Community partners' perspectives on the outcomes from international Service-learning programs: Project scope and method

Abstract

In recent years, many universities have started working on development projects in developing and underdeveloped countries and have started to manage their own programs such as, EPICS. There are also several engineering organizations dedicated towards the needs in developed and developing countries such as, Engineering without Boarders, and Engineering for Sustainable World. In these programs, engineering students, young professionals, and faculty members are directly involved in international development initiatives and projects in developing and underdeveloped countries. Traditionally, in the Service-learning literature, most of the studies have focused on the learning outcomes, perspectives and experiences of the students. Although research focusing on understanding the perspectives of community partners about Service-learning outcomes, is gaining momentum and continuously increasing, most of them focus on domestic Service-learning projects. Although, community partners' perspectives (in domestic service learning program) research grounds in theory and the implications and results are valuable and useful, but because of the complexities of cross-cultural differences associated with ISL programs, these findings may not be suitable and applicable for international service learning (ISL) programs. In a recent study Reynolds, calls for more informed and community centered research on the impacts of ISL programs and partnerships not only from students' perspectives but also on the host communities. This work- in- progress paper is the part of a larger project in which we intend to look into the community partners' perspectives on the outcomes of an international Service-learning program. Our major objective is to understand the community partner's motivations, benefits and challenges of partnerships with an international Service-learning program and develop recommendations to enhance partnership relationship in ISL programs. Through this work-in-progress paper we present a background literature review and description of project scope and methods.