ABSTRACT
In 1992 the Maryland State Board of Education added a new condition for getting a high school diploma: students must perform seventy-five hours of "service". The activities that count as "service" are determined by individual districts, and may include everything from tutoring younger students and visiting nursing home residents to working with nonprofit community organizations. This chapter explains about the educational purpose of service. The Maryland Student Service Alliance characterizes "service-learning" this way: "Students learn by identifying and studying community issues, taking action to address them, and reflecting on their experience". Conception of moral learning that focused only on cognitive tasks such as finding reasons, doing analysis, making arguments, and planning strategy would leave out a vital element. The chapter examines whether mandating service can teach the appropriate lesson. It shows how to integrate career, family, religious commitments, community service, and other moral duties into a unique plan of life.
