Integrating Service-Learning and Consulting in Distance Education

Marie-Line Germain is a research, teaching, and service award-winning Associate Professor of Human Resources and Leadership at Western Carolina University, USA. She is the author of Narcissism at Work: Personality Disorders of Corporate Leaders. She has published over three dozen research articles in journals, and presented over 50 research papers internationally. Germain has received several national awards and competitive grants, including a Fulbright from the U.S. Department of State. She has been a visiting scholar-professor in China, Finland, Ghana, Japan, and South Korea. She is also a consultant for Fortune 500 and European companies.

Service-learning pedagogy and online learning methodology have been classified as ‘a way of the future’ when it comes to learning. Both have become so deeply rooted into our teaching and learning lexicon and praxis that they are in fact the way of the present. E-service-learning meets students where they already are and encourages and facilitates their journey to where they need to be --engaged in and learning with the community. If done well, like Dr. Germain describes, positive, relevant, and real world learning can occur and both students and partners can benefit in positive ways. Additionally, the scalability of learning well while doing good has not yet been realized in our on and offline learning environments. I believe that the consulting model offered in this book can push us further.

• Chapter 1. Distance Education Chapter 2.Service-Learning and e-Service-Learning Chapter 3.Service-Learning and Consulting Chapter 4.The Consulting Team Chapter 5.The 3-step e-Consulting Model Chapter 6.Case Study Chapter 7.Benefits of e-Service-Learning and e-Consulting Chapter 8.Recommendations for a Successful e-Service-Learning Integration