI: Community-Engaged Scholarship (12 elements)

For each element of each dimension, four "levels" are articulated, which represent a summary of

the literature and knowledge on institutional best practices with respect to commitment to

community engagement and community-engaged scholarship.

The application of both rubrics is done by key individuals in the institution reviewing the

dimensions of the rubric and the criteria outlined in each stage and giving a score for each

dimension. Furco (2002) points out that his rubric is only one assessment tool for arriving at the

status of service learning institutionalisation, and that other indicators should be used to ensure a

deliberate approach to service learning.

Supporting the need for a deliberate approach to service learning are Bringle and Hatcher

(2000), who highlight the importance of deliberate institutional planning for service learning.

The institutionalisation of service learning requires transformation of a range of approaches in

higher education. It requires recognition of the need to promote critical thinking and engagement

among students in order to address employability skills as identified by stakeholders.

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Suggestions for addressing world of work preparation or employability skills in higher education

include providing skills modules, revising curricula for the identification of skills elements,

assessing non-cognitive skills, incorporating work experience and students working closely with

employers to address ‘real life’ concerns. While the issue of employability skills being

embedded in the curriculum or taught in separate units is debated, the real issue is “…integral

learning within a wider responsive context…” (Harvey 2000, 11) rather than the delivery of

skills training. The challenge is not the delivery of generic employability skills; rather the focus

must be on “…empowering students to become critical learners” (Harvey 2000, 11), thus

achieving the twin goals of better academia and greater work readiness. The two are mutually

reinforcing, not mutually exclusive as some seem to think. Processes for learner empowerment

include (i) providing choice within the curriculum; (ii) getting and using feedback from learners

to monitor service provision and the learning experience; (iii) ensuring representation of learners

on decision-making bodies and (iv) developing a critical, transformative approach to learning.

While each of these approaches allows some control over the education process, not all of them

go far enough in empowering learners in their careers once they have graduated. The importance

of developing a critical, transformative approach to learning is therefore underscored. The

argument here is that since students are empowered by developing their critical, reflective and

transformative abilities (Harvey and Knight 1996), an approach to teaching and learning that

transcends the requirement that students learn a body of knowledge and be able to apply it

analytically is important. To encourage “…critically reflective learning” what is needed is

facilitation of learning rather than teaching (Harvey 2000, 13).

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The development of a critical approach to learning means challenging preconceptions of the

learner and the teacher; developing opinions and being able to justify them; and thinking about

knowledge as a process rather than a ‘thing’ to acquire. It means requiring students to assess

themselves, to be able to make decisions about what constitutes good quality work and to know

when they have produced it:

In short, empowering learning requires an approach that treats students as intellectual

performers rather than as a compliant audience. It transforms teaching and learning into

an active process of coming to understand. It enables students to go beyond the narrow

confines of the ‘safe’ knowledge base of their academic discipline to applying

themselves to whatever they encounter in the post-education world. (Harvey 2000, 13)

At UWI, there has been a recognition of the importance of world of work preparation and

service learning to the development of the distinctive graduate, resulting in several initiatives

that have been documented as best practices. However, the following questions must be

addressed: 1)To what extent do these initiatives develop the characteristics of the distinctive

UWI graduate? and 2 ) What is the extent of institutionalisation of service learning at UWI, St

Augustine?

Method

To answer these questions, two forms of analysis were applied:

1) Specific CSL and world of work (WOW) initiatives at UWI were selected from the Report

on UWI Best Practices to ensure a cross-campus representation of initiatives, and analysed

to assess the extent to which the objectives and any documented outcomes were congruent

with the goal of developing the Distinctive UWI Graduate. Each member of the research

team identified all the cases that could be considered as WOW or SL and provided a

justification for selection of the specific cases. A total of 16 cases were selected. Using the

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definitions of WOW and SL as a guide, these cases were then ranked by the researchers and

six were selected, ensuring that at least one case was included for each of the campuses

submitting cases for the UWI Best Practices Report. The authors of this paper are cognizant

of the fact there are likely to be many more UWI best practices than have been captured in

the Report. In this regard, a supplementary list of initiatives is provided in the Appendix.

2) An assessment of the extent of institutionalisation of service learning at UWI, St. Augustine

was conducted, since a specific initiative has been devised to address service learning across

the Campus.

In the first analysis, a matrix entitled Service Learning, World of Work and The Distinctive UWI

Graduate, which matches objectives and outcomes against the characteristics of the Distinctive

UWI Graduate, was used as the basis for analysis.

In the second analysis, drawing on the Self-Assessment Rubric for the Institutionalization of

Service-Learning in Higher Education developed by (Furco 2002), a preliminary assessment of

the extent of institutionalisation of service learning at UWI St. Augustine was conducted. The

Dimensions and Components of the rubric provided the structure for a checklist, which formed

the basis of the analysis. This rubric was selected since it is one upon which later rubrics such as

Gelmon et al. (2005), which is currently being considered by the St. Augustine Campus as a

review tool for service learning, were based. It is comprehensive in the dimensions it covers and

can be adjusted as appropriate. The use of the rubric as a preliminary analytical tool is intended

to highlight the possibilities for the application of a self-assessment rubric in a formal way, to

enhance the process of institutionalisation of service learning on the St. Augustine Campus. The

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rubric has been adapted in this paper to include the sections Dimensions, Components, Existence

at STA and Suggested Stage, since application of the rubric in its entirety would require input

from key individuals on the Campus, as well as data collection beyond the scope of this paper,

to allow for greater objectivity. We also acknowledge that suggesting stages in which the

institution can be located is based on the authors’ perceptions of reported activities and

initiatives. The application of the rubric, it is hoped, will generate discussion among colleagues

regarding the status of service learning at the UWI, St. Augustine Campus and steps to be taken

towards the institutionalisation of service learning

Analysis

Selected UWI Service Learning Best Practices

Four WOW and two CSL initiatives were drawn from the Report for analysis, representing the

three residential Campuses. The Open Campus is not represented since there were no

submissions for the UWI Best Practices exercise, as the Campus was preparing for institutional

accreditation at the time.

TABLE 2 TO BE INSERTED

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Discussion

To What Extent do WOW and CSL Initiatives Develop the Characteristics of the

Distinctive UWI Graduate?

It is worthy of note that submissions of WOW and CSL activities were examples of best

practices by different departments of the three residential Campuses, with no reference to an

overall University initiative. While the submissions each reflect some alignment with the

University’s strategic plan, there is no explicit reference to a coordinated initiative for CSL or

preparation for the WOW.

