Rethinking assessment? Research into the affective impact of higher education grading

Following a special conference focused on object-based learning in higher education at University College London (UCL), this paper provides the overview for a series of subsequent papers which explore the value of object-based learning, including the pedagogical framework for museum learning in the university classroom and practice led examples from a range of disciplines. Object-based learning in higher education draws on many of the learning strategies already known to inform students, including active learning and experiential learning; this collection of papers draws together examples of object-based learning pioneered at UCL and seeks to encourage enhanced use of university collections in new, pedagogically powerful, modes. Introduction Museum collections afford a valuable opportunity to provide a focal point for acquiring subject specific knowledge – imagine teaching about the difference between sedimentary and igneous rocks without ever looking at a geological specimen. Objects can also be used to inspire discussion, group work and lateral thinking – all essential key, transferable, skills in higher education. University collections comprise a wealth of information, documenting the historic rise of disciplines and representing cultural and natural diversity from across the globe. University collections were pioneers in object-based learning and most university collections were formed as teaching collections. Object-based learning was an integral part of the student experience in 19 and early 20 centuries; but many universities, including UCL faced a downturn in favor and use in the later 20 century. This paper introduces a series of papers exploring object-based learning in the 21 century within the higher education sector, offering examples of best practice from university teachers, plus papers drawing on learning theory to contextualize object-based learning within a pedagogical framework. In April 2009 University College London (UCL) hosted a special study day devoted to object-based learning (OBL) in higher education. Organized by UCL Museums & Collections (M&C) the day attracted 70 delegates from across UCL and the wider higher education and museum sectors. The purpose of the event was to showcase the varied OBL activities and resources developed at UCL in recent years, based around UCL’s outstanding museums and collections. One of the key aims was to promote UCL M&C as providers of top-class higher education learning opportunities and resources to academics in the region. Through case-studies and theory-based participative and traditional conference sessions, the desired outcome of the gathering was to encourage an increased use of university collections in teaching. Background: OBL and UCL Museums & Collections Museums, and the collections they house, are fascinating places – home to amazing artifacts, beautiful artworks and fascinating specimens. UCL is home to 3 public museums, the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, the Grant Museum of Zoology and the Strang Print Room, and around 15 departmental collections covering archaeology, anthropology, science and medicine (UCL MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS 2006). Totaling a third of a million objects UCL’s collections comprise a wealth of information documenting the historic rise of various disciplines, such as chemistry, earth sciences, zoology and archaeology and representing cultural and natural diversity from across the globe. UCL’s collections are used in teaching, research and public engagement.

IntroductionPrevious research employing latent profile analysis has considerably advanced our understanding of student motivation in online learning environments. However, a gap remains in exploring how mental health and social dimensions—specifically anxiety, depression, and peer-to-peer confirmation—influence these motivational profiles. Although prior studies indicate associations between student learning motivation, mental health, and peer-to-peer confirmation, their role in motivation profile is less understood. The current study aims to explore motivational profiles of e-learners, their differences in mental health, and their links to peer-to-peer confirmation.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 595 university e-learners (33.3% male, 66.7% female; mean age 26.34 years, SD 8.4; age range 18–56) was conducted. Four instruments were used in this study: the Learning Motivating Factors Questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Student-to-Student Confirmation Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified motivation profiles. Binomial logistic regression tested whether peer-to-peer confirmation dimensions predicted profile membership, and independent-samples t-tests compared anxiety and depression between profiles.ResultsThe latent profile analysis (LPA) identified high motivation profile and low motivation profile. The results of the binomial logistic regression revealed that peer-to-peer confirmation, namely, individual attention, was a significant predictor of student motivation: higher individual attention predicted high motivation profile membership, suggesting that personalized interactions between peers serve as a protective factor against low motivation. Additionally, e-learners in the low motivation profile had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression.ConclusionThis study contributes to the growing research on student motivation, peer-to-peer confirmation, and mental health in e-learning. The latent profile analysis underscored the importance of individual attention as a unique and powerful factor in motivating students in e-learning environments. As higher education continues to embrace e-learning models, it will be essential to integrate effective mechanisms for peer interactions and communication processes to enhance student motivation. Additionally, the findings revealed that e-learners in the low motivation profile had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression, which suggests that students' mental health should be among the priorities of education policies targeting correlates of academic achievements. Future studies should examine factors that are both protective for e-learners mental health and beneficial for learning outcomes.

