Combines Community Service Research Articles

A Service-Learning Project Based on a Community-Oriented Intelligent Health Promotion System for Postgraduate Nursing Students: Mixed Methods Study.

Service learning (SL) is a pedagogical approach that combines community service with cognitive learning for professionals. Its efficacy in promoting community health has gained broad recognition in nursing education. The application of postgraduate nursing SL programs in community-based intelligent health remains underexplored. Thus, additional investigation is necessary to assess the influence of the SL project based on a community-oriented intelligent health promotion system (SLP-COIHPS) on postgraduate nursing students and health service recipients. This study aims to assess how SLP-COIHPS influences the scientific awareness and research innovation abilities of postgraduate nursing students. In addition, the study sought to examine the experiences of both participating students and health service recipients. We conducted a mixed methods investigation by using web-based surveys and conducting interviews. The web-based surveys aimed to explore the differences in scientific awareness and research innovation capabilities between 2 distinct groups: an experimental group of 23 postgraduate nursing students actively participated in SLP-COIHPS, while 23 postgraduate students (matched one-to-one with the experimental group in terms of grade, sex, and research methods) served as control participants. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 65% (15/23) of postgraduate students and 3% (12/405) of community residents who received health services, aiming to assess the project's impact on them. The community-based intelligent health promotion system installed in intelligent health cabins can be conceptualized as an expert system providing valuable references for student health education. It has the capability to generate comprehensive assessments and personalized health guidance plans. Following training, students were involved in offering health assessments, health education, and related services. Subsequently, after the web-based surveys and semistructured interviews, quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS (IBM Corp) software package, using 2-tailed t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests; qualitative data underwent analysis using the constructivist grounded theory approach. Postgraduate nursing students participating in this program scored 12.83 (Cohen d>0.8; P<.001) and 10.56 (Cohen d>0.8; P=.004) points higher than postgraduate students in the control group in research awareness and research innovation capability, respectively. On the basis of the qualitative results, postgraduate students reported improvement in this program. Analysis of the interviews revealed a total of 12 subcategories across three primary domains: (1) specialized skills, (2) scientific research ability, and (3) comprehensive qualities. Community residents reported high satisfaction and positive experiences. Analysis of the interviews with community residents identified two primary categories: (1) satisfaction and (2) perceived benefits. SLP-COIHPS had a positive impact on students' development of scientific awareness and research innovation ability. Qualitative study findings also support the further development of practical programs that integrate intelligent health and SL theories in the field of medical education. This includes exploring the potential factors influencing postgraduate nursing students' research capabilities or investigating the long-term effects of the project.

FOSTERING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ADDRESS RACISM: DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SERVICE-LEARNING CURRICULUM FOR PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS.

In recent years, there has been a call for Academic Health Centers to increase community engagement to address racism. 1 Blanchard A.K. Blanchard J.C. Suah A. et al. Reflect and reset: Black academic voices call the graduate medical education community to action. Acad Med. 2022; 97: 967-972 Crossref PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar Alongside didactic education and building a diverse learning environment, community engagement allows trainees to better understand the structural underpinnings of inequities and better recognize their own biases to create a framework for how to improve care for marginalized populations. 2 Khazanchi R. Keeler H. Strong S. et al. Building structural competency through community engagement. Clin Teach. 2021; 18: 535-541 Crossref PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar Community-based service learning (CBSL), a teaching strategy that combines community service with “explicit learning objectives, preparation, and reflection,” 3 Seifer S.D. Hermanns K. Lewis J. Creating community-responsive physicians: Concepts and models for service-learning in medical education. American Association for Higher Education, 2000〈https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED449734.pdf〉 Google Scholar is one methodology that can be used to give participants the opportunity to engage with the local community while also learning about the context in which the service is provided.

