Power & Privilege Pre-Service Modules

Discussion
Overview:
Pre-service reflection provides an opportunity for you to being to think about what you want
to get out of our service-learning experience in a meaningful way. The concepts of power
and privilege are dynamics that underlie all social relationships. This module will focus on
these concepts and task you with connecting them with your previous experiences.
Focused reflection of your current and/or past perspectives and viewpoints can aid in the
development of a critical lens in which you will continually examine your service-learning
experience. Ideally, through this practice you will begin the process of asking questions and
making connections two factors that will assist you in deepening your service-learning
experience.
In addition to preparing you for your service-learning experience, this pre-service discussion
module will provide you the opportunity to begin to collaborate with your peers. Everyone
will bring different perspectives and worldviews to your service-learning experience. This
module will assist you in initiating the these conversations and how these will intersect with
the service-learning experience
During this reflection exercise, you will:
describe your current understanding of power and privilege
explore the similarities and differences of your understanding of power and
privilege compared to your peers
articulate new insights about power and privilege
Discussion Instructions:
For this discussion, you are to engage with others by posting comments in a discussion
forum. Start your participation in the discussion by posting your response to Part 1. After
your classmates have posted their responses, please to respond to them using the
questions posed in Part 2 as guide. Be sure to consult the grading rubric attached to guide
your efforts.
Begin your participation in this discussion by posting your response to the following
prompt. There are materials posted in the resource section to aid you in your
reflection:
Part 1
What is your current understanding of power and privilege? Please provide personal
examples of instances or situations where you were conscious of the presence or absence
of power and privilege.
After reading all of the posts submitted by your peers, please post a response with
the following prompt as guide:

Part 2
After reviewing your peers understanding of power and privilege, how are they similar and
different from yours? Were there any personal examples that resonated with your own?
Were there any that seemed the opposite? What factors do you think contribute to this?
Please provide examples that directly connect to your peer's responses.
Based on your exploration of the similarities and differences between your response and
your peers, please articulate some insights about the nature of power and privilege that you
have discovered.

Pre-Service Reflection Rubric

Discussion Assignment
Domain Being Assessed = Power and Privilege
The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
describe your
current
understanding
of power and
privilege

So What:
You are to
explore the
similarities
and
differences of
your
understanding
of power and
privilege

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have
described your
current
understanding of
power and
privilege in a
complex way that
includes many
personal
examples.
You have explored
several similarities
and differences of
your
understanding of
power and
privilege
compared to your
peers.

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

You have
described your
current
understanding
of power and
privilege in a
way that
includes many
personal
examples.

You have
described your
current
understanding
of power and
privilege in a
limited way that
includes few
personal
examples.

You have described

your current
understanding of
power and privilege
in a way that
includes few, if any
personal examples.

You have
explored some
similarities and
differences of
your
understanding
of power and
privilege
compared to
your peers.

You have
limitedly
explored
similarities and
differences of
your
understanding
of power and
privilege

You have not

explored
similarities and
differences of your
understanding of
power and privilege
compared to your
peers.
You have included
no references to

compared to
your peers.

You have included

several references
to classmates
understandings of
power and
privilege.

You have
included some
references to
classmates
understandings
of power and
privilege.

Now What:
You are to
articulate new
insights about
power and
privilege

You have
articulated 3+ new
insights about
power and
privilege.

You have
articulated 2
new insights
about power
and privilege.

compared to
your peers.
You have
included limited
references to
classmates
understandings
of power and
privilege.
You have
articulated 1
new insight
about power
and privilege.

classmates
understandings of
power and
privilege.

You have
articulated no new
insight about
power and
privilege.

Domain Being Assessed = Connection to Course Content

The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
identify course
theories,
concepts,
materials,
and/or
objectives that
relate to your
service
learning
experience.
So What:
You are to
describe the
relevance of
your service
experience to
your learning
in the course.