Student learning and development in higher education is a broad topic. While learning and development are certainly related components of the university experience, researchers have generally focused on one or the other, thus creating two research streams that rarely converge. In student development, there are at least three long-established bodies of American research with origins in addressing university student attrition, development of epistemological beliefs, and personal development. Astin and Tinto’s ideas, while recently less often researched as distinct models, have been integrated into widely adopted concepts of engagement in higher education. American conceptions of engagement in higher education resulted in a national approach to quality assurance that has spread to Australia, China, and the United Kingdom. In student learning, there are at least three distinct models building, in part, on seminal cognitive processing and meta-cognitive processing research. One of these is an early cognitive processing–oriented model developed with adult learners, which came to be referred to as approaches to learning, its corollary learning environment research and related learning patterns research. Growing in salience during the same period and enclosed within the expanding area of meta-cognitive research, is the broad body of self-regulation research. In North America, this research grew from socio-cognitive theory or from learning strategies research. In Europe a wealth of starting points and models emerged. The final, and most recent model, building on twin platforms of motivational and cognitive processing research, is the Model of Domain Learning (MDL). Unlike the student development (North America–centered) research, the three models for understanding student learning during higher education have seen scant integration and only recent initial efforts at comparison and contrast. As a result, we presently have three distinct camps of research each examining the higher education experience from slightly different angles, each thereby yielding three perspectives that have yet to meaningfully learn from each other. Integration and cross-examination of these theories would help strengthen overall understanding of student learning and development. This article begins by presenting important academic journals and organizations that have emerged since the 1970s within the fields of student learning and development. The essential models addressing development and learning in higher education are each reviewed briefly, presenting and discussing the research that has shaped them. Motivation and beliefs for learning during higher education are included as a supplement for these models and important future directions for research.

Distance Learners in Higher Education: Institutional Responses for Quality Outcomes edited by Chere Campbell Gibson. Atwood Publishing, Madison, Wisconsin. 1998, 156 pages. ISBN 1-891859-23-4. In Distance Learners in Higher Education: Institutional Responses for Quality Outcomes, Chere Campbell Gibson and her colleagues explore a variety of topics related distance learners. The contributors are primarily seasoned professionals who hold positions related distance education, academic technology, or the fields of adult, continuing, or vocational education at universities in the United States and Canada. Instead of presenting a to book about distance education, they focus on their experiences and research findings as educators and relate this information distance learners in higher education. In addition, the reader is pointed resources about distance education in the final chapter through a useful list of books, journals, newsletters, and World Wide Web sites regarding distance education. The title suggests that two questions will be answered in this text: Who are distance learners in higher education, and what can higher education institutions do provide quality education at a distance? The first question is answered in Chapter 1. From an analysis of the existing literature, Thompson informs us that distance learners are likely be older, female, employed on a full-time basis, and married. However, she couches this description in the caveat that the profile even for an individual learner . . .must be [understood as] tentative and dynamic (p. 19) and that the distance education population as a whole is heterogeneous. This profile could imply that distance education has had a greater impact on four-year colleges and universities than it has had on community colleges (where students already tend be older, female, and employed on a full-time basis). Distance education provides an avenue for the nontraditional student enroll in the institutions, thus changing the profile of their student body. For senior institutions, this change in student population brings the forefront a question that community colleges have been grappling with for years: How do we serve the educational needs of those students who have work, family, and community responsibilities that compete with learning for their time, energy, and attention? This new question for the senior institutions is reflected in Gibson's observation in Chapter 7: Distance education has had an impact on enrollment in higher education courses, by serving pursuing postsecondary education, . . . husbands [whose] wives work, . . . older persons (beyond the traditional age of 21) enrolled in degree programs, and men and women alike considering recareering in their 30s and 40s (p. 121). The authors also answer the second question implied by this book's title: What can education institutions do provide quality education at a distance? The answer, however, may not be what the reader expects. A central theme running through the seven chapters is that we, as distance educators, need be learner-centered, reflective practitioners (p. 139). Thus, like all other educators, distance educators focus on quality education. Their perspective, however, must widen include the distance education context. As discussed in various chapters in this volume, distance educators share many challenges with their colleagues who teach on campus: how address gender issues, cultural diversity, barriers access, communication problems, and students' academic self-concept; how develop learner support systems; and how enhance learning strategies and student motivation. Distance education, however, introduces another level of complexity into the already complex field of teaching and learning. For example, there are specific skills involved with learning at a distance. As Gibson points out in Chapter 7, the lack of these skills will affect students' academic self-concept as well as their course performance. …