The Power of Proximity: Navigating Physical and Psychological Connection in Service-Learning Courses Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

Service-learning is an experiential pedagogy that combines community service opportunities with academic content and critical reflection. When higher education rapidly shifted to online learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators, community partners, and students had to reimagine how to implement the community component of this pedagogy. As a part of a larger study from a pilot service-learning-mentoring program, results from the spring 2020 semester showed that students’ attitudes about civic action, social justice, and diversity decreased throughout the semester. We argue that a decrease in civic attitudes seen in service learners during the spring 2020 semester points to important implications about the impact of shared and sustained distress on student’s capacity to engage in service activities that deviate from their expectations of service as an opportunity to provide in-person help to individuals. We consider the role of psychological proximity in moving students to see themselves as interconnected with the communities they serve and to see the problems that exist in these communities as their own. We suggest that a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic might provide an opportunity for service learners to build psychological proximity to communities and social problems in the absence of physical proximity.

Socially responsible students and improved health for community-the benefits of service-learning in Pakistan.

In developing countries, marginalized groups of the society suffer due to inadequate health workforce, physical inaccessibility to health-care facilities and nonavailability of appropriate services. Service-learning, which combines community service with structured preparation and reflection exercises, may be used to reach such communities. Service learning electives aimed at teaching students their required coursework as well as the importance of commitment to the community, were developed. In four different projects, college students developed and delivered an educational campaign to community members. Knowledge of participants was tested pre- and post-intervention. For two projects, on-site hemoglobin (Hb) testing was provided through point of care testing before and at 8 weeks' post-intervention. Women and children were given immediate treatment. Focus group discussion was carried out for students and participants. Significant improvement was seen in the sense of social responsibility of students and knowledge of community members about iron deficiency anemia in all the four campaigns. In one of the studies, the initial point-of-care testing (POCT) screening for Hb found that 52.9% of women and 46.9% of children were anemic (Hb <120 g/L). The average Hb concentration increased post-intervention both in women and children. More SL campaigns utilizing the huge untapped human resource in the form of the college and high school students will provide assistance to those involved in public health. These campaigns provided an opportunity to undergraduate medical students to interact with community members leading to significant learning for both students and community participants. Hb tests were conducted in the community through POCT, which enabled immediate treatment of anemia and improvement in an important health indicator.

84. TEACHING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS VIA SERVICE LEARNING AND COMMUNITY EXPLORATION

Background Residents must be familiar with the community they serve and understand the impact of social determinants of health (SDH). Service learning is an educational approach that combines community service with reflection to achieve meaningful community engagement and understanding of SDH. We designed an intern orientation program to engage new trainees in conversations about SDH and advocacy through service learning and a team building experience. Objective Assess the impact of a community tour and volunteer experience on knowledge of local community, attitudes around SDH screening, and intern bonding. Methods The intervention included a didactic session on SDH; a walking tour of East Harlem (EH), the hospital neighborhood; and a visit to a local food pantry/community-based organization where residents engaged in a volunteer activity (packing meals). Residents completed a mixed methods survey with retrospective pre/post questions to reflect on the impact of the activity on knowledge and attitudes regarding: patient demographics, SDH (particularly food insecurity), and familiarity with co-interns. Data were analyzed using McNemar's test. RESULTS:35 residents were surveyed in 2017-2018. The program was effective in increasing interns’ understanding of the demographics and health issues affecting EH children (p=0.001) as well as increasing comfort discussing food insecurity with patients (p=0.001). All respondents reported a future plan to screen patients for food security, and 100% affirmed that program participation provided tools to help their patients. 97% agreed the activity helped them get to know their fellow interns. When asked for favorite aspects of the day, “volunteering at the pantry and giving back to the community,” “learning more about the EH community” and “getting to know our co-residents,” were identified. Conclusion A volunteer experience followed by a walking tour gave interns the opportunity to learn about EH while performing community service and bonding with their co-interns. Future research is needed to ascertain whether this hands-on experience inspires and sustains a program culture of advocacy.

A Public Health Service-Learning Capstone: Ideal for Students, Academia and Community.

