SERVICE LEARNING CURRICULUM - A MEDIUM TO INTEGRATE TEACHING, RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY: LOYOLA COLLEGE, CHENNAI – A CASE STUDY

Service-Learning as a co-curricular activity blends teaching and research can create comprehensive academic activity in higher education mission all over the world. Depending on the curricular framework on par with institutional vision and mission, each educational institution differs in conducting service-learning course in the neighborhood community through students. Service Learning as outside the classroom experience provides an opportunity for students to learn and exercise social awareness and leadership. The field experience and feedback learned by the students are discussed in the classroom wherein the faculty, researchers alike participates in the analysis. The need for community service calls the attention of students, researchers and faculty members. It also mobilizes staff resources at colleges and universities level for volunteering, which has been referred to as academic charity. This becomes the main component of co-curricular activity in many academic institutions in India. Loyola College, Chennai had been a harbinger in conducting in service learning programme for four decades holds scientific exposure which has been already utilized for many researchers and public policy framework by the state government, particularly on urban slum management and poverty alleviation. This study verifies whether this Loyola College Chennai model can be a suggestive model for all higher education institutions in India.