With regard to the characteristics of the distinctive UWI graduate, as indicated in Table 2, it is

evident that WOW preparation, in the examples highlighted, generally focuses on the

development of entrepreneurial, critical thinking, assessment, pedagogical and project

implementation skills, among others as well as exposure to work experience. In the case of the

Student Entrepreneurial Empowerment Development Programme and the Learning Group

Project, there is explicit development of entrepreneurial and leadership skills. These

characteristics tend to reflect what Harvey (2000) suggests employers want, namely, “interactive

and personal attributes,” and, further, can shape graduates who are critical and creative thinkers

and effective communicators with good interpersonal skills. The research team is not aware of

specific data that would explain the areas of focus for each Campus. However, all of the SL and

WOW initiatives presented in Table 2 are reflective of priorities of UWI, which in turn are

linked to the socio-economic realities of the Campuses’ host countries. Developing students’

entrepreneurial skills, for example, is one way of addressing limited employment opportunities

22

in the public and private sectors. As indicated earlier, such skills along with critical thinking and

leadership skills contribute to the development of the ideal Caribbean person.

While it is not expected that all WOW initiatives will focus on each of the characteristics of the

distinctive UWI graduate, it is hoped that a range of initiatives could provide the scope that

would allow for all characteristics to be covered. From Table 2, however, it is evident that

several characteristics are not explicitly addressed in all of the selected initiatives. For example,

most of the selected initiatives do not explicitly focus on developing a graduate who is skilled in

information technology, globally aware and well grounded in his/her regional identity, The

Continuous Learning and Development of Future Leaders case is the only one that focuses on a

regional identity, while The Learning Group Project can develop socially, culturally and

environmentally responsible graduates. There is also no evidence in either WOW or CSL

examples that the selected initiatives can develop within students a sense of strong ethical

values. It is to be noted, however, that seven of the SL and WOW activities presented in the

Appendix, namely, Leadership with Service, Peer Education in Response to HIV/AIDS, Vision

and Fortitude Programme, Quality Leadership Programme, UWI Mentorship Programme

(Mona), Festival Arts Programme and UWI Mentorship Programme (SA) address the

development of a graduate who is socially, culturally and environmentally responsible. There

are also two examples where IT is the focus, namely, Technology Literacy and Microsoft Office

Specialist (MOS) Certification. Where ethical values are concerned, more concerted efforts may

need to be made to ensure that this characteristic of the distinctive UWI graduate is explicitly

addressed.

23

Well-designed CSL activities can certainly facilitate the development of the distinctive UWI

graduate; however, from the examples provided there are some gaps to be closed. Benefits to be

derived in support of student development include opportunities for students to work in

community environments to interact with persons who are different from themselves in terms of

ethnicity, economic background and religion, inter alia; enhancement of student perceptions,

values and behaviours related to diversity; development of interpersonal skills; increased

tolerance thresholds and ability to work with diverse groups (Thompson et al. 2010, 227).

In an investigation into whether first-year courses that integrated a service learning component

influenced the development in students of civic responsibility, operationally defined as

charitable and social justice responsibility, Mayhew and Engberg (2011) report that “when

compared with their control group counterparts, students enrolled in service-learning infused

success courses [sic] were significantly more likely to report gains in charitable responsibility,

defined in part by helping those less fortunate and being more likely to volunteer after the

course” (34).

The Survey of the Literature on Global Best Practices in Higher Education (Harvey 2012)

identifies areas of best practice in higher education. For example, the Universiti Teknologi of

Malaysia partners with the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation for the careful

selection and nurturing of students, through the incubation of their projects to profitability. The

University of Twente of the Netherlands promotes an environment characterised by

entrepreneurship, with over 100 campus-based businesses and 700 spin-off companies.

24

Resource utilisation efficiency is another university strategic planning perspective that has been

linked to development of students’ employability skills, civic responsibility and community

engagement. In this regard, Harvey (2011) records best practice cases that relate to “greening”

initiatives, and that demonstrate engagement of different stakeholders at the universities: “At the

University of Cape Town, there are policies, research, actions, and activism. Emerging from this

systematic approach is the Green Campus Initiative, a student organization, which has led to a

new recycling system, carpooling, and increased bicycle and public transport use……” (27).

Harvey comments on the extent to which the relevant best practice strategies are systemic, with

“…President to student,…senior faculty to junior staff, all categories of stakeholders [being]

engaged in the effort…”(28) in all cases.

The Pontificia Javerina University, in Columbia, the Universidad Iberoamericana of Mexico, the

American University at Beirut in Lebanon, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, the Hong

Kong University of Science and Technology, The Seoul National University and the University

of Southern Mississippi are some examples of universities where relevant best practices have

been identified. Such best practices are focussed on the following areas: engineering students

offering their budding expertise in automation, systematisation, production, and management

processes to real-world problem solving in communities of Bogota; solving an urgent social

problem in a professional environment; promoting a culture of service and civic leadership that

involves both staff and students; linking learning, teaching, and research programmes to the UN

Millennium Development Goals, thus ensuring that students are addressing the social issues of

poverty, human rights, and sustainable development to which the country has committed;

faculty, staff and student involvement in community learning projects, with for-credit

25

community action courses and some not-for-credit learning opportunities; reserving one set of

community courses for honours students so that the most academically promising, those

normally bound for leadership, must apply the techniques learnt in their academic pursuits to

real-life community issues; and training faculty to integrate service learning in their curriculum

through the Service Learning Faculty Fellows Programme, thus creating the environment for

students to be nurtured in community service.

What is notable about these areas of best practice is the exploitation of synergies across strategic

planning perspectives to create a rich, integrated learning environment that nurtures students to

become distinctive university graduates. Harvey (2012) notes that “equipping graduates with

both specific technical skill and workforce readiness in terms of generic knowledge, relevant

attitude, and ethical stance has proved to be a challenge to many universities” (32). She suggests

that what is required is commitment to workforce readiness enterprise, specific funding and

academic integrity of relevant programmes.

What is the Extent of Institutionalisation of Service Learning at UWI, St.

Augustine?

Preliminary review of the dimensions of Furco’s rubric indicate that, in most cases, UWI St.

Augustine is at the stage of Critical Mass Building, which is the earliest stage of

institutionalisation of service learning. It is important to note that the assessment of the stage of

service learning institutionalisation was dependent on the information available on the

characteristics within each dimension, which would allow for judgments to be made.

26

TABLE 3 TO BE INSERTED

Dimension 1: Philosophy and Mission of Service Learning

UWI St. Augustine has provided a definition of service learning; however, there is no indication

of university-wide acceptance of this definition or of widespread knowledge of community

engagement activities. A report prepared by the Office of the Deputy Principal states that staff

interviewed “reported not knowing about successful or ongoing community engagement

activity/opportunities/training at St. Augustine” (The University of the West Indies, St.