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have
identified several
connections
between course
concepts, theories
and/r objectives
and your service
learning
experience.

You have included

several examples
of the ways in
which service
learning may be
relevant to or has
informed your
learning.

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

You have
identified some
connections
between course
concepts,
theories and/or
objectives and
your service
learning
experience.

You have
Identified
limited
connections
between course
concepts,
theories and/or
objectives and
your service
learning
experience.

You have not

identified
connections
between course
concepts, theories,
objectives and your
service learning
experience or the
connections you
made are
inappropriate.

You have
included some
examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant
to or has

You have
Included limited
examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant
to or informed
your learning.

You have included

no examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant to
or informed your
learning or the
examples you have

Now What:
You are to
apply the
insights you
have
developed to
guide your
future learning

You have included

a detailed
description of how
the insights you
have made thus
far can inform or
guide your future
learning.

informed your
learning.
You have
Included some
description of
how the insights
you have made
thus far can
inform or guide
your future
learning.

You have
included a
limited
description of
how the
insights you
have made thus
far can inform
or guide your
future learning.

provided are
inappropriate.
You have included
no description of
how the insights
you have made
thus far can inform
or guide your
future learning.

Domain Being Assessed = Communication

The Outcome
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

The Assessment of that Outcome Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You are to use
appropriate
conventions to
effectively
communicate
meaning.

The writing style

you use is well
suited to the
assignment and
the audience, and
conveys meaning
well without the
distraction of
grammar, syntax
and spelling
errors.

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

The writing style

you use is suited
to the
assignment and
the audience,
and conveys
meaning with
few distractions
from grammar,
syntax and
spelling errors.

The writing
style you use is
somewhat
suited to the
assignment and
the audience,
and conveys
meaning
somewhat well
with some
distraction from
grammar,
syntax and
spelling errors.

The writing style

you use is not
suited to the
assignment and the
audience, and
conveys limited
meaning and/or
evidences notable
distraction from
grammar, syntax
and spelling errors.

Blog
Overview
Pre-service reflection provides an opportunity for you to being to think about what you want
to get out of our service-learning experience in a meaningful way. The concepts of power
and privilege are dynamics that underlie all social relationships. This module will focus on
these concepts and task you with connecting them with your previous experiences.
Focused reflection of your current and/or past perspectives and viewpoints can aid in the
development of a critical lens in which you will continually examine your service-learning
experience. Ideally, through this practice you will begin the process of asking questions and
making connections two factors that will assist you in deepening your service-learning
experience.
In addition to preparing you for your service-learning experience, this pre-service blog
module will provide you with the opportunity to deeply reflect on your past experiences.
Your past experiences may intersect in various ways with this service-learning opportunity.
This module will assist you in making these initial connections.
During this reflection exercise, you will:
describe personal examples of privilege associated with your various social
identities
examine how these examples relate to course content
explore ways that privilege may arise in your service-learning experience
Blog Instructions:
For this blog post, you will begin to reflect more personally on your personal experiences
with power and privilege. Be sure to consult the grading rubric attached to guide your
efforts.
Begin your blog entry by responding to the following prompt. There are materials
posted in the resource section to aid you in your reflection:
Part 1
After reviewing Peggy McIntosh's "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack" (see
resource section), please generate a list of 5 privileges that are associated with your various
social identities. As a reminder, these identities can include race, gender, sex, economic
status, religious affiliation, and sexual orientation as well as things as being a college
student and education level.
After generating a list of 5 privileges that are associated with your various identities,
address the following prompt:
Part 2
How does the concept of privilege connect with course content? Are there any tensions?
Why or why not? If it is difficult to make this connection, try to widen your reflection by
thinking about how various social identities intersect with the academic discipline (for
example, being a woman in STEM). How do you anticipate these privileges intersecting
with your service learning experience?

