Shifting to student-centered learning: Influences of teaching a summer service learning program

Abstract

Student-centered pedagogies like project-based learning and service learning have shown promise to increase student achievement yet are not enacted in many K12 classrooms. This multiple case study examined how teaching a middle school summer service learning program in a diverse, urban, school district, influenced beliefs and practices about student-centered learning during the traditional school year. The opportunity to implement service learning in an out of school context gives teachers opportunities to practice shifting control of learning to students and provides a supportive peer group. This study has implications for supporting teachers in their professional growth when implementing student-centered pedagogies.