Undergraduate public health degree programs strive to educate students to improve the health of communities. As such we have an obligation to develop curricula that push students to think critically about their perspectives, examine assumptions, and provide supported opportunities to apply their academic learning. In addition, curricula ideally develop and nurture students' sense of civic responsibility. Community-engaged learning provides opportunities for students to interact with populations with a range of needs and different perspectives. Students need to be prepared to engage ethically and respectfully, while thinking critically about and reflecting on their roles in these communities. Service-learning is a high-impact practice that combines community service with structured academic learning, including preparation, and reflection. In line with public health community-based work, a key aspect of service-learning is the intentional development of community partnerships to ensure that students are filling the needs defined by the communities themselves. Accreditation criteria may guide what is taught but say little about how it should be taught. However, how we teach matters. Service-learning is a high impact practice that not only aligns well with the goals and objectives of an accreditation required culminating senior experience but shares many of the values of the discipline of public health. This paper analyzes the use of service-learning in the development and delivery of the University of Washington School of Public Health undergraduate Public Health-Global Health majors' culminating experience. We describe the course learning objectives, structure, and assessment tools. In addition, we present quantitative and qualitative results on the impact of the course. We argue that it is feasible, sustainable, and beneficial to students and communities when the high impact practice of service-learning is used in delivery of a culminating senior experience.

Service Learning as an Alternative Academic Trend in U. S. Higher Education from the late-1960s to the mid-1980s: A Case Study from Michigan State University

The article sheds light on the way in which alternative academic trends that originated alongside student protests in the late-1960s and early-1970s influenced higher education in the U. S. It focuses on a case study from Michigan State University (MSU), analysing the initiation and implementation process of service learning, an alternative trend in education that combined community service with academic education, from the late-1960s to the mid-1980s. It examines the roles different stakeholders at the local level (i. e., students, faculty, and administrators) as well as others on the national level (i. e., politicians and education commissioners) played in influencing that process. The case of service learning at MSU exemplifies that an alternative trend, one introduced from the bottom up, could become a standard academic practice, yet one that was not implemented without numerous adjustments and compromises. This article will demonstrate the pedagogical method’s execution and how its educational goals changed according to common standards in higher education that were usually established from the top down.

Incorporation of a Food Insecurity Garden into an Experiential Learning Community Nutrition Course

To provide undergraduate nutrition students enrolled in a community nutrition course, a structured service learning experience that combined community service with student learning objectives and reflections. Students experienced the development of an on-campus garden, maintenance, harvest and distribution of the produce. Undergraduate dietetics students are expected to develop discipline-specific skills but often do not have the opportunity to put course knowledge into practice. Community gardens are increasing in popularity and it is essential that future community dietitians understand what is involved in implementing a garden, maintaining it and then harvesting as well as preparing the produce if they are going to be encouraging their clients to garden. The senior-level Community Nutrition course met for 15 weeks and included 100 minutes each of lecture and lab weekly. The course fulfilled the university’s Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) by requiring each student to complete a minimum of 20 hours of service learning activities which included working in the garden and/or processing the produce for utilization in the nutrition program’s food security backpack program. The garden produced 157.5 pounds of food (106 pounds of tomatoes, 48 pounds of potatoes and 3.5 pounds of kale and lettuce). Students also canned 16 jars of applesauce from local apples and 92 cans of tomato sauce from the tomatoes. Qualitative data was collected from the students via guided reflections. The implementation of an on-campus food insecurity garden was viewed as a valuable learning experience by students and also contributed to reducing food insecurity in the community.

Teaching corner: "first do no harm": teaching global health ethics to medical trainees through experiential learning.

Recent studies show that returning global health trainees often report having felt inadequately prepared to deal with ethical dilemmas they encountered during outreach clinical work. While global health training guidelines emphasize the importance of developing ethical and cultural competencies before embarking on fieldwork, their practical implementation is often lacking and consists mainly of recommendations regarding professional behavior and discussions of case studies. Evidence suggests that one of the most effective ways to teach certain skills in global health, including ethical and cultural competencies, is through service learning. This approach combines community service with experiential learning. Unfortunately, this approach to global health ethics training is often unattainable due to a lack of supervision and resources available at host locations. This often means that trainees enter global health initiatives unprepared to deal with ethical dilemmas, which has the potential for adverse consequences for patients and host institutions, thus contributing to growing concerns about exploitation and "medical tourism." From an educational perspective, exposure alone to such ethical dilemmas does not contribute to learning, due to lack of proper guidance. We propose that the tension between the benefits of service learning on the one hand and the respect for patients' rights and well-being on the other could be resolved by the application of a simulation-based approach to global health ethics education.

