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Candice
Lopez
San Diego City College
Teaching Social and Cultural Values through Service Learning At San Diego City College we fuse graphic design instruction with service learning activities that teach personal and civic responsibility. Service learning combines community service and classroom instruction focusing on critical reflective thinking and involves students in organized community service that addresses local needs. Students involved in these learning experiences are more motivated and develop stronger critical thinking skills. Some of the benefits include increased self-esteem, a sense of responsibility to their community and an inquiring attitude toward graphic design education. Service learning engages the student in learning experiences that connect the student's spirit and emotions to the realities of social awareness, and help them see that they have a role in effecting change. It forms a relationship between our classroom and the real world by requiring that they step outside of their comfort zone and communicate with people. Some of the projects we have participated in are part of the Urban Art Trail Project that teaches our community and students about the value of design. The area around our college campus is blighted and students and faculty have developed a variety of environmental graphic design projects to beautify and add interest to the neighborhood. These have included the painting of over 200 electrical and traffic control boxes. These transformers which dot the city streets were tagged and used as offices by local drug dealers. Students worked with members of AIGA San Diego to transform the transformers into screaming objects d'art thus cutting down on criminal activity while adding visual interest. They have painted large murals working side by side with community organizations such as shelters for battered women. A mosaic project included working with children living in neighborhood SROs to embellish cement tree rings. A 3 block long environmental design project that taught the history of art to children using dogs painted in a variety of styles from Prehistoric to Pop Art. We are currently working on the benchmark project that will bring hundreds of art embellished benches to the downtown and uptown area for a month long art happening.