Pre-Service Reflection Rubric

Blog Assignment
Domain Being Assessed = Power and Privilege
The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
describe
personal
examples of
privilege
associated
with your
various social
identities

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have described
several personal
examples of
privilege associated
with your various
social identities in a
complex way

SATISFACTORY
You have
described many
person examples
of privilege
associated with
your various
social identities.

NEEDS
WORK
You have
described
personal
examples of
privilege
associated
with your
various social
identities in a
limited way.

UNSATISFACTORY
You have described
few, if any, personal
examples of
privilege associated
with your various
social identities

So What:
You are to
examine how
these
examples
relate to your
academic
discipline.

You have critically

examined several
possible ways in
which these
examples relate to
your academic
discipline.

You have
examined in
many ways how
these examples
relate to your
academic
discipline.

You have
provided a
limited
examination
of how these
examples
relate to your
academic
discipline.

You have provided

no examination of
how these examples
relate to your
academic discipline.

Now What:
You are to
explore the
ways that
privilege may
arise in your
service-

You have included

several examples of
the ways that
privilege may arise
in your servicelearning
experience.

You have
included some
examples of the
ways that
privilege may
arise in your
service-learning
experience

You have
included
limited
examples of
the ways that
privilege may
arise in your
service-

You have included

no examples of the
ways that privilege
may arise in your
service-learning
experience.

learning
experience.

learning
experience.

Domain Being Assessed = Connection to Course Content

The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
identify course
theories,
concepts,
materials,
and/or
objectives that
relate to your
service
learning
experience.

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have identified
several
connections
between course
concepts, theories
and/r objectives
and your service
learning
experience.

SATISFACTORY
You have
identified some
connections
between course
concepts,
theories and/or
objectives and
your service
learning
experience.

So What:
You are to
describe the
relevance of
your service
experience to
your learning
in the course.

You have included

several examples of
the ways in which
service learning
may be relevant to
or has informed
your learning.

You have
included some
examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant
to or has
informed your
learning.

Now What:
You are to
apply the
insights you
have
developed to
guide your
future learning

You have included

a detailed
description of how
the insights you
have made thus far
can inform or guide
your future
learning.

You have
Included some
description of
how the insights
you have made
thus far can
inform or guide
your future
learning.

NEEDS
WORK
You have
Identified
limited
connections
between
course
concepts,
theories
and/or
objectives
and your
service
learning
experience.
You have
Included
limited
examples of
the ways in
which service
learning may
be relevant to
or informed
your learning.
You have
included a
limited
description of
how the
insights you
have made
thus far can
inform or

UNSATISFACTORY
You have not
identified
connections
between course
concepts, theories,
objectives and your
service learning
experience or the
connections you
made are
inappropriate.

You have included

no examples of the
ways in which
service learning may
be relevant to or
informed your
learning or the
examples you have
provided are
inappropriate.
You have included
no description of
how the insights you
have made thus far
can inform or guide
your future learning.

guide your
future
learning.

Domain Being Assessed = Communication

The Outcome
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

The Assessment of that Outcome Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You are to use
appropriate
conventions to
effectively
communicate
meaning.

The writing style

you use is well
suited to the
assignment and the
audience, and
conveys meaning
well without the
distraction of
grammar, syntax
and spelling errors.

SATISFACTORY
The writing style
you use is suited
to the
assignment and
the audience,
and conveys
meaning with
few distractions
from grammar,
syntax and
spelling errors.

NEEDS
WORK
The writing
style you use
is somewhat
suited to the
assignment
and the
audience, and
conveys
meaning
somewhat
well with
some
distraction
from
grammar,
syntax and
spelling
errors.

UNSATISFACTORY
The writing style you
use is not suited to
the assignment and
the audience, and
conveys limited
meaning and/or
evidences notable
distraction from
grammar, syntax
and spelling errors.

