Academic Service Learning Research Articles

Implementing academic service learning and the PDCA cycle in a marketing course: Contributions to three beneficiaries

This study reports on a case study of a teaching and learning approach aiming to enhance the learning benefits of three parties through the implementation of an academic service project and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle in a graduate-level marketing course. In this study, the academic service project provides students with real learning experience, and at the same time, reverses their role to be knowledge providers (rather than knowledge recipients) while it also contributes to tourism businesses in the improvement of their marketing strategies. The PDCA cycle yields systematic learning benefits for instructors in taking further action on teaching improvements. The contributions of this study are the development of a teaching and learning method that promotes new opportunities for students to learn and to help others, and to generate learning benefits for businesses and instructors.

Analysing risk and resilience in the first sand tray of youth at a rural school

This article outlines how an analysis of a first sand tray of youth at a rural school can be used to identify indicators of risk and resilience. An instrumental case-study design was used to identify risk and resilience in the first sand trays of 25 young people at a rural school in Mpumalanga. The youth were between the ages of 13 and 19 years. Data were gathered in the form of visual data (photographs), client narratives and the reflections of Academic Service Learning students. The findings identified several themes important in risk and resilience. The themes indicated that individual, social and institutional structures are important influences of risk and resilience in the lives of rural school youth. The important themes of risk relate to violence and a need for protection, unmet needs, and gender inequality and conflict. Themes of resilience include spirituality, fulfilled needs and a sense of belonging. These findings contribute to the use of the first sand tray as a qualitative assessment tool for determining risk and resilience in both psychological practice and research.

Bullying: University Students Bring a Moral Perspective to Middle School Students

The prevalence of bullying and cyber-bullying in younger age groups has led to the inclusion of bullying in school-level curricula to address the seriousness of this issue and the prevention of these types of behavior. Higher education in its philosophy curricula can play a significant role in this regard as well. Proposed in this paper is an undergraduate ethics course Bullying and Moral Responsibility in which bullying is addressed from a moral perspective. This course has an academic-service learning component whereby this moral perspective is introduced to middle school students by university students. Peer learning of this sort might be of assistance in anti-bullying efforts.

Student perceptions of Academic Service Learning: Using mixed content analysis to examine the effectiveness of the International Baccalaureate Creativity, Action, Service programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for secondary education students requires the successful completion of the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) component (more recently renamed Creativity, Activity, Service) which is based on the philosophy of experiential learning and Academic Service Learning. In this article, the technique of mixed content analysis is employed to examine the perceptions of students in an International Baccalaureate Greek private school regarding the implementation and effectiveness of CAS. The empirical results indicate that students perceive and conceptualise volunteering activities in two contrasting dimensions, namely idealistic-humanitarian and utilitarian-instrumentalist, implying that Academic Service Learning projects may need to be adjusted to achieve their objectives.

Development and Implementation of an International Academic Service Learning Course for Low-Income Children in Cambodia

Development and Implementation of an International Academic Service Learning Course for Low-Income Children in Cambodia

Collaboration among Faculty Members and Community Partners: Increasing the Quality of Online Library and Information Science Graduate Programs through Academic Service-Learning

ABSTRACTFinding innovative ways to deliver effective classroom instruction resulting in demonstration of student proficiency of the eight American Library Association core competencies within the online learning environment is challenging. While the use of technology is very important in the delivery of course content, focusing on the pedagogy of teaching online classes is paramount when constructing a comprehensive online teaching curriculum. This article describes how one professor integrates both theory and experience together within the online learning environment as a means for students to demonstrate proficiency of course concepts. Academic Service-Learning, construction of real-world collaborative projects and lessons learned are discussed.

Providing grief care for children: A nursing interprofessional academic service learning course

Providing grief care for children: A nursing interprofessional academic service learning course

Students’ Emotional Experiences in Direct Versus Indirect Academic Service-Learning Courses

Research in psychology has emphasized the important role emotions play in learning (Pekrun, 1992). The purpose of the study highlighted in this article was to compare the emotional experiences of college students enrolled in direct academic service-learning (AS-L) courses with those of students enrolled in indirect AS-L courses. Eighteen college students participated in individual interviews, discussing positive and negative emotions resulting from their AS-L experiences. Students who engaged in direct AS-L reported significant emotional responses to interactions with people at their AS-L site. Students who engaged in indirect AS-L courses emphasized their emotional responses to working with peers and community partners. Participants in direct service-learning classes made very few references to the emotional aspects of discussions, assignments, or other activities that occurred in class, while college students in indirect service-learning classes more frequently reported emotional responses to the coursework.

