A well-published educator in CT, Dr. Timothy Leonard teaches critical reading and critical thinking at the Borough of Manhattan Community College as an assistant professor of academic literacy and linguistics. Over the course of his career, Timothy “TJ” Leonard of CT has published articles about such things as service-learning and the importance of including it in community college coursework.

A flexible pedagogy suitable for both community and classroom settings, service-learning is a type of experiential education. These three concepts - action, reflection, and learning - are all required for service-learning.

Action refers to students getting involved in solving community needs. Based on the information that students learn in the classroom, this action provides them with relevant applications for their course’s content. It is also provided as a non-profit service by students to the general public, similar to standard volunteer and community service work.

However, service-learning goes beyond volunteerism since it also requires that students learn. Action performed by the students doesn’t solely benefit their community. Rather, such activities enhance the learning that students have done. Field education and internships, for instance, benefit the community while also providing students hands-on experiences that promote their educational goals.

Finally, students must reflect on their experiences with these two elements. Such reflection occurs via several methods, from classroom discussions to end-of-semester presentations. However, all reflection activities help students develop a deeper understanding of the content presented to them in school, while also letting them draw connections between service activities and course content.