Integrated science, as a key part of STEM, has specific challenges and opportunities for using competency-based approaches. The 8-4-4 methods often focus on memorization and theory. This focus can cause students to lose interest and feel anxious. On the other hand, competency-based education (CBE) promotes active learning and real-world application of knowledge. This shift can lead to greater student engagement and motivation. The purpose of this study was to examine how competency-based approaches can be integrated into teaching integrated science and their effects on students' mental health. This research used a mixed-methods design that included quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. These methods assessed how competency-based learning impacts student engagement, self-confidence, and overall mental well-being. The study targeted junior secondary students and used simple random sampling to select 250 students in Kilifi County. Quantitative data was analyzed with statistical software, using paired t-tests and correlation analyses. For the qualitative data, thematic analysis was employed. The findings showed that students in competency-based education (CBE) had significantly higher engagement levels (88 vs. 75) and motivation (82 vs. 69) compared to those in the 8-4-4 system, with noticeable effect sizes reflecting these gains. CBE students also reported lower anxiety (22.5 vs. 30.2) and stress levels (25.3 vs. 33.1). They demonstrated higher emotional resilience (78.4 vs. 65.7) and overall psychological well-being (74.6 vs. 60.6). Regression analyses confirmed that greater competencies positively affected academic performance, engagement, and mental health outcomes. This highlights how effective CBE can be in promoting educational success and student well-being. It is recommended that educators and policymakers integrate competency-based education (CBE) into integrated science curricula. Providing the necessary training and resources will help improve student engagement, motivation, and mental health outcomes.

Student mental health is a growing concern in higher education, significantly impacting academic performance, engagement, and retention. This scoping review investigates how structural factors like financial hardship, environmental stressors, and social pressures affect student well-being. Informed by our work in Computer-Supported Agile Teaching (CSAT) and the shift towards technology-supported learning and teaching, understanding the landscape of student mental health is crucial for creating effective educational environments. This review pays particular attention to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of hybrid learning, which have influenced student mental health and exacerbated existing inequities. We evaluate strategies such as inclusive curriculum design, peer-led wellness initiatives, digital mental health tools, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to propose a multidimensional framework for improving student outcomes. Given the increasing relevance of student well-being in contemporary classrooms, amplified by global events and academic disruptions, and the increasing reliance on technology, this review synthesizes existing literature to understand the motivations, challenges, successes, failures, and opportunities in addressing overall student well-being within technology-supported contexts. This scoping review serves as a critical first step in understanding the evidence base and its implications for integrating student well-being considerations within CSAT. The review concludes that holistic approaches combining pedagogical reform, mental health infrastructure, and technological innovation are essential for fostering academic success and long-term student well-being.

Creating an effective system of training qualified specialists is relevant at the present stage of higher education. The motivation of students’ learning activities plays a significant role in solving this problem.The main purpose of the article is to conduct a theoretical analysis of scientific publications on this issue and study the learning motivation of fourth-year students of the educational and professional program “Practical Psychology” using the following methods, namely: “Study on the motives of students’ learning activities” (A.O. Rean, V. O. Yakunin), “Methodology for diagnostics of students’ learning motivation” (A.O. Rean, V.O. Yakunin in the modification of N.Ts. Badmaieva), “Motivation for studying in a higher educational institution” (T.I. Ilyina). As a result of the presented research on the methodology for studying the motives of students’ learning activities by A.O. Rean and V.O. Yakunin techniques, it was clarified that the following motives turned out to be dominant for students: getting a degree (diploma), educational and cognitive (acquiring deep and sustainable knowledge, obtaining intellectual pleasure) and professional (the desire to become a highly qualified specialist, ensuring the success of future professional activities). Thus, the majority of students emphasized the importance of obtaining their degree (diploma), that is, the dominance of the formal external sign of educational activities. In the authors’ opinion, the choice of such a motive cannot provide the students with motivation and activity in the learning process.According to the method “Diagnostics of students’ learning motivation” (in the modification of N.Ts. Badmaieva) proposed by A.O. Rean and V.O. Yakunin, the significant motives for students appeared to be: communicative, professional, social, learning, cognitive and the possibility of creative self-realization. It is not surprising that students-future practical psychologists define communicative motives as the most essential owing to their connection with the peculiarities of the professional activities of the practical psychologist.The choice of professional motives indicates that students strive to become qualified specialists, knowing the significance of the chosen profession and considering it as a way of realizing themselves as individuals. The study conducted with the use of T. I. Ilyina and A.O. Rean method determined the following results: the dominant motives for students are considered acquiring knowledge and getting a degree.Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded: the learning motivation is a set of motives encouraging students to study and affecting their activity in the training process. The effectiveness of students’ learning activities, as well as their ability to master professional competencies, depend on the motivation structure and leading motives. Motivation is not constant, and this should be taken into account for understanding the hierarchy of motives of students’ learning activities and the possibility of influencing on them.The authors consider that learning and professional motives are decisive for the vocational training of future practical psychologists since they provide conscious and active involvement of students in the learning process, as well as the need for knowledge acquisition and professional development.