Augustine. Working Group on Community Engagement 2012, 7). The Office of the Deputy

Principal (ODP), St. Augustine has been at the forefront of efforts to institutionalise service

learning at UWI St. Augustine. These efforts, while still in the early stages, represent some

progress, particularly in relation to the formalising of a working group and the proposal for a

dedicated unit to further the goals of service learning.

Although certain short-range and long-range goals for quality improvement of service learning

have been defined for the Campus (The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. Working

Group on Community Engagement, 2012), these goals have not been formalised into an official

strategic plan that will guide their implementation. Moreover, while service learning

complements many aspects of the institution's mission, it remains on the periphery of the

Campus. Service learning is rarely included in larger efforts that focus on the core mission of the

institution, such as the Campus’s operational planning activity. Service learning and World of

Work initiatives are tied loosely or informally to other important, high-profile efforts on Campus

(e.g., campus/business partnerships such as Republic Bank Limited’s World of Work).

27

Dimension 2: Faculty Support for and Involvement in Service Learning

While all areas outlined within the dimensions require further research to get information on

what obtains at UWI St. Augustine, the dimensions of Faculty Support and Student Support for

and Involvement in Service-Learning need particular attention. Given that data on faculty

awareness have not yet been generated and that, to date, there have not been campus-wide

activities related to service learning, one can consider the St. Augustine Campus as being at the

critical mass building stage of faculty awareness.

Assessing faculty leadership involvement in service learning requires judgment on whether the

group currently involved represents the most influential faculty members on Campus.

Furthermore, the St. Augustine Campus appears to be at Stage 1 with regard to incentives for

faculty members since there is no evidence that incentives and rewards are provided to

encourage service learning. There is also a dearth of information on community participation

and involvement. Without specific data, it is not clear the extent to which there is faculty

awareness, faculty involvement and support, and faculty leadership with regard to service

learning. The ODP has administered a survey tool but the results are not yet available.

Dimension 3: Student Support for and Involvement in Service Learning

Data that could indicate the level of student awareness have not yet been collected. The Campus

can therefore be considered to be at Stage 1. The draft report entitled Academic Advising at The

University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus: Feedback from Undergraduates (Joseph-

Brown 2012) suggests that while the academic advising system should be a campus-wide

mechanism for informing students of co-curricular activities, there is need for enhancing this

28

system. Few service learning opportunities exist for students and only a handful of service

learning courses are available. With regard to incentives, there is no evidence to suggest that

these are provided to encourage students’ involvement in service learning.

Dimension 4: Community Participation and Partnership

There is no evidence to suggest widespread community awareness about service learning at

UWI St. Augustine. The Campus therefore seems to be at Stage 1: Critical Mass Building. The

Campus's goals for service learning and the full range of service learning opportunities that are

available to students have not been widely publicised. There is no evidence to suggest

understanding between the Campus and community representatives regarding each other's

needs, timelines, goals, resources, and capacity for developing and implementing service

learning activities. There is also no evidence that opportunities exist for community agency

representatives to take on leadership roles in advancing service learning on Campus. In email

communication on March 27, 2013 from Lynette Joseph-Brown, Programme and Research

Officer, ODP, she noted that there have been recent efforts, such as the Community Engagement

Open Day held in February 2013, to build awareness of the organisations with which the

University has been partnering; to foster closer ties with volunteer organisations; and to

encourage involvement of students and staff of the St. Augustine Campus in the volunteer

activities. Organisations involved included Habitat for Humanity, Trinidad and Tobago;

Caribbean Forest Conservation Association; Lifeline; Cyril Ross Tutors; Goodstart Mentorship

Programme; and Shalimar UWI Motivated Mentors Outreach Network (SUMMON). The theme

of the Open Day was UWI Engaging the Community (UWI ETC). This initiative offers promise

for building widespread community awareness.

29

Dimension 5: Institutional Support

It is evident that there is some level of institutional support as service learning programmes are

offered to varying degrees across all residential Campuses. As an example of institutional

support, at St. Augustine there are plans to implement a coordinating entity. In the meantime,

the ODP has taken the lead in providing the mandate and official support for formalising

structure and policy in the implementation of Community Engagement on the St. Augustine

Campus. The Student Advisory Services, with the support of the ODP, has taken primary

responsibility for monitoring and supporting Community Service Programmes in which students

are involved. In addition, the Student Advisory Services, with the support of the ODP, has also

collaborated with The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and the University of

Louisville to hold three seminars in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively, on the following themes

that are of relevance to service learning and community engagement: Know Your Students: The

Key to Getting Them Engaged; Developing Social Responsibility; and Engaging the

Community: Strengthening the Culture of Engagement. While this is not sufficient, it marks an

initial and significant step in the process. The areas of staffing, funding, administrative support,

departmental support, and evaluation and assessment are still at the stage of critical mass

building but have been receiving attention from the St. Augustine Campus’s administration.

There is no evidence that there is an appropriate number of staff members on Campus who

understand service learning fully and/or who hold appropriate titles that can influence the

advancement and institutionalisation of service learning. However, the Office of the Deputy

Principal, through its working group, is crafting a strategy to involve staff. The Campus is also

30

at a very fledgling stage with regard to evaluation of service learning, since there is no

organised, campus-wide effort underway to assess the number and quality of service learning

activities taking place as a baseline step toward evaluation of the degree of institutional support.

The preliminary application of the rubric suggests that there is need for further work within all

the dimensions in order to institutionalise service learning on the St. Augustine Campus and, by

extension, the University.

The Way Forward

It would appear that the biggest gap that The UWI must close, as indicated by global best

practices, relates to the extent to which the entire university environment must be oriented

towards supporting the development of the Distinctive UWI Graduate, and this goes beyond

what takes place within the confines of the classroom. It means that research, innovation,

entrepreneurship and community engagement must benefit the student learning experience in

ways that help to develop their employability skills, civic responsibility and engagement of the

community. Further, since best practices illustrate the unquestionable value of approaches

involving the university community, business interests, employers and the wider community, it

means that there is need for greater effort at interdisciplinarity. All university personnel and

stakeholders, in the ways in which they advocate for students, interface with students and

directly support students in their learning enterprise, must see themselves as having a role to

play in the realisation of this strategic imperative. In particular, the exemplary cases presented in

31

this paper warrant examination by UWI with a view to replicating the environments that

demonstrate strong commitment to ensuring the development of the Distinctive UWI Graduate.

At a programmatic level, UWI must also consider the trends discussed in the literature review.

Service learning initiatives that incorporate civic engagement must be expanded. This must be

facilitated by training of academic staff. This calls for greater attention to units such as the

Instructional Development Unit, which varies in composition across the three Campuses.

Further, whether addressed through a focus on generic employability skills or through strategies

to develop critical lifelong learners, gaps in employability skills identified by employers must be

closed and the necessary strategies designed with input from employers and national

professional associations.

