Faculty and Community Partners’ Teachable Moments in Service-Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand similarities and differences between faculty and community partners’ teachable moments with college students in service-learning. Twenty-two faculty and 20 community partners reported on four main themes. Similarities included students understanding differences between themselves and the people they worked with and gaining real-world experience. Differences occurred with faculty describing the importance of challenging student beliefs and community partners emphasizing their role in teaching students about their field. This research illuminates how faculty and community partners can utilize teachable moments to maximize student learning during the service-learning experience.