Undergraduate Perceptions of Teaching Science Abroad as a Service-Learning Experience

Abstract

Service-learning is a type of experiential education, contextualizing classroom knowledge into real-world experiences. In this study, we investigated a course with an integrated service-learning component of teaching science to children in Kenya to learn more about how participants perceived their experiences. Using surveys, we found that the undergraduates who participated in this service-learning experience felt that they were more connected to their academic major and gained new or strengthened relationships. This experience allowed students to gain new perspectives about their studies or the world, and make deeper connections between classroom knowledge and the real-world context.