Of significant importance is the need to promote global best practices and existing UWI best

practices that focus on WOW and CSL, to generate a multiplier effect throughout The UWI

system. In this regard, it is necessary to use the relevant components of The UWI Quality

Management System (QMS) for the replication of best practices. Key components of the QMS

that are well placed to help create the multiplier effect are the Campus Quality Offices or their

equivalent (e.g., the Institutional Effectiveness Manager, St. Augustine Campus); the Quality

Assurance Unit, the Vice Chancellery, the Instructional Development Units, Campus Planning

Offices and the University Office for Planning and Development. The operations of these

entities, as well as those of the Offices of Campus Registrars, can be leveraged to implement the

recommendations contained in the Framework for Analysis of UWI Best Practices (Harvey

2012), which contains the following checklists: Checklist for Analyzing External Practice;

32

Checklist for Analyzing UWI Practice; Checklist for Planning Initiatives That Could Become

Exemplary; Check List for Managers: Nurturing Best Practice

These checklists can inform the development of guidelines for the preparation of (i) quality

assurance self-assessment reports; (ii) reports of quality assurance review teams to include

discussion of UWI best practices; iii) training workshops for academic staff to build on best

practices and create a multiplier effect and iv) promotion of UWI best practices in Campus and

regional University reports on the implementation of the strategic plan.

33

Appendix

Supplementary List of

Selected Service Learning (SL) and World of Work (WOW) Initiatives

A: CAVE HILL CAMPUS

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Mentorship

Programme Approximately 50

mentors and mentees

participate annually

in this programme,

which provides

students with the

opportunity to

interface with

professionals and

gain practical

experience

To provide

opportunities for a

pool of persons who

are willing to work

with the University

towards the

enrichment of general

student development,

especially the

improvement of

learning skills in the

world of work

To expose students to

the world of work

To match students

with positive role

models in the field of

their career interest

To have an

experienced

professional counsel a

student on career and

personal development

Exploration of their career interests in

a practical manner

Improvement of their interpersonal

skills and building of self-confidence

Receipt of feedback by professionals

EC

Self-confident

graduates who have a

clear idea of their

career path

Co-Curricular Credits (COCR) Programme– This is an umbrella programme which spans the University and is designed to give formal

recognition to the University’s aim to produce well-rounded graduates, better prepared for their role in society, through activities that will

provide personal and professional development

Leadership with

Service (COCR

2015)

Students are expected

to attend

lectures/seminars on a

range of topics

To prepare students for

leadership and service

within the Campus and

the wider community

To identify and initiate

a community project

which must result in

demonstrable

improvement in the

To prepare students for

leadership and service

within the Campus and

the wider community

To develop skills in

time management,

project planning,

financial management,

and record keeping

Appreciation of the importance of

making a meaningful contribution to

the Campus

Acquisition of leadership qualities

Ability to work effectively in teams

SCE

Graduates with an

appreciation of the

importance of making

a meaningful

contribution to the

community

Graduates who are

able to assume

leadership and

34

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

life of beneficiaries managerial roles

Service Learning –

COCR 2025

Students are provided

with classroom

preparation in service

learning, literacy, and

leadership, and are

expected to design and

implement projects in

communities

To expand the services

of the Campus to its

non-campus territories

To continue to

contribute to

Caribbean

development through

academic excellence

and service

Improvement in critical thinking skills

Improvement in communication and

interpersonal skills

CT, EC

Graduates who are

culturally sensitive to

the needs of their

communities and able

to provide leadership in

development activities

Peer Education in

Response to HIV

and AIDS (COCR

2030)

Students are expected

to attend lectures,

seminars, or

workshops on selected

topics and undertake a

university or

community service

activity

To prepare students for

leadership in response

to the challenge of

HIV and AIDS in the

University and the

wider community

To identify and initiate

an HIV/AIDS

community project

which must result in

demonstrable

improvement in the

life of the beneficiaries

To provide experience

in team working and

team building

To be able to apply

skills learned in an

effective way in

response to HIV/AIDS

Appreciation of the importance of

contributing meaningfully to campus

life

Gaining experience in team working

and team building

SCE, EV

Graduates with an

understanding of the

effect of the

HIV/AIDS epidemic

on Caribbean society

Graduates with an

appreciation of the

importance of

contributing

meaningfully to the

community

Reasoned Action for

Problem Solving

(RAPS) and

Personal Academic

Career Enrichment

(PACE) These workshop

sessions on topics

related to personal

To help students to

develop a sense of

mastery with respect

to life management

and problem-solving

skills

To provide students

with the tools

necessary to succeed

Development of problem-solving skills

Development of life management skills

Development of the ability to

collectively generate solutions to

problems

CT

Graduates with well-

developed problem-

solving skills,

applicable to both their

personal lives and the

world of work

35

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

well-being and

academic and career

goals are structured in

order to facilitate

students’ participation

in highly interactive

sessions

Vision & Fortitude

Programme This programme,

focuses on student

empowerment, with

the overall aim of

helping students to

develop life skills to

facilitate their

personal success

To provide

opportunities for

community (primary

and secondary schools)

outreach

To provide practical

learning experiences

for students

Identification and actualisation of a

vision for their lives

Development and expression of their

creativity

Development of a sense of civic

responsibility

Cultivation of a mindset of success

CT, SCE

Graduates with an

awareness of the need

for civic engagement

Graduates with an

appreciation for the

benefits of

volunteerism

Graduates with a keen

sense of their purpose

in life

UWI Mentorship

Programme This programme is a

joint initiative of the

Trinidad and Tobago

Chapter of the UWI

Alumni Association

and the Office of

Student Advisory

Services, St.