Service-learning instructional design considerations

This paper explores the design of service-learning experiences to engage college students in the real-world application of course subject matter. Service learning is an educational approach that combines community service, academic coursework, and work-based applied learning. Based on data gathered during a series of recent interviews conducted with students, faculty, and instructional designers with applied and service-learning experience, a set of design considerations is offered for the facilitation of service-learning experiences in both campus-based and online courses.

A Clinical Service Learning Program Promotes Mastery of Essential Competencies in Geriatric Physical Therapy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEIn 2010 there were 40 million older adults, defined as those 65 years of age and older, in United States. This number is predicted to more than double by year 2030.1,2 By 2050, individuals 65 years of age and older will make up approximately 20% of US population.2,3Older adults are a heterogeneous group ranging from those who are frail elders to elite athletes. Brummel-Smith4 defined optimal aging as the capacity to function across many domains-physical, functional, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual-to one's satisfaction and in spite of one's medical conditions. A large majority of older adults fail to live into this ideal. The slippery slope of aging described by Schwartz5(P3) depicts a general decline in physiological and functional ability that has been observed with increasing age. Approximately 80% of older adults report living with at least 1 chronic medical condition and 50% have 2 or more.6 Obesity, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, depression, injuries related to falls, and hearing and vision impairments often co-occur with typical multisystem changes associated with aging.7'9 Age-related decline in physical performance in conjunction with additional pathologic conditions often results in loss of functional ability. Approximately 36% of older adults report a disability of some kind, with 23% reporting limitations in walking and 8% reporting some dependence in self-care.10Physical therapists must be able to identify variable needs of older adults and provide care that is commensurate with those needs in order to promote optimal aging and quality of life. Physical therapist education programs must prepare future PTs to address health promotion, safety, mobility, and physical performance issues of older adults. Students need to recognize normal changes that occur with aging, understand common pathologies associated with older adults, and then discern among effects of new pathology, normal effects of aging, or a combination of two in order to direct care appropriately. They must be able to engage in interprofessional collaboration and caregiver training in order to provide competent care to older adults across health care continuum and in community.The American Physical Therapy Association Section on Geriatrics (now known as Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy) developed Essential Competencies in Care of Older Adults at Completion of Entry-level Physical Therapist Professional Program of Study (see page 91 of this issue)11 to identify skills necessary to provide competent care to this older adult population. The essential competencies11 are organized into following 6 domains: Health Promotion and Safety, Evaluation and Assessment, Care Planning and Coordination Across Care Spectrum, Interdisciplinary and Team Care, Caregiver Support, and Healthcare Systems and Benefits. Within each of these 6 domains,11 cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills essential to providing physical therapy care to older adults are identified. A variety of pedagogical approaches may help to ensure that academic programs in physical therapy foster student development of these skills in order to serve aging population.Service learning and other experiential learning opportunities may help enhance academic coursework that prepares students to fulfill essential competencies.11 Service learning combines community service with academic coursework for purposes of satisfying explicit academic objectives.12,13 Experiential learning can also be accomplished through student participation in provision of volunteer services, which are often provided free of charge.14'16 In both cases, students have opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios and develop cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills relevant to physical therapist practice, including practice with older adults. …

Service learning with reflective learning outcomes by a medical student at an international meeting

Service learning is defined as a “structured learning experience that combines community service with preparation and reflection” [1]. As the healthcare system evolves, reorienting medical education toward community health is one strategy for aligning the priorities of academic medical centers with those of the general population [2]. In recent years, Taiwan medical education has undergone a dramatic change, and medical students are now encouraged to acknowledge the competencies of general medicine and study in community medicine. Thus, medical students are exposed to a wide range of community services, mostly involving rural areas. Reflective capacity is crucial in developing critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills and in cultivating professionalism [3]. The use of reflective narratives to augment reflective practice instruction is well documented. Reflective writing has also been shown to be an effective method of self-reflection for medical students to facilitate the maturation process in dealing with uncertainty, promote personal and professional development, and augment their ability to connect with others [4,5]. The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate a medical student’s self-reflection and learning outcomes linked to the six core competencies of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) after voluntary participation at an international meeting. Instead of traditional community service,