Essay
Overview
Pre-service reflection provides an opportunity for you to being to think about what you want
to get out of our service-learning experience in a meaningful way. The concepts of power
and privilege are dynamics that underlie all social relationships. This module will focus on
these concepts and task you with connecting them with your previous experiences.
Focused reflection of your current and/or past perspectives and viewpoints can aid in the
development of a critical lens in which you will continually examine your service-learning
experience. Ideally, through this practice you will begin the process of asking questions and
making connections two factors that will assist you in deepening your service-learning
experience.
In addition to preparing you for your service-learning experience, this pre-service essay
module will provide you with the opportunity to deeply reflect on your past experiences.
Your past experiences may intersect in various ways with this service-learning opportunity.
This module will assist you in making these initial connections.
During this reflection exercise, you will:
develop an understanding of the different forms of power
articulate examples of different forms of power using social identities as a lens
examine how issues of power could impact your service-learning experience
Essay Instructions:
This essay is geared to help you to begin to reflect on issues of power as they may relate to
your service learning experience. Be sure to consult the grading rubric attached to guide
your efforts. Include in your essay the following two parts:
Begin your essay by responding to the following prompt. There are materials posted
in the resource section to aid you in your reflection:
Part 1
Please write your personal definition of power or what you think power means. After you
have written definition, consult the Taxonomy of Power found in the resources tab. Answer
the following questions: which taxonomy of power does your definition most closely relate
to? Be sure to include personal experiences that influenced your understanding of power.

Part 2
Select one social identity (example: racial, gender, faith, sexual orientation, socioeconomic
status, ethnicity, ability) and complete the chart below with examples:

Personal Power Social Power

Power over
Power within
Power with
Example: Selected identity - Gender
(personal power over) A woman being coerced by a mans use of physical intimidation to do
what he wants.
(personal power within) A woman building self-confidence to become a leader in her work.
(social power with) Men joining together to challenge sexism.
While the chart itself does not need to be included in your essay, please answer the
following prompt in the second part of your essay:
What new information did you learn about power? Using the examples you came up with as
a guide, how do you foresee issues of power arising during your service-learning
experience?

Pre-Service Reflection Rubric

Essay Assignment
Domain Being Assessed = Power and Privilege
The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
describe your
current
understanding
of the

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have
described your
current
understanding of
power in a
complex way that
includes many

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

You have
described your
current
understanding
of power in a
way that
includes many

You have
described your
current
understanding
of power in a
limited way
that includes

You have described

your current
understanding of
power in a way that
includes few, if any
personal examples.

different forms
of power

personal
examples.

personal
examples.

few personal
examples.

So What:
You are to
explore how
your
understanding
of power
connects to
different forms
of power and
different social
identities.

You have
connected your
understanding to
at least one of the
forms of power
and explored how
it impacts several
different social
identities

You have
connected your
understanding
to at least one
of the forms of
power and
explored how it
impacts many
different social
identities.

You have
connected
your
understanding
to at least one
of the forms of
power and
limitedly
explored how
it impacts
different social
identities.

You have not

connected your
understanding to at
least one of the
forms of power
and/or did not
explore how it
impacts many
different social
identities

Now What:
You are to
articulate new
insights about
power and
how it might
arise during
your service
learning
experience.

You have
articulated 3+ new
insights about
power and how it
might arise during
your service
learning
experience

You have
articulated 2
new insights
about power
and how it
might arise
during your
service learning
experience

You have
articulated 1
new insight
about power
and how it
might arise on
your service
learning
experience

You have
articulated no new
insight about power
and how it might
arise on your
service learning
experience.

Domain Being Assessed = Connection to Course Content

The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
identify course
theories,
concepts,
materials,
and/or
objectives that
relate to your

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have
identified several
connections
between course
concepts, theories
and/r objectives
and your service
learning
experience.

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

You have
identified some
connections
between course
concepts,
theories and/or
objectives and
your service

You have
Identified
limited
connections
between
course
concepts,
theories
and/or

You have not

identified
connections
between course
concepts, theories,
objectives and your
service learning
experience or the
connections you

service
learning
experience.

learning
experience.