Augustine, and

requires a total of 8

contact hours per

month

to assist students to

develop a sense of

social and community

responsibility

To enable students to

develop leadership

and management

skills and to explore

career opportunities

under the guidance of

their “Mentor”

To present the

“Mentee” with a

realistic view of, and

smooth transition into

the working

environment

Acquisition of experience of the work

environment

Improvement in self-confidence

SCE

Professionals are

encouraged to give

back to undergraduates

Graduates enter the

world of work with

experience,

confidence,

professional guidance,

and a sense of social

and community

responsibility

36

B: MONA CAMPUS

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Quality

Leadership

Programme

This 3-credit year-

long course seeks to

deliver leadership

as a service

industry, and is

presented through a

combination of

workshops,

seminars, and

community service

projects

To help students see

leadership as service

To develop among

participants an

understanding of UWI

students’ responsibility

to the Caribbean

To identify and initiate

community projects

that must be

sustainable and result

in demonstrable

improvement to the

lives of the

beneficiaries

To encourage students to

develop their leadership

skills and an appreciation

for quality

To build self-esteem and

encourage feelings of

self-worth

To develop the

communication skills of

participating students

To develop an awareness

and understanding of

process improvement

techniques

To develop project

management skills

Improvement in work ethic,

performance, and efficiency

Improvement in ability to manage time

and to implement and manage projects

Acquisition of oral and written

communication skills

Development of team leadership skills

EC, SCE

Graduates with a

positive attitude

towards service

Graduates with an

understanding of the

university’s

responsibility to the

Caribbean Community

Upgrading of physical

conditions that will

improve the quality of

life on a sustained basis

Provision of role

models and mentors for

children in various

institutions

Sensitisation of

communities to ways in

which they can

improve their lives

UWI Mentorship

Programme This one-year

programme, places

students with

Mentors, who are

accomplished senior

and middle

management

professionals, from

the campus and non-

To enhance the total

development of the

student, especially in the

socio-psychological

domain

To expose students to

those intangible factors

they would not learn in a

textbook, but which are

vital to their individual

Provision of learning experience

outside the classroom

Provision of networking opportunities

between students and potential

employers

Provision of controlled exposure to the

work environment

CT, SCE

Provision of

opportunities for

potential employers to

directly influence the

quality of graduates

entering the workforce

Exposure of firms and

industries to the

competencies of

graduates who are

37

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

campus

communities, in a

one-to-one

relationship

growth and development

To provide students with

the opportunity to

observe

corporate/campus

mentors; their

behaviours, protocol, and

practices, before entering

the world of work

To provide a more

realistic view of the

world of work in terms

of financial expectations,

the flexibility required,

and the interpersonal

skills and competencies

necessary to survive

potential employees

World of Work

Seminars Presenters for these

sessions, which are

specially organised

for final year

students are human

resource specialists

from public and

private sector

organisations

To equip students with

the necessary job-

hunting skills and

techniques for the job

search and world of

work

Acquisition of techniques and skills

required for successful job hunting

career development

EC

Graduates with the

confidence to seek out

opportunities in the job

market

Careers Club This club is an

association under

the Office of

Placement and

To assist students to

develop their leadership

skills and abilities

To provide a range of

activities centred on

Development of leadership and work-

readiness skills

Graduates with the

skills and abilities to

pursue their chosen

careers with confidence

38

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Career Services,

designed to meet the

career development

needs of students

developing the skills and

values necessary for

personal career

development and the

world of work

EC

C: ST. AUGUSTINE CAMPUS

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Co-Curricular Credits (COCR) Programme – This is an umbrella programme which spans the University and is designed to give formal

recognition to the University’s aim to produce well-rounded graduates, better prepared for their role in society, through activities that will

provide personal and professional development

Workplace

Protocol for

Students (COCR

1012)

This 3-credit course

consists of 11 3-

hour sessions, and

is intended to

supplement the

academic

curriculum to

create well-rounded

graduates

To provide students with

the behavioural

competencies to enable

them to gain the

social/workplace skills

required for success and

prominence in the world

of work

Ability to successfully confront

personal and professional challenges

Ability to effectively integrate into the

workplace

Ability to engage in appropriate

business/social conduct

EC

Graduates with the

confidence, diplomacy,

courtesy, and poise that

can contribute to a

strong professional

presence

Technology

Literacy (COCR

1030) This 3-credit course

is specifically

intended for

To equip students who

are uncomfortable with

technology with the

requisite skills and

practice necessary to

utilise UWI’s student

Increased comfort with technology

IT

Graduates with a

critical skill required to

navigate today’s world

effectively

39

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

students who are

not yet comfortable

with technology

systems effectively,

perform basic functions

on a computer, and feel

more comfortable with

technology in everyday

life

Microsoft Office

Specialist (MOS)

Certifications

(COCR 1025-

1029) Students are

allowed to choose

one or more of five

courses covering

the suite of

Microsoft Office

software. The

courses are

delivered both face-

to-face and online

To equip students with

skills necessary to

produce documents with

a professional finish

using Microsoft Word

2010

To equip students with all

the basic tools necessary

for producing a

comprehensive

spreadsheet in order to

effect change in the

workplace

To prepare students to

create effective Microsoft

PowerPoint presentations

To prepare students to

acquire technical skills

that facilitate the use of

Outlook 2010 as a

personal organizer

To help students to use

Access 2010 to make

more informed business

decisions by effectively

tracking, reporting, and

sharing information

Acquisition of an official certificate

from Microsoft reflecting the relevant

qualification upon successful

completion of the examination

attached to a course

Acquisition of superior information

technology skills

IT

Graduates with a sound

knowledge of IT skills

and relevant

certification

40

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Cooperative

Training

Programme

(CTP) This programme

involves internships

with different

agencies for one

year, during which

participants take a

leave of absence

from their academic

programmes

To provide students with

the opportunity to

balance their chosen area

of study with valuable,

realistic work experience

in an organisation related

to their programme

Opportunity to enhance workplace

skills

Improved understanding of workplace

culture

Ability to relate academic information

to workplace situations

CT, EC

Mature graduates with

an appreciation of

workplace culture and

in possession of skills

relevant to the

workplace type

Community

Health Outreach

and Family

Service

Programme This programme is

conducted by the

Faculty of Medical

Sciences during

Year II from

September to March

of each academic

year. It consists of

six hours of lectures

at the beginning f

the semester, after

which the students

are rotated through

designated health

centres

To allow students to

confront the common

public health issues

that occur in

communities

To provide students

with the opportunity

for first-hand

observation of the

impact of pregnancy

and arrival of a new

baby in a family

To provide students with

an early opportunity to

interact with real patients

To introduce students to

local health agencies

To provide a focus for

analytical insight,

application, and

integration of material

taught

Provides medical students with their

first real interaction with patients

CT, EC

Beginning doctors who

have an appreciation of

the needs of the

community they will be

serving

Department of

Creative and To engage with the

community by going

Provision of the opportunity for

experiential learning, using innovative

Committed and

concerned artistes who

41

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Festival Arts

Programmes All the programmes

in this department

comprise

coursework

components that

involve specific

aspects of

community

engagement and

service learning

into that social

environment and

working with

interested members to

create a dance

presentation

To examine cultural

and religious festivals

or other phenomena in

the society

To investigate and use

drama therapy with

children in institutions,

the elderly, the

economically

disadvantaged, the

physically

handicapped, the

abused, etc.