An Overlooked Lens: Applying Structuration Theory, Actor-Network Theory, and Theories of Space to Service-Learning

Although service-learning is clearly a social phenomenon involving interactions between people in social environments, little scholarly attention has been given to the ways in which sociological theories illuminate how service-learning is enacted and sustained in schools. This conceptual article takes a fresh (and perhaps overdue) look at academic service-learning (both K-12 and higher education) through three sociological lenses: Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory, Bruno Latour’s actor-network theory, and Henri Lefebvre’s theories on the production of space. The article describes each theory as it relates to the understanding, initiation, implementation, institutionalization, and study of service-learning. The theories highlight important aspects of academic service-learning, including areas that other theories have missed such as how service-learning actors must exploit enabling aspects of school structures and spaces to overcome constraints, the importance of non-human agents in service-learning programs, and challenges service-learning advocates face in reconfiguring school spaces for service-learning. The author also describes and examines limits of each theory as well as mplications for research and practice.

Interprofessional Academic Service-Learning in Rural Australia: Exploring the impact on allied health student knowledge, skills, and practice. A Qualitative Study

The program at the centre of this study was established in 2009 to address unmet allied health needs for rural Australian children through a primary school-based academic service-learning program. Allied health students work as interprofessional cohorts, across four school terms. Students draw on the work of previous cohorts to inform therapeutic engagement for pupils across the year. This qualitative study aimed to identify allied health student and academic expereinces and impact of program participation. One student cohort undertaking their placement in 2014 consented to particapte in interprofessional focus groups. Allied health academics participated in individual semi-structured interviews in late 2014. Data was thematically analysed with key themes and subthemes identified. This paper focuses on the interprofessional findings of; exposure challenges; the 'team continuum'; knowledge sharing between disciplines; cross-discipline collaboration; team service delivery; planning and organisation. Student acculturation and participant perceptions of desirability for interprofessional practice expereinces are also discussed. A number of limitations in the provisionof, and access to, interprofessional practice opportunities were described. Enhanced student knowledge, skills, attitutudes and resultant interprofessional practice, through participation in the prorgam, were identified by participants as program impacts.

The Impact of Academic Service Learning as a Teaching Method and its Effect on Emotional Intelligence

This article explores Academic Service Learning (ASL) as a teaching method which bridges the gap between academic requirements for learning and the need of society to have individuals willing to give their time and effort to benefit others in need. Students as part of a course learning requirement engaged in a consulting project whereby a non-profit organization was advised on both short term and long term planning. Students (n = 177) were exposed to the operational needs of the organization as well as the dependency of the needy on their services. A pre- and post- survey was administered which focused on any perceived changes in Emotional Intelligence (EI) experienced by the students upon completion of the project. The results indicated that student’s EI was affected by the learning project in terms of how they feel about themselves and their overall effort levels.

Developing a student-led health and wellbeing clinic in an underserved community: collaborative learning, health outcomes and cost savings.

BackgroundThe University of New England (UNE), Australia decided to develop innovative placement opportunities for its increasing numbers of nursing students. Extensive community and stakeholder consultation determined that a community centre in rural New South Wales was the welcomed site of the student-led clinic because it fit the goals of the project—to increase access to health care services in an underserved area while providing service learning for students.MethodsSupported by a grant from Health Workforce Australia and in partnership with several community organisations, UNE established a student-led clinic in a disadvantaged community using an engaged scholarship approach which joins academic service learning with community based action research. The clinic was managed and run by the students, who were supervised by university staff and worked in collaboration with residents and local health and community services.ResultsLocal families, many of whom were Indigenous Australians, received increased access to culturally appropriate health services. In the first year, the clinic increased from a one day per week to a three day per week service and offered over 1000 occasions of care and involved 1500 additional community members in health promotion activities. This has led to improved health outcomes for the community and cost savings to the health service estimated to be $430,000. The students learned from members of the community and community members learned from the students, in a collaborative process. Community members benefited from access to drop in help that was self-determined.ConclusionsThe model of developing student-led community health and wellbeing clinics in underserved communities not only fulfils the local, State Government, Federal Government and international health reform agenda but it also represents good value for money. It offers free health services in a disadvantaged community, thereby improving overall health and wellbeing. The student-led clinic is an invaluable and sustainable link between students, health care professionals, community based organisations, the university, and the community. The community benefits from the clinic by learning to self-manage health and wellbeing issues. The benefits for students are that they gain practical experience in an interdisciplinary setting and through exposure to a community with unique and severe needs.

