A Comparison of Intergenerational Service-Learning and Traditional Pedagogy among Undergraduate Psychology Students

Abstract

This study examined student outcomes of participating in a semester-long, intergenerational service-learning course compared to a traditional pedagogy course. At the beginning and end of the semester, students ( N = 161) voluntarily completed a series of measures assessing six outcomes across four domains: personal, social, citizenship, and academic. Results from mixed analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of variance tests suggest service-learning students only outperformed the traditional pedagogy group on self-efficacy for community service (i.e., a personal outcome). Service-learning students maintained a high level of self-efficacy across the semester, while the self-efficacy of those in traditional pedagogy courses declined. There were no significant group differences over time in social, citizenship, or academic outcomes. These results suggest more tempered support for service-learning than many previous studies. Factors potentially affecting the results include the service-learning dosage, broader educational context, and methodological rigor. Future studies may further illuminate possible effects of the educational context.