To engage with the

community,

underserved

populations, and

vulnerable groups to

develop problem-

solving scenarios and

activities for specific

social issues

approaches to acquire a deeper

understanding of the many community

and societal issues

EC, SCE

have a deep

appreciation of their

role in addressing the

social problems in the

society

UWI Mentorship

Programme This programme is

a joint initiative of

the Trinidad and

Tobago Chapter of

To assist students to

develop a sense of

social and community

responsibility

To enable students to

develop leadership and

management skills and

to explore career

opportunities under the

guidance of their

Acquisition of experience of the work

environment

Improvement in self-confidence

Professionals are

encouraged to give

back to undergraduates

Graduates enter the

world of work with

experience, confidence,

42

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL

OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO

WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/ CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

the UWI Alumni

Association and the

Office of Student

Advisory Services,

St. Augustine, and

requires a total of 8

contact hours per

month

“Mentor”

To present the “Mentee”

with a realistic view of,

and smooth transition

into, the working

environment

SCE

professional guidance,

and a sense of social

and community

responsibility

* Key to Characteristics of the Distinctive UWI Graduate

Critical and creative thinker CT

Effective communicator with good interpersonal skills EC

IT-skilled and information literate IT

innovative and entrepreneurial IE

Globally aware and well grounded in his/her regional identity RI

Socially, culturally and environmentally responsible SCE

Guided by strong ethical values. EV

43

References

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University of the West Indies. St. Augustine, Trinidad: Office of the Deputy Principal,

UWI.

Beckles, Hilary, Perry, Anthony, and Whiteley, Peter. 2002. The Brain Train: Quality Higher

Education and Caribbean Development. Mona, Jamaica: UWI Press.

Bell-Hutchinson, Camille. 2005. “Survey of the Perceptions of Employers of Graduates of the

University of the West Indies.” UWI Quality Education Forum, No. 11: 4–22.

Blair, Erik. 2012. “The Relationship Between ‘Employability’ and the Scholarship of Teaching

and Learning in Caribbean University Education.” Caribbean Teaching Scholar, 2 (1):

69–75.

Bringle, Robert G. and Hatcher, Julie A. 2006. “Where’s the Community Impact in Service

Learning Research.” Panel presented at 6th

Annual International Conference on Service-

Learning Research, Portland, OR.

Brown, Monica and Stewart, Marcia. 2005. “Survey of the Perceptions of Final Year Students of

the University of the West Indies on Their Experiences at the University.” Quality

Education Forum, No. 11: 23–58.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. 1997. Creative and Productive Citizens for the

Twenty-First Century. Paper presented at the Special Session of the Conference on

Education and Human Resource Development: Strategies for Building a Creative and

Productive Workforce, Montego Bay, Jamaica, June 30 –July 4, 1997

44

“COTE 2012: We Still Don’t Know What Kind of Society We are Building.” 2012. UWI Today,

October 28, 4.

Furco, Andrew. 2002. Self-Assessment Rubric for the Institutionalization of Service Learning in

Higher Education. Berkeley, CA: University of California.

Furco, Andrew.2010. Higher Education Service-Learning Institutionalization Rubric. Accessed

January 27, 2013

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ubric.pdf

Furco, Andrew and Holland, Barbara. 2005. “Institutionalizing Service Learning in Higher

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Centre for Studies in Higher Education Civic & Academic Engagement in the Multiversity

Symposium: June 10, 2005. Accessed December 31, 2012

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Gelmon, S. B., Seifer, S. D., Kauper-Brown, J., and Mikkelsen, M. 2005. Building Capacity for

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Harvey, Claudia. 2012. Survey of the Literature on Global Best Practices in Higher Education:

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Literature. St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago: UWI.

Harvey, Lee. 2000. “New Realities: The Relationship Between Higher Education and

Employment.” Tertiary Education and Management, 6: 3–17.

45

Harvey, L. and Knight, Peter T. 1996. Transforming Higher Education. Buckingham: Society

for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) and Open University Press.

Joseph-Brown, Lynette. 2012. Academic Advising at The University of the West Indies, St.

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of the Deputy Principal, UWI.

Louisy, Pearlette. 2004. “Whose Context for What Quality? Informing Education Strategies for

the Caribbean.” Compare 34 (3): 285-292.

Mayhew, Matthew J. and Engberg, Mark E. 2011. “Promoting the Development of Civic

Responsibility: Infusing Service-Learning Practices in First-Year “Success” Courses.”

Journal of College Student Development, 52 (1): 20–38.

McIlveen, Peter and Pensiero, Dominic. 2008. “Transition of Graduates from Backpack-to-

Briefcase: A Case Study.” Education + Training, 50 (6): 489–499.

Nettleford, Rex. 2002. “Foreword.” In The Brain Train, by Hilary Beckles, Anthony Perry and

Peter Whiteley, v. Mona: Board for Undergraduate Studies, UWI.

Nettleford, Rex. 1986. The University of the West Indies as a Regional University in the

English-Speaking Caribbean (Past, Present and Future Trends). Caracas, Venezuela:

Regional Centre for Higher Education in Latin America (CRESALC).

Osiemo, Lynette B. 2012. “Developing Responsible Leaders: The University at the Service of

the Person.” Journal of Business Ethics, 108: 131–143.

Perrone, Lisa and Vickers, Margaret H. 2003. “Life After Graduation as a “Very Uncomfortable

World”: An Australian Case Study.” Education + Training, 45 (2): 69–78.

Severin, Francis O. 2001. Dominican Employers’ Perceptions of Graduates of the UWI: The

Ramifications for the University in an Entrepreneurial Era in Higher Education. Paper

46

presented at the School of Continuing Studies Dominica Conference: Beyond Walls:

Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives, Roseau, Dominica, 7–10 January, 2001.

Sherlock, Philip and Nettleford, Rex. 1990. The University of the West Indies: A Caribbean

Response to the Challenge of Change. London: Macmillan.

Thomson, Ann Marie, Smith-Tolken, Antoinette R., Naidoo, Anthony V., and Bringle, Robert

G. 2011. “Service Learning and Community Engagement: A Comparison of Three

National Contexts.” Voluntas, 22: 214–237.

The University of the West Indies. Office of the Board for Undergraduate Studies. 1998. How

Employers View Our Graduates: The Non-Campus Countries’ Perspective. [Cave Hill,

Barbados]: OBUS, UWI.

The University of the West Indies. University Office of Planning and Development. 2012.

Strategic Plan 2012-2017. Mona, Jamaica: UWI.

The University of the West Indies, Mona. Office of Planning and Institutional Research. 2011.

2011 Employer Survey of UWI Graduates. Mona, Jamaica: Office of Planning and

Institutional Research, UWI.

The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. Working Group on Community Engagement.

2012? Are You Engaged? Are We Engaged? A Community Engagement Framework for

The UWI at St. Augustine. St. Augustine, Trinidad: Office of the Deputy Principal, UWI.