Outcomes of an Academic Service-Learning Project on Four Urban Community Colleges

The editorial board announced that this article has been retracted on January 18, 2016. If you have any further question, please contact us at: jets@redfame.com

Perceptions of the Effects of a Constructivist Classroom Approach on Academic Service-Learning: An Exploratory Study Web Appendix

Perceptions of the Effects of a Constructivist Classroom Approach on Academic Service-Learning: An Exploratory Study Web Appendix

Perceptions of the Effects of a Constructivist Classroom Approach on Academic Service-Learning: An Exploratory Study

Perceptions of the Effects of a Constructivist Classroom Approach on Academic Service-Learning: An Exploratory Study

Education Not Incarceration: Impact of Academic Service-Learning on a Pre-service Teacher

I am a student at Florida Atlantic University, double-majoring in Psychology and Secondary English Education. One of the required courses for the education major track is Introduction to Diversity for Educators. An essential component of the course is participation in 15 Academic Service-Learning (A S-L) hours, which allows students to use the material taught in the classroom in a real-life setting. Because of her personal connections, my professor offered the class the opportunity to conduct A S-L at the local jail with incarcerated juvenile males. Seeing the setting and population as a unique opportunity, I quickly expressed interest. The experience I gained opened my eyes to the social injustices that are prevalent in our educationsystem, especially with marginalized youth; it has exposed me to an incredibly diverse facet of the education system, and it allowed me to have the chance to experience the life of an educator in the rawest form possible.

Framing Service Learning in Social Work: An Interdisciplinary Elective Course Embedded within a University–Community Partnership

While academic service learning has grown in popularity across disciplines and universities, the pedagogical strategies for service learning courses vary greatly, especially for courses focused on development in underserved communities. Ideally, service learning pedagogy should place equal importance on student and community benefits, build reciprocal relationships with community partners, and engage students in deep reflection about social cultural and economic issues. In designing a new service learning elective course to engage students in a rural town revitalization project, we intentionally framed the course to meet the aforementioned goals. We used a three-component service learning pedagogy model that: (1) embedded the course in an existing university–community partnership; (2) mobilized interdisciplinary teams of students for community-identified projects; and (3) promoted reflection on complex economic and social justice issues by integrating students' processing through blog, faculty–student–community discussions, and community feedback. Benefits to students and community based on two qualitative studies are discussed, as are implications for social work education and research.

The development of a feeding, swallowing and oral care program using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model in an orphanage-hospital in Guatemala

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a long-term on-going international academic service-learning (I-ASL) intervention. Its goal was to improve swallowing, feeding and oral care technique of medical staff in an orphanage in Guatemala to children who are medically complex and have special needs.Method: The PRECEDE-PROCEED model was used as the conceptual framework of the program. Five major target areas were identified during the diagnosis, assessment, implementation and evaluation phases of the model: knowledge and skills, feeding equipment, feeding and oral care technique, positioning and communication. Verbal instruction, modelling and small group training was provided by the research team across all visits. A five-day intervention designed to increase feeders’ knowledge of feeding and oral care technique, signs and symptoms and complications of dysphagia and to improve their feeding, positioning and oral care technique was implemented and evaluated.Result: Statistical analyses showed significant increases in knowledge and appropriate feeding, positioning and oral care technique.Conclusion: As a consequence of the intervention, a trusting and mutually supportive relationship was built between the I-ASL team and the host organization.

International Academic Service Learning: Lessons Learned From Students’ Travel Experiences of Diverse Cultural and Health Care Practices in Morocco

Academic service learning (ASL) is an active teaching-learning approach to engage students in meaningful hands-on activities to serve community-based needs. Nine health professions students from a private college and a private university in the northeastern United States volunteered to participate in an ASL trip to Morocco. The participants were interviewed to reflect on their experiences. This article discusses the lessons learned from students' ASL experiences regarding integrating ASL into educational programs. The authors recommend a paradigm shift in nursing and dental hygiene curricula to appreciate diversity and promote cultural competency, multidisciplinary teamwork, and ethics-based education.

Ten Years in the Trenches

This study reports the perceptions of faculty 10 years after participating and sustaining their involvement in academic service-learning. Issues explored include why participants became involved in service-learning, the perceived impact on the promotion and tenure process, the challenges and rewards reaped by participants, and what sustained them in their work. The study is unique in that faculty report on the factors that have impeded or allowed them to sustain their involvement in service-learning over a period of 10 years. The study supports earlier findings that suggest faculty become involved for a variety of reasons, primarily the potential outcomes that service-learning provides and the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary fashion; that service-learning can have both a positive and negative impact on promotion and tenure; and that support at the institutional level is essential for engaging faculty in service-learning.