The emotional well-being and mental health of students in the higher education sector have been greatly researched over the past few years since students are increasingly subjected to various stressors in their daily lives. One element of such stressors would be the impact of service quality within the educational institution itself. However, previous studies had mainly focused on the influence of service quality regarding student satisfaction or motivation and completely overlooked their emotional well-being. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of service quality on the emotional well-being of students in higher learning institutions by employing the HESQUAL model to discern on whether emotional well-being is affected by service quality and if so, the level of its impact. Primary data have been utilised and collected through a questionnaire created according to the model discussed, and were analysed with a sample size of 105 students. The findings of this study showed that Service Quality Factors such as Physical Environment Quality, Administrative Quality and Quality of Support Facilities has an effect on the emotional wellbeing of students, supporting the objective of this study. The data illustrates how each change in the level of service quality influences a change in emotional well-being. However, it is clear that further investigations are required in the future since there are variables that could be improved upon.

Purpose This paper attempts to develop and validate a service quality instrument called HiEduQual to measure the perceived service quality of students in higher education institutions. This paper aims to propose a structural model by examining the theoretical and empirical evidences on the relationships between students’ perceived service quality (SPSQ), students’ satisfaction (SSt), students’ loyalty (SL) and students’ motivation (SM). Design/methodology/approach The paper uses survey research design to gather data regarding attitudes of students about quality of service, satisfaction, motivation and loyalty from seven public universities in India and tests the relationships between these variables using structural equation modeling. Findings The paper identifies a model with six-structured dimensions containing 23 items for HiEduQual. It proved the direct positive effect of the perceived service quality of students on satisfaction, loyalty and motivation. The paper also supports the partial and complete mediation role of students’ satisfaction between perceived service quality of students, their loyalty and motivation toward services being provided by the universities. The competing Model 1 (M1) with partial mediation role of students’ satisfaction between students’ perceived service quality, loyalty and motivation was proved as the best among the alternative models. Research limitations/implications The paper developed and tested a new measurement instrument that covers all the service aspects experienced by the student as primary customer in higher education. Further studies can also measure service quality of the universities in the perspective of other key stakeholders. The authors would recommend studying other possible antecedents which would have influence on satisfaction motivation and loyalty. Practical implications The findings suggested that it would be worthwhile for university leaders to make proper allocation of resources, to provide better educational services including support services and facilities. It is believed that this paper has a significant competence for engendering more precise applications related to quality of services, especially concerning students’ satisfaction, loyalty and motivation. Social implications The changing nature and need of higher education services and increase in competitive intensity necessitates higher performance levels in the Indian higher education (universities). These can only be achieved through a better understanding of the expectations of students and the importance placed by them on aspects such as teaching, administrative services, academic facilities, campus infrastructure, support services and internationalization. The paper identified that student perceived service quality is a key antecedent to student satisfaction, motivation and loyalty, which conveys that service quality is an important construct. Originality/value Previous studies have primarily focused on the relationship between service quality, satisfaction and loyalty. Along with the above, this paper includes students’ motivation and assesses the effect of service quality and satisfaction on motivation which was not previously used in services marketing research, especially in higher education sector. Higher education service holds some unique features like customers’ (student) cognitive participation in the service process, requirements of the students to be fulfilled by different parties and long-term continuous services. All these features require student participation. The results indicate that quality of academic and non-academic services play a vital role in motivating students to perform better in their academics.