The University of the West Indies Office of the Deputy Principal, St Augustine. 2009. Service

Learning and Community Engagement: A New Agenda for the University of the West

Indies. St Augustine, Trinidad: Office of the Deputy Principal, UWI

47

Table 2: Service Learning, World of Work and the Distinctive UWI Graduate*

A: CAVE HILL CAMPUS

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/

CHARACTERISTICS OF

THE DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Student Entrepreneurial

Empowerment Development

(SEED) Programme

SEED makes use of interactive

sessions that focus on providing

information on all processes

required for the development of

small businesses

To encourage students to

consider setting up their own

businesses

To develop self-reliance,

innovativeness and

entrepreneurship among

students at the Cave Hill

Campus

Development of entrepreneurial

interest and skills

Familiarity with potential

resources for developing self-

reliance

CT, EC, IE*

Establishment of

strong, mutually

beneficial partnerships

among the Campus,

business community

and community in

general

Students Helping Students

Programme

Three-stage model of peer

helping which includes basic

relating with others,

understanding people’s

experiences and assisting people

to engage in problem-solving

strategies

To assist prospective

student support helpers to

develop basic helping skills

to aid other students who

may be experiencing a

problem or a crisis

To assist participants to

develop skills to be

resource persons for

students on campus and the

wider community

To assist prospective student

support helpers to develop

basic helping skills to aid

other students who may be

experiencing a problem or a

crisis

To assist participants to

develop skills to be resource

persons for students on

campus and the wider

community

Development of a reflective

stance in relation to their own

lives

Familiarity with potential

resources for helping students

who may be experiencing a crisis

CT, EC, IE

Development of

resourceful persons

with basic helping

skills to aid others

undergoing personal or

work-related crises

48

B: MONA CAMPUS

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/

CHARACTERISTICS OF

THE DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Pedagogies for Delivering the

CSEC English B Syllabus

Teachers of English pursuing the

B.Ed. explore pedagogies for

delivering the CSEC English B

syllabus. They “stage” literature

texts before a live audience of

200-250 students and their

teachers from the wider

community

To strategically re-position

The UWI and to meet the call

for graduates with certain

skills, dispositions and

attitudes for the workforce and

nation building

To re-position students

/graduates not just as critical

thinkers but also as doers with

a greater focus on community

capacity building

To meet the need for a

platform for teachers learning

to teach Literature at the

CSEC level to re-engage with

the classroom and to bring

university course assessment

in line with community service

and altruism

Shift from assessment of

learning to assessment for/as

learning, and the modelling of

these processes as student

empowerment practices that lead

to greater learner autonomy

Development of critical thinking

skills and generation of interest

in community building

Provision of practical, ongoing

professional development for

teachers

CT, EC, IE

Graduates sensitised to

and prepared for

community building

C: ST. AUGUSTINE CAMPUS

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/

CHARACTERISTICS OF

THE DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Social Work In-House

Practicum

This practicum involves Social

Work students undertaking field

practice in Social Work agencies

To foster collaborative skills

by generating mutual support

and teamwork

To foster foundation skills

A greater sense of clarity about

the profession, including current

realities and the scope and

possibilities for the profession

Graduates with the

skills and abilities to

pursue their chosen

careers with confidence

49

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/

CHARACTERISTICS OF

THE DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

in their second year of study. development through role-play,

experiential learning activities

and writing assignments

To foster increased

understanding of the social

work environment by

conducting a self-directed

study of selected social work

settings and through direct

interaction with practising

social workers

Clarification of personal career

goals by challenging unrealistic

expectations

Recognition by students via a

reflective component, of

developmental and psycho-

emotional needs and seeking of

therapeutic intervention to

address these.

CT, EC, IE

Well-rounded

graduates, better

prepared for their role

in society

Continuous Learning &

Development of Future Leaders

The Agribusiness Society, an

initiative of the Department of

Agricultural Economics and

Extension (DAEE), organises

study tours across the Caribbean

(St. Vincent, Suriname, Guyana,

Jamaica), to look at large-scale

production of rice, citrus, banana,

cattle, small ruminants, coffee

and agro-processing, among

others

To foster greater integration of

the various facets of

agriculture covered within the

curriculum as well as in

industry

To foster experiential learning

beyond the classroom, for

bridging the gap between

postgraduate and

undergraduate students and for

promoting agriculture as a

promising career

To provide practical exposure

to students of the University

who are reading for a degree

in any agri-related field

To provide management and

organisational experience

To develop future leaders for

the sector

Students benefit from the

practical exposure to the

industry afforded by study tours

across the Caribbean (St.

Vincent, Suriname, Guyana,

Jamaica)

More regional awareness and

greater preparation for the world

of work

CT, EC, IE, RI

Sharing of experiences

by students and

lecturers in some Caribbean countries

Preparation of

graduates with some

level of work

experience and regional

experience leading to a

more informed worker

50

INITIATIVES OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO SL OBJECTIVES

RELEVANT TO WOW

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS/

CHARACTERISTICS OF

THE DISTINCTIVE UWI

GRADUATE

BENEFITS TO

COMMUNITY

Learning Group Project

The Community Service

Learning Group Project is a key

mechanism for the application of

analytical skills in the service of

the community. In this

community-based group project

at Level 2 of the BSc Electrical

and Computer Engineering

programme, students are required

to identify and solve a problem

related to electrical and computer

engineering in a community they

choose

To apply acquired skills to

meet basic social and

economic needs, taking

account of local and

national considerations

•To apply acquired skills to

meet basic social and

economic needs, taking

account of local and national

considerations

Experience in project

implementation and confidence

in their abilities to deliver

successfully

Greater understanding of

community problems and more

social and environmental

consciousness

Development of an innovative

approach to problem solving

CT, IE, EC, SCE

Community problems

addressed by budding

professionals

Relationship building

between UWI and

communities for

greater synergy and for

possible placement of

graduates

* Key to Characteristics of the Distinctive UWI Graduate

Critical and creative thinker CT

Effective communicator with good interpersonal skills EC

IT-skilled and information literate IT

innovative and entrepreneurial IE

Globally aware and well grounded in his/her regional identity RI

Socially, culturally and environmentally responsible SCE

Guided by strong ethical values. EV

51

Table 3: Preliminary Assessment of the Extent of Institutionalization of Service Learning

at UWI St. Augustine

DIMENSION COMPONENTS EXISTENCE AT STA STAGE OF

INSTITUTIONALIZATION

I. Philosophy

and Mission of

Service

Learning

Definition of

Service Learning

“The subset of community

engagement (CE) activities

in which students with the

support of other

stakeholders, collectively

apply discipline-specific

knowledge in a tangible

manner to a particular

community need, in order to

obtain academic credit, as

part of the

Teaching/Learning

associated with their

program of study” (UWI

Office of the Deputy

Principal 2012, 13)

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

There is no campus-wide

definition of service learning.