SERVICE-LEARNING in Nursing Education:Its Impact on Leadership and Social Justice

Although studies suggest that service-learning is positive for students, findings reported are primarily qualitative. A convenience sample of 306 senior-level nursing students completed the Service-Learning Self-Evaluation Tool (SLSET) pre- and post-service-learning experience over a six-year span. The constructs measured were leadership skills and social justice. Paired t-tests were calculated. Statistically significant differences were noted between pre- and post-service-learning experience, with students rating themselves higher on leadership and social justice items after the experience. Cronbach's alpha for leadership and social justice were greater than 0.80. Service-learning as an educational methodology that combines community service with academic learning objectives is a viable strategy for facilitating leadership skills and increased awareness of social justice issues in nursing students.

Undergraduate geriatric education through community service learning

Despite the exponential growth of the elderly population worldwide, geriatric education has been a formal component of only a few dental schools' curricula. To describe the geriatric community service learning (CSL) component of the professionalism and community service (PACS) module, and to explore a CSL project carried out by a group of first year dental students at a long-term care facility. A literature review was performed to present and describe the CSL component of the PACS module. Students' personal reflections were used to illustrate some of the joys and challenges of experiencing a long-term care facility environment. The newly developed PACS module combines community service learning with the long-term care experience. Students develop, apply and evaluate an educational health promotion activity in a long-term care facility. The PACS module has encouraged students to acquire comprehensive knowledge and awareness of the needs and dynamics of a long-term care as they collaboratively interacted with personnel from the facility to develop their projects. The authors would like to engage other schools in discussing the need to integrate community-based geriatric education into their dental curricula.

“City Council Meetings Are Cool”: Increasing Student Civic Engagement Through Service Learning

This article examines the growing body of literature on service learning as a pedagogical tool within political science. It also reports the results of a service learning experiment used in a course on State and Local Politics. Students completed service learning projects that combined community service, attendance at local political meetings (i.e., city council or school board meetings), and interviews with elected officials. The students reflected on their experiences through written papers, oral presentations, and an evaluation of the service learning experience. The vignettes presented in this article highlight the potential benefits of incorporating service learning into political science courses, including enhanced civic engagement and understanding of the policymaking process. Assessment of these learning outcomes was based on the content and quality of the written and oral presentations, student self-evaluations, and a pretest/posttest. The model used in this course is easy to adapt to any political science course, offering a useful tool to promote active learning outside the classroom experience.

The Impact of a Sport-Based Life Skill Program on Adolescent Prosocial Values

Abstract This article describes the implementation and evaluation of a sport-based life skills and community service program. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the impact of a combined life skills and community service program on adolescents' prosocial values. The program was part of a national golf and life skills enrichment academy for adolescents (n = 100). It was hypothesized that the life skills component would have a significant impact on adolescents' prosocial values and that participants (n = 42) who were involved in the community service component following the program, when compared to a comparison group (n = 23), would maintain their increased levels of prosocial values. Results indicated that the program had a significant positive impact on adolescents' prosocial values and that the community service experience positively impacted the adolescents' levels of empathic concern and social responsibility. These results are consistent with existing research on participating in community service.

The Impact of a Sport-Based Life Skill Program on Adolescent Prosocial Values

This article describes the implementation and evaluation of a sport-based life skills and community service program. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the impact of a combined life skills and community service program on adolescents' prosocial values. The program was part of a national golf and life skills enrichment academy for adolescents (n = 100). It was hypothesized that the life skills component would have a significant impact on adolescents' prosocial values and that participants (n = 42) who were involved in the community service component following the program, when compared to a comparison group (n = 23), would maintain their increased levels of prosocial values. Results indicated that the program had a significant positive impact on adolescents' prosocial values and that the community service experience positively impacted the adolescents' levels of empathic concern and social responsibility. These results are consistent with existing research on participating in community service.

