Learning by Doing

Education at LSU is about more than just hitting the books and learning complex theories. For students and faculty, gaining and providing real-world experience enhances the learning process and prepares students for their future working careers.

The service-learning initiative at LSU is designed to provide credit-bearing, educational experiences in which students participate in organized service activities that meet identified community needs. LSU has more than 60 service-learning projects in progress at any given time.

This “learning-by-doing” approach has benefited community organizations such as the McMains Children’s Developmental Center in Baton Rouge.

The center, whose primary function is to provide assessment services and a variety of therapy options to children with cerebral palsy and other developmental disorders, was in need of a new therapeutic playground specifically designed to meet the special needs of its patients.

To fulfill this need, the enthusiastic LSU students from Associate Professor Marybeth Lima’s biological engineering class and two of Deborah Normand’s technical writing classes entered the scene. Both teachers, who are firm believers in the benefits of service-learning, began to prepare and guide their students through one of their most rewarding and challenging “homework” assignments yet.

Working in tandem during the spring of 2002, the engineering students began designing a playground that would reinforce the work of the center’s physical and occupational therapists. At the same time, students from the technical writing classes began writing and rewriting a grant proposal to secure funds for the project.

The students’ efforts paid off when the Baton Rouge Area Foundation chose their proposal out of countless others, awarding the project a grant of more than $50,000. The remainder of the funds for the $60,000 playground came from other private sources.

Technical writing service-learning students write grant proposals for the McMains Children's Development Center.

Construction began over the summer and the new playground was dedicated in September 2002. According to Janet Ketcham, center director, “The children have been very excited about the new playground! They are able to practice balance, climbing, and other gross-motor skills they need to work on, while having fun at the same time.”

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Written by Robin Dunkin | University Relations
Videography by Frank Bourgeois | University Relations
Last updated January 2003

Related Links:

Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Service Learning Initiative at LSU
Marybeth Lima
Deborah Normand