Micro-credentials are seeing increasingly rapid adoption in higher education (McGreal & Olcott, 2022), however their efficacy is still being explored (Stefaniak & Carey, 2019); as Oliver (2019) notes, “rapid innovation can be exhilarating, but it can also confuse the very people who might benefit most” (p. i). This Pecha Kucha is derived from a project that examined the impact of awarding digital badges instead of assessment grades within a large undergraduate Initial Teacher Education course in Australia. The aim of the project was to examine the impact of micro-credentials on the student experience, including motivation and engagement with feedback, as well as the impact on the quality of university provision, including the alignment between university assessment and broader workplace standards frameworks. Traditional methods of assessment, such as numeric grades, may not reflect the full range of competencies that students hold and that will benefit them in their future careers (Bassett, 2015; Robinson & Aronica, 2015). Moving away from awarding marks/grades to using competency based micro-credentials may help to address this issue, as micro-credentials can be used to assess both skills and dispositions, as well as knowledge in practice. Micro-credentials (to be referred to as digital badges) may also contribute to a more holistic and detailed record of students’ achievements (Elliot et al., 2014). This work was broadly underpinned by theories of human motivation (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Specifically, and following from the aims outlined earlier, the project was guided by research on gamification and (student) motivation (Hamari & Koivisto, 2015; Hamari, 2017), and research on the impact of grades on student motivation (Butler, 2011). With respect to university provision, the project was guided by Stefaniak and Cary’s (2019) framework for implementing digital badges in higher education. What impacts did implementing digital badges have on student motivation and engagement with feedback? What impact did implementing digital badges have on university provision? Study design and implementation was informed by Stefaniak and Cary’s (2019) Framework for Successful Badge Program Implementation, which includes ‘Badge Instructional Design’, ‘Badge System Platform’, and ‘Badge Program Implementation’. A three-phase, mixed method approach was adopted, consisting of online surveys and semi-structured focus groups. Findings showed positive motivational and social impacts of digital badges, and positive effects on engagement with feedback, however removing grades from a course designed around traditional modes of assessment also caused significant student anxiety. It was also found that digital badges improved university provision through promoting constructive alignment between assessment and professional standards. There were also unexpected findings warranting future research, including how digital badges reduced student anxiety around the awarding of numeric grades. A number of key recommendations were made: 1) if using badges, remove marks 2) adopt a whole-of-school approach 3) badges are not a substitute for quality written feedback, 4) invest in appropriate software infrastructure, 5) developing a badge framework is important for both students and staff, 6) students need to know exactly what to expect, 7) develop a ‘badge tree’. Overall, it was found that digital badges have considerable potential to improve the student experience, however these benefits can be overshadowed by student anxiety if the badging system is not optimally conceptualised and executed.

Introduction Amid changing social dynamics, the world of higher education faces, among other challenges, the growing impact on the mental health of students. In this scenario, the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) highlights the important role of autonomy support as it generates positive effects on students' motivation and well-being. Methods The present study tests the predictive capacity of the teacher’s interpersonal style of autonomy support in a higher education institution, in relation to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, autonomous motivation and depressive symptoms. A sample composed of 356 Spanish university students of which 237 were male (66.57%) from different grades and courses, aged between 17 and 57 years (M = 20.83; SD = 3.44), from middle socioeconomic strata, was used, and selected through purposive sampling. Results After the analysis of structural equations, the results showed that the teacher’s interpersonal style of autonomy support positively predicted the satisfaction of basic psychological needs and this the autonomous motivation; but negatively depressive symptoms. Conclusions The model describes the possible importance of promoting the teacher’s interpersonal style of autonomy support in higher education as a protective factor for well-being and mental health. These findings highlight the importance of motivational strategies that higher education teachers must implement to promote student motivation and well-being.