Multifaceted Aspects of Assessment in Service Learning: Lessons Learned

Article Overview. Service learning is a teaching methodology that combines community service with explicit academic learning objectives, preparation, and reflection. It is a formal program that fosters student service in the local community and coincides with the theme of a course or specific topic of discussion. Much of the research in service learning, however, has been conducted on undergraduate students. Despite educators' eagerness to incorporate service learning throughout university health professions education programs, there is a paucity of graduate-level outcomes research in evaluating the effectiveness of personal and professional development. This article synthesizes the available instruments to measure outcomes of service learning. It presents strategies for the use of qualitative and quantitative analyses in measuring the effectiveness of service learning within a physical therapist education program curriculum. Key Words: Service learning, Physical therapy, Graduate, Outcome assessment. INTRODUCTION A dynamic physical therapist (PT) interacts daily with people of all backgrounds, age groups, and heritages. To prepare students for this reality, educators are often challenged to design for them engaging cross-cultural experiences. Service learning is a pedagogy that combines community service with explicit academic objectives, preparation, and reflection,1 and it is an effective tool for linking academic learning with practical experience.2 Before adopting service learning as a mandatory experience within the curriculum, it is important to assess its effectiveness in promoting the skills necessary for successful physical therapist-patient/client interaction. This article will present our initial attempt to assess the benefits of service learning through quantitative and qualitative data collection. It will conclude with a discussion of strategies for assessment that include practical tools for implementation in planning for successful service-learning outcomes. Introduction to Lessons Learned in Assessment Our research exploring the use of various assessment strategies was conducted in 1999, when few instruments were available to measure service learning for graduate students. Therefore, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to analyze the integration of service learning into the curriculum of a graduate physical therapist education program. We hypothesized that graduate PT students who were educated using a service-learning model would demonstrate increased levels of civic responsibility when compared with graduate-level PT students who had not participated in a service-learning course. Ninety-two Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) students participated in the study at the initiation of the fall semester (1999) and at the completion of the spring semester (2000). All students were given a survey at the beginning of the fall semester and again in the spring, at the end of the academic year. They were also instructed to keep journals of their experiences on a regular basis and to write in them immediately after their service. Upon completion of the 30 hours, students were asked to write summaries of their entire service-learning experience. Faculty members teaching in the program were responsible for discussing service learning as it related to physical therapy interventions and physical therapist practice, thereby guiding students toward making connections between learning in the community and in the classroom or clinic. The Data Collection Instruments The guiding questions for this study included: 1. How does your experience affect the way you view service learning in the community? 2. How does service learning shape your role as a PT? 3 . Do you have a greater understanding of yourself as a result of service learning? The data were both quantitative and qualitative in nature. Qualitative data included journal entries and summary statements. …

Physical Therapist Student and Community Partner Perspectives and Attitudes Regarding Service-Learning Experiences