So What:
You are to
describe the
relevance of
your service
experience to
your learning
in the course.

You have included

several examples
of the ways in
which service
learning may be
relevant to or has
informed your
learning.

You have
included some
examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant
to or has
informed your
learning.

Now What:
You are to
apply the
insights you
have
developed to
guide your
future learning

You have included

a detailed
description of how
the insights you
have made thus
far can inform or
guide your future
learning.

You have
Included some
description of
how the insights
you have made
thus far can
inform or guide
your future
learning.

objectives and
your service
learning
experience.
You have
Included
limited
examples of
the ways in
which service
learning may
be relevant to
or informed
your learning.
You have
included a
limited
description of
how the
insights you
have made
thus far can
inform or guide
your future
learning.

made are
inappropriate.

You have included

no examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant to
or informed your
learning or the
examples you have
provided are
inappropriate.
You have included
no description of
how the insights
you have made thus
far can inform or
guide your future
learning.

Domain Being Assessed = Communication

The Outcome
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

You are to use

appropriate
conventions to
effectively
communicate
meaning.

The Assessment of that Outcome Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

The writing style

you use is well
suited to the
assignment and
the audience, and
conveys meaning
well without the
distraction of
grammar, syntax
and spelling errors.

The writing style

you use is suited
to the
assignment and
the audience,
and conveys
meaning with
few distractions
from grammar,
syntax and
spelling errors.

The writing
style you use is
somewhat
suited to the
assignment
and the
audience, and
conveys
meaning
somewhat well
with some

The writing style

you use is not
suited to the
assignment and the
audience, and
conveys limited
meaning and/or
evidences notable
distraction from
grammar, syntax
and spelling errors.

distraction
from grammar,
syntax and
spelling errors.

Multimedia
Overview:
Pre-service reflection provides an opportunity for you to being to think about what you want
to get out of our service-learning experience in a meaningful way. The concepts of power
and privilege are dynamics that underlie all social relationships. This module will focus on
these concepts and task you with connecting them with your previous experiences.
Focused reflection of your current and/or past perspectives and viewpoints can aid in the
development of a critical lens in which you will continually examine your service-learning
experience. Ideally, through this practice you will begin the process of asking questions and
making connections two factors that will assist you in deepening your service-learning
experience.
In addition to preparing you for your service-learning experience, this pre-service
multimedia module will provide you the opportunity to begin to reflect on the experiences
you are bringing into your service-learning opportunity in a unique way. Using images, this
module you will assist you in understanding the concepts of power and privilege and how
they connect to your daily experiences.
During this reflection exercise, you will:
identify images that are reflective of the concept of power and privilege
examine how these images connect with your understanding of power and
privilege
explore ways the concepts of power and privilege may arise in your servicelearning experience
Multimedia Instructions:
In this module, you will further explore your understanding of power and privilege. Be sure
to consult the grading rubric attached to guide your efforts. There are two parts to this
module:
Begin your multimedia project by completing the following prompt. There are
materials posted in the resource section to aid you in your reflection:
Part 1
Using a cell phone or digital camera, capture at least six photographs that you feel reflect
the concepts of power and privilege. Photos can be taken of people (obtain permission
first), inanimate objects, or places. At least three photographs should correlate with the
concept of power and three should correlate with the concept of privilege. After you have
taken the photographs, please include a paragraph for each explaining how this image
connects to your understanding of the concept of power or privilege.
Part 2

Finally, conclude your post by identifying how these concepts may intersect with your
service-learning experience. In other words, how do you foresee the concepts of power and
privilege arising during your service-learning experience?

Pre-Service Reflection Rubric

Multimedia Assignment
Domain Being Assessed = Power and Privilege
The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
identify
images that
are reflective
of the
concepts of
power and
privilege.
So What:
You are to
articulate how
these images
connect with
your current
understanding
of power and
privilege.