IntroductionAmid changing social dynamics, the world of higher education faces, among other challenges, the growing impact on the mental health of students. In this scenario, the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) highlights the important role of autonomy support as it generates positive effects on students' motivation and well-being.MethodsThe present study tests the predictive capacity of the teacher’s interpersonal style of autonomy support in a higher education institution, in relation to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, autonomous motivation and depressive symptoms. A sample composed of 356 Spanish university students of which 237 were male (66.57%) from different grades and courses, aged between 17 and 57 years (M = 20.83;SD = 3.44), from middle socioeconomic strata, was used, and selected through purposive sampling.ResultsAfter the analysis of structural equations, the results showed that the teacher’s interpersonal style of autonomy support positively predicted: the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and autonomous motivation; but negatively depressive symptoms.ConclusionsThe model describes the possible importance of promoting the teacher’s interpersonal style of autonomy support in higher education as a protective factor for well-being and mental health. These findings highlight the importance of motivational strategies that higher education teachers must implement to promote student motivation and well-being.

With an emphasis on the importance of student involvement, counselling, and mental health services, this study intends to investigate the variables that affect students' motivation and conduct in higher education settings. The objective is to comprehend how these components assist students' academic and personal goals, improve their learning experiences, and promote a healthy campus environment. Using focus groups, and in-depth interviews, a qualitative research methodology was used. A wide range of participants, including academics from several disciplines, counsellors, mental health specialists, and students, provided data for the study. To find important trends and insights about student motivation, engagement, and behaviour, a thematic analysis was carried out. The findings reveal that intrinsic motivation, nurtured by a supportive and inclusive learning environment, is a critical factor in students' academic success. Counselling and mental health services were found to be pivotal in helping students manage psychological challenges, thereby sustaining their motivation and positive behaviour. Additionally, there was a high correlation found between behaviours that support learning and personal growth and students who actively participated in extracurricular and academic activities. The report also emphasizes how crucial a supportive campus environment is for boosting student motivation and creating a feeling of community. The findings imply that fostering inclusive, encouraging settings that increase intrinsic motivation ought to be a top priority for higher education institutions. To enhance student results, it is advised to provide access to counselling and mental health services, as well as to encourage student engagement through leadership development and community-building activities. These strategies are vital for cultivating a positive campus climate, ultimately contributing to the overall success and well-being of students.

The concept of “career readiness” can trace its origin to earlier studies about learning and employability in higher education as well as management of student life cycle. Since then, career readiness has evolved into a major concern for public funders and regulators of higher education. Policy researchers contend that following the expansion of higher education and subsequent institutional commitment to ensuring student success, the current stage is about emphasizing employability as the primary indicator of graduate outcomes. This policy shift projects the university-employer interface into the spotlight and creates a favorable condition for promoting work-based experiential learning in higher education. While all postsecondary education institutions in Hong Kong give due regard to graduate employment as a measure of successful “university to work transition,” most of them however do not offer structured courses to train their students in skills for lifetime employability. This leads to the question of whether the status quo is desirable and what would be an effective lever for effecting change. Should coaching students for career readiness remain the responsibility of career development office or can academic staff also have a role to play in supporting it? What are the different approaches for teaching about “work life” in the crowded undergraduate curriculum space? Answers to the above would depend on how much the higher education sector in Hong Kong is prepared to embark on a “whole-of-life” approach to develop “work conscious” and not just “work ready” graduates. The new direction will help to generate a positive effect on higher education institutions in Hong Kong for them to compete through curricular and pedagogical innovations in support of the career-readiness agenda.

In the last few years, adoption of service learning in higher educational institutions has emerged as a modern teaching and learning strategy. This study is aimed to offer a systematic literature review of service learning implementation in higher education. There is a lack of research on the role of service learning in higher education sector. Moreover, a comprehensive systematic literature review of service learning in higher education is also overlooked in previous studies. Therefore, this study covers an in-depth systematic literature review, which reflects the utilisation approach and outcomes of service learning in higher education. By employing a rigorous exploratory approach, this study offers four major findings: (1) Acceptance and use of service learning in different academic disciplines, which covers a detailed discussion of up to what extent service learning pedagogy practice exists in each discipline. (2) Emerging issues regarding the integration of service learning in different academic disciplines. (3) Comparative analysis of previous service learning frameworks, which includes theoretical foundation, main findings and limitations of each framework. (4) Potential benefits of service learning for all participants. Service learning presents diverse benefits for all stakeholders; we identified the list of potential outcomes in the light of emerging service learning literature. These findings show that service learning is frequently employed in some academic disciplines, i.e. medical and nursing sciences; business and economics; computer science and information system; social studies; teacher education; linguistic and environmental disciplines. Moreover, comparison of previous service learning frameworks revealed that most of them are subject-oriented, specifically focused on institutionalising and practical aspects.