The term is used inconsistently to

describe a variety of experiential

and service activities.

Strategic Planning Commissioning of a

Working Group on Service

Learning and Community

Engagement and

development of an

operational plan (UWI

Office of the Deputy

Principal 2012, 6)

Stage 2: Quality Building

Although certain short-range and

long-range goals for service

learning have been defined for the

Campus, these goals have not

been formalised into an official

strategic plan that will guide the

implementation of these goals.

Alignment with

Institutional

Mission

Service learning is linked to

facilitating the attributes of

the distinguished UWI

graduate in the Strategic

Plan 2012-2017

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

While service learning

complements many aspects of the

institution's mission, it remains on

the periphery of the Campus.

Service learning is rarely included

in larger efforts that focus on the

core mission of the institution.

Alignment with

Educational Reform

Efforts

The proposed scope and

initial focus of service

learning at UWI St.

Augustine is tied to other

important efforts on

Campus, such as co-

curricular initiatives and

improvement of

undergraduate teaching

(UWI Office of the Deputy

Stage 2:Quality Building

Service learning is tied loosely or

informally to other important,

high-profile efforts on Campus

(e.g., campus/community

partnership efforts, establishment

of learning communities,

improvement of undergraduate

teaching, writing excellence

emphasis, etc.).

52

DIMENSION COMPONENTS EXISTENCE AT STA STAGE OF

INSTITUTIONALIZATION

Principal 2012, 22)

II. Faculty

Support for

and

Involvement

in Service

Learning

Faculty Awareness An online questionnaire

was administered to

members of staff and staff

interviews were conducted

(UWI Office of the Deputy

Principal 2012, 25)

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

Very few members know what

service learning is or understand

how service learning is different

from community service,

internships or experiential

learning activities.

Faculty

Involvement and

Support

Same response as above Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

Same response as above

Faculty Leadership A working group,

comprising faculty

members, provides

leadership for advancing

service learning on the

Campus

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

None of the most influential

faculty members on campus serve

as leaders for advancing service-

learning on the campus.

Faculty Incentives

and Rewards

There is no evidence that

incentives or rewards are

provided to encourage

service learning, nor

whether there is any

intention to do so

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

In general, faculty members are

not encouraged to engage in

service-learning; few if any

incentives are provided (e.g.,

minigrants, sabbaticals, funds for

conferences, etc.) to pursue

service-learning activities; faculty

members' work in service-learning

is not usually recognized during

their review, tenure, and

promotion process.

III. Student

Support for

and

Involvement

in Service-

Learning

Student Awareness Campus-wide mechanisms

for informing students

about co-curricular

activities and other service

learning initiatives are

being implemented by the

Office of the Deputy

Principal

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

There is no campus-wide

mechanism for informing

students about service-learning

courses, resources, and

opportunities that are available to

them.

Student

Opportunities

There is no evidence that

learning opportunities exist

for students; only a handful

of service learning courses

are available

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

Few service learning

opportunities exist for students;

only a handful of service learning

courses are available.

53

DIMENSION COMPONENTS EXISTENCE AT STA STAGE OF

INSTITUTIONALIZATION

Student Leadership There is no evidence that

opportunities exist on

Campus for students to take

on leadership roles in

advancing service learning

in their departments or

throughout the Campus

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

Few, if any, opportunities exist on

Campus for students to take on

leadership roles in advancing

service learning in their

departments or throughout the

Campus.

Student Incentives

and Rewards

There is no evidence that

incentives or rewards are

provided to encourage

service learning

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

The campus has neither formal

mechanisms (e.g., catalogued list

of service-learning courses,

service-learning notation on

students’ transcripts, etc.) or

informal mechanisms (news

stories in paper, unofficial

student certificates of

achievement) that encourage

students to participate in service-

learning or reward students for

their participation in service-

learning

IV. Community

Participation

and

Partnerships

Community Partner

Awareness

There is no evidence to

suggest community

awareness

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

Few, if any, community agencies

that partner with the Campus are

aware of the Campus's goals for

service learning and the full

range of service learning

opportunities that are available to

students.

Mutual

Understanding

There is no evidence to

suggest mutual

understanding

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

There is little or no understanding

between the Campus and

community representatives

regarding each other's needs,

timelines, goals, resources, and

capacity for developing and

implementing service learning

activities.

Community

Agency Leadership

and Voice

There is no evidence to

suggest community agency,

leadership and voice

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

Few, if any, opportunities exist

for community agency

representatives to take on

leadership roles in advancing

service learning on Campus;

community agency

54

DIMENSION COMPONENTS EXISTENCE AT STA STAGE OF

INSTITUTIONALIZATION

representatives are not usually

invited or encouraged to express

their particular agency needs or

recruit student and faculty

participation in service learning.

V. Institutional

Support for

Service

Learning

Coordinating Entity A coordinating entity,

namely the Office of

Community Engagement

(OoCE), has been proposed

(UWI Office of the Deputy

Principal 2012, 23)

Stage 2: Quality Building

There is a coordinating entity

(e.g., committee, centre, or

clearinghouse) on Campus, but

the entity either does not

coordinate service learning

activities exclusively or provides

services only to a certain

constituency.

Policy-Making

Entity

The Action Plan proposed

by the Deputy Principal

was accepted by Academic

Board

Stage 2:Quality Building

The institution’s official and

influential policymaking

board(s)/committee(s) recognise

service learning as an essential

educational goal for the Campus,

but no formal policies have been

developed.

Staffing There is no evidence that

there is an appropriate

number of staff members on

Campus who understand

service learning fully and/or

who hold appropriate titles

that can influence the

advancement and

institutionalisation of

service learning

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

There are no staff/faculty

members on campus whose

primary paid responsibility is to

advance and institutionalise

service-learning on the campus.

Funding There is no specific funding

allocated for service

learning at this time

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

The campus' service-learning

activities are supported primarily

by soft money (short-term grants)

from sources outside the

institution.

Administrative

Support

There is no evidence to

suggest widespread

administrative support. In

addition, there seems to be

little understanding of

service learning

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

The Campus's administrative

leaders have little or no

understanding of service learning,

often confusing it with other

campus outreach efforts, such as

community service or internship

55

DIMENSION COMPONENTS EXISTENCE AT STA STAGE OF

INSTITUTIONALIZATION

programmes.

Departmental

Support

There is no evidence to

suggest widespread support Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

Few, if any, departments

recognise service learning as a

formal part of their academic

programmes.

Evaluation and

Assessment

There is no evidence of

evaluation and assessment

of initiatives

Stage 1: Critical Mass Building

There is no organised, campus-

wide effort underway to account

for the number and quality of

service learning activities taking

place.