Best Practices in International Service Learning Classes for Social Work

Abstract

This paper is a culmination of what we have learned about international service learning (ISL)course development and sustainability over the past nine years. The paper describes what webelieve to be critical ingredients to planning and delivering an ISL class, and details how the classhas changed over time, building global collaborations in order to help students better understandsocial development in an increasingly diverse global community. We include a case example to
build on the current knowledge of best practice and illustrate what we have found to be criticalingredients to organizing an effective, respectful, and sustainable ISL class. The case example,.hereafter referred to as the Romania Service-Learning (RSL) class, has been offered to graduatesocial work students since 2004.