Now What:
You are to
explore the
ways the

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have
identified 6+
images that are
reflective of the
concepts of power
and privilege.

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

You have
identified 6
images that are
reflective of the
concepts of
power and
privilege.

You have
identified 3-5
images that are
reflective of
the concepts of
power and
privilege.

You have identified

few, if any, images
that are reflective
of the concepts of
power and
privilege.

You have made the

connection
between your
current
understanding of
power and
privilege to these
images in a
complex way that
includes several
personal
examples.

You have made

the connection
between your
current
understanding
of power and
privilege to
these images
way that
includes many
personal
examples.

You have made

the connection
between your
current
understanding
of power and
privilege to
these images in
using personal
examples.

You have made the

connection
between your
current
understanding of
power and privilege
to these images in
limited way that
includes few, if any,
personal examples.

You have explored

the ways the
concepts of power
and privilege may

You have
explored the
ways the
concepts of

You have
explored the
ways the
concepts of

You have not

explored the ways
the concepts of
power and privilege

concepts of
power and
privilege may
arise in your
servicelearning
experience.

arise in your
service-learning
experience using
several examples.

power and
privilege may
arise in your
service-learning
experience
using a few
examples.

power and
privilege may
arise in your
servicelearning
experience
using one
example.

may arise in your

service-learning
experience.

Domain Being Assessed = Connection to Course Content

The
Outcomes
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

What:
You are to
identify course
theories,
concepts,
materials,
and/or
objectives that
relate to your
service
learning
experience.

The Assessment of those Outcomes Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You have
identified several
connections
between course
concepts, theories
and/r objectives
and your service
learning
experience.

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

You have
identified some
connections
between course
concepts,
theories and/or
objectives and
your service
learning
experience.

You have
Identified
limited
connections
between
course
concepts,
theories
and/or
objectives and
your service
learning
experience.
You have
Included
limited
examples of
the ways in
which service
learning may
be relevant to
or informed
your learning.
You have
included a
limited
description of

You have not

identified
connections
between course
concepts, theories,
objectives and your
service learning
experience or the
connections you
made are
inappropriate.

So What:
You are to
describe the
relevance of
your service
experience to
your learning
in the course.

You have included

several examples
of the ways in
which service
learning may be
relevant to or has
informed your
learning.

You have
included some
examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant
to or has
informed your
learning.

Now What:
You are to
apply the
insights you

You have included

a detailed
description of how
the insights you

You have
Included some
description of
how the insights

You have included

no examples of the
ways in which
service learning
may be relevant to
or informed your
learning or the
examples you have
provided are
inappropriate.
You have included
no description of
how the insights
you have made thus

have
developed to
guide your
future learning

have made thus

far can inform or
guide your future
learning.

you have made

thus far can
inform or guide
your future
learning.

how the
insights you
have made
thus far can
inform or guide
your future
learning.

far can inform or

guide your future
learning.

Domain Being Assessed = Communication

The Outcome
Your Work is
to
Demonstrate

The Assessment of that Outcome Evidenced in Your Work

EXCELLENT/VERY
GOOD
You are to use
appropriate
conventions to
effectively
communicate
meaning.

The writing style

you use is well
suited to the
assignment and
the audience, and
conveys meaning
well without the
distraction of
grammar, syntax
and spelling errors.

SATISFACTORY

NEEDS WORK

UNSATISFACTORY

The writing style

you use is suited
to the
assignment and
the audience,
and conveys
meaning with
few distractions
from grammar,
syntax and
spelling errors.

The writing
style you use is
somewhat
suited to the
assignment
and the
audience, and
conveys
meaning
somewhat well
with some
distraction
from grammar,
syntax and
spelling errors.

The writing style

you use is not
suited to the
assignment and the
audience, and
conveys limited
meaning and/or
evidences notable
distraction from
grammar, syntax
and spelling errors.