Background and Purpose. Service learning (SL), a well-established curricular component in many health professions programs, such as dentistry, medicine, and nursing, is now becoming recognized as an effective pedagogical method in physical therapy. However, there is little known about physical therapist student perceptions of and attitudes toward SL, and there is even less information describing the perceptions and attitudes of the community organizations and partners with whom they work. Subjects. Seventy-five physical therapist students and 24 local community-partner organizations participated in this study. Methods. Pencil and paper surveys were administered to assess the impact of SL experiences threaded into the curriculum of a professional physical therapist education program. Results. Both the physical therapist students (100% response rate) and community partners (80% response rate) overwhelmingly indicated that their experiences were positive, that they valued the partnerships, and that they benefited from service learning. Discussion and Conclusion. The fact that both groups perceived benefits from SL experiences provides additional support to the value of SL as a pedagogical method in physical therapist education. Future research should include evaluation of post-graduate and alumni surveys to observe lasting effects of community service experiences on physical therapist practice. Key Words: Physical therapy, Service learning, Outcomes survey research. INTRODUCTION Service learning (SL) is recognized and emphasized as an important component of health care professions education.1-5 It encourages future professionals to practice health promotion and disease-prevention strategies, develops patient/client communication skills, fosters civic and social responsibility, and enhances the understanding of the social, financial, and ethical aspects of health care.2-4,6-8 Service learning, as defined by the Health Professions Schools in Service to the Nation (HPSISN),8 is a structured learning experience that combines community service with explicit learning objectives, preparation, and reflection. Unlike volunteerism, in which the primary focus is the service being provided and the primary beneficiary is the patient/client, SL attempts to balance the service being provided to the community recipient with the student learning experience. 2,3,6 Several nonprofit organizations and government programs have promoted and supported the development of SL initiatives through campus-community partnerships to enhance education, research, and service opportunities.7-13 According to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, nearly 2 million students participate in SL at public and private higher-education institutions in the United States, and almost half of the community colleges offer SL courses.14 Although service learning is a wellestablished curricular component in many health professions education programs in fields such as medicine, dentistry, and nursing, physical therapist and occupational therapist education programs have only recently begun incorporating it into their training as a pedagogical tool.5,15-24 The popularity of SL in physical therapist education programs is evident by recent articles and national presentations.24-32 In 2004, Village and colleagues conducted a survey of all accredited physical therapist (PT) and physical therapist assistant (PTA) education programs in the United States; the study revealed that many of them provided SL, volunteerism, or some type of pro bono clinics within their curricula.30 The report notes that of the programs responding to the survey, 50 (88%) and 38 (75%) of the PT and PTA programs, respectively, included SL in their curricula.30 Furthermore, 53% of the PT and 20% of the PTA education programs that did not use SL indicated a plan to implement it in the future. Service learning is addressing community health needs and specific educational competencies such as communication, professional behavior, social responsibility, wellness and prevention, screening, and consultation that many clinical education experiences alone may not adequately provide for students. …

Impact of Service Learning on Physical Therapist Studentsʼ Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Older Adults and on Their Critical Thinking Ability

Background and Purpose. The increased use of health care services by older adults has prompted an interest in preparing physical therapists to better deal with the special needs of this population. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of service learning on physical therapist students' knowledge of and attitudes about the older adult and on their critical thinking ability. Subjects. A cohort of 40 students in a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) degree program was divided into either an experimental (service-learning) group or a control (no service learning) group in the last semester of a 3-year curriculum while enrolled in a geriatric rehabilitation course. Methods. General knowledge and attitudes about aging were measured by Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz I (FAQ). Critical thinking skills were measured by the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA). Both tests are reported to be valid and reliable and have been used in many studies for at least 25 years. The FAQ and the WGCTA were administered to students at the first and last class meetings. Results. Two-way analyses of variance for repeated measures revealed that all students, regardless of pedagogical method, increased their knowledge about aging (P Key Words: Aging, Attitudes, Critical thinking, Physical therapist education, Service learning. INTRODUCTION As the number and proportion of elderly people rapidly increase in the next few decades, there will be increased demands for physical therapists to work with older clients. Although the availability of physical therapists to work with elderly people will be determined, in part, by their personal preferences,1 most physical therapists will be routinely required to work with elderly clients and clients' aging family members.2 In order to provide effective services, it is imperative that physical therapist students possess adequate knowledge about the aging process and recognize the individuality of older clients, as well as their capacity for growth. Service learning is a pedagogical method that combines community service with explicit academic learning objectives, preparation, and reflection.3 One of the primary goals of service learning is to provide service to the community. Another goal of service learning is for students to apply what they have learned to real-life settings and to use these community-based experiences during classroom discussions. Another key component of the service-learning experience is to provide opportunities for students to reflect upon their service activities and to learn from these experiences. Critical thinking is an outcome expected of all physical therapist graduates.4,5 Watson and Glaser defined critical thinking as a compilation of attitudes, knowledge, and skill that encompasses five areas: inferences, assumptions, conclusions, interpretations, and arguments.6 Physical therapist educators are faced with the task of promoting educational strategies to develop the abilities of physical therapist students to think critically in all health care settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of service learning on physical therapist students' knowledge and attitudes about the older adult and on their critical thinking ability. The following hypotheses were generated: 1. Physical therapist students' knowledge, misconceptions, and bias regarding aging will be improved following a service-learning experience in a geriatric rehabilitation course. …