Community-based Service Learning Research Articles

Clinical Psychologists’ Experiences of “Community Service” in South Africa: Community-Based Service Learning and Primary Healthcare

Many South African master’s degree programmes in Clinical Psychology integrate community psychology training modules into the first year (M1) of the coursework. Such modules often incorporate community-based service learning (CBSL) to equip trainees for work in primary healthcare settings. After completing their M1 year, trainees complete a year’s internship (M2) in a psychiatric setting, followed by a mandatory third year of “community service”, before being able to register for independent practice. This raises questions about the preparation of trainees for this additional year, including its links with CBSL and the provision of primary healthcare. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical psychologists’ experiences of and settings for community service, and resonances with and contrasts to CBSL. The data were collected through an online survey accessing reflections of trainee clinical psychologists from five South African universities (n = 12), who had recently completed, or were currently completing, their community service. The data were analysed by template analysis. The resonances in the findings seem to be linked to the trainees’ relational and attitudinal skills and concepts related to community psychology, refined and applied during their M1 year. The contrasts in the themes illustrate the predominance of traditional clinical placements during community service, with their associated demands linked to dominant clinical practice. In conclusion, this study indicates that community service settings for clinical psychologists are seldom well linked to primary healthcare or based in community settings. Recommendations are made for CBSL in the M1 year and for expanding the settings of community service more widely into primary healthcare.

Understanding the perspective of community co-educators on community-based service learning: a qualitative analysis.

Community-based service learning (CBSL) is a core component of the Canadian medical education system. However, the unique role of community partner organizations (CPOs) in supporting CBSL remains unclear. This qualitative study evaluates the perspective of CPOs as co-educators in the undergraduate medical curriculum. We conducted eight semi-structured, one-on-one interviews with CPOs at a medical school in Toronto, Ontario between 2020-2021. Interviews were conducted following a pre-determined interview guide and then recorded, de-identified, and transcribed. Three reviewers independently performed an inductive thematic analysis of codes followed by a group review of discrepancies. Five main findings were identified: 1) CPOs share a common interest in serving as co-educators; 2) considerable heterogeneity in the understanding of co-education exists; 3) there is an opportunity for increased partnerships between CPOs and faculty; 4) the role of co-educators is limited by curriculum structure; and 5) co-educators facilitate unique teachings of social determinants of health otherwise not available through traditional didactic teaching. There is an emerging, unique role for community co-educators in the undergraduate medical curriculum, supported by interest from CPOs. Its emphasis may contribute to future cohorts of medical students capable of understanding and addressing the needs of the populations they serve.

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.

Do Right, Be Bright: A Protocol on the Development of an Inter-Professional Health Intervention Model for Pre-School Children Through a Community-Based Service-Learning Initiative.

An inter-professional project with a collaborative endeavor between the programs of Dentistry, Nutrition and Medicine was carried out with the aim to emphasise oral health maintenance, making the right nutritional choices and effective hand washing among pre-school children. The purpose of this paper is to share a detailed description of the design, development process, implementation, and planned evaluation of an interprofessional school-based health promotion intervention model "Do Right, Be Bright". This model is part of a quasi-experimental study, targeting pre-school children as the "Targets of Change" through the empowerment of school teachers as the "Agents of Change". The program design was based on Bartholomew's Intervention Mapping Approach, which proposes a direction for developing a theory-based health promotion intervention and on the most extensively applied theories of health behavior, the Health Belief Model. Therefore, based on a thorough literature review and needs assessment, three key areas of needs were identified for the targeted preschool children: oral hygiene, hand hygiene and nutrition. The efficacy of this model will be pilot tested in a preschool in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Building Radical Listening and Empathy through an Implementation Lab in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course.

With rapid advances in science and technology, individuals are faced with the challenging process of making decisions based on sound and accurate information. As a result, to promote scientific literacy, scientists must be able to engage with a wide range of audiences in an inclusive and engaging manner. In addition to a solid knowledge of facts and data, effective scientific communication requires an empathetic approach that comes from a place of understanding and values the knowledge and experience of the intended audience. Here, we present two modules designed to introduce undergraduate students to fundamental concepts in empathetic science communication and provide an opportunity for students to develop a personalized methodology. Over the course of two 75-min classes, students engaged in the process of character development and role play in support of discussions around vaccine hesitancy or community-based service learning. Based on student feedback, the module was well received and supported student growth as engaged scientists and citizens.

Advocacy in community-based service learning: perspectives of community partner organizations.

Health advocacy is a core competency for physicians, which can be developed through community-based service-learning (CBSL). This exploratory study investigated the experiences of community partner organizations (CPOs) participating in CBSL in the context of health advocacy. A qualitative study was conducted. Nine CPOs at a medical school participated in interviews on topics pertaining to CBSL and health advocacy. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded. Major themes were identified. CPOs perceived a positive impact from CBSL through student activities and connecting with the medical community. There was no unifying definition of health advocacy. Advocacy activities varied depending on the individual's role (i.e., CPO, physician, and student), which encompassed providing patient care or services, raising awareness of healthcare issues, and influencing policy changes. CPOs had different perceptions of their role in CBSL from facilitating service-learning opportunities to teaching students in CBSL, while a few desired to be involved in curriculum development. This study provides further insight into health advocacy from the lens of CPOs, which may inform changes to health advocacy training and the CanMEDS Health Advocate Role to better align with the values of community organizations. Engaging CPOs in the broader medical education system may improve health advocacy training and ensure a positive bidirectional impact.

Comprehending the Effect of Nature-Based Community-Based Service Learning on Students' Engagement, Community Involvement, Servant Leadership in Secondary and Higher STEAM Education

Comprehending the Effect of Nature-Based Community-Based Service Learning on Students' Engagement, Community Involvement, Servant Leadership in Secondary and Higher STEAM Education

Engaging health professions students in community-based service learning through the design of a needs assessment survey

Background: Interprofessional student participation in community-based service learning projects is critically important for the preparation of future health professionals to care for underserved and vulnerable populations. Oftentimes, there is a disconnect between existing community services and the actual needs of individuals being served, such as those experiencing homelessness. A best practice of launching a new service learning project is to begin with a needs assessment. This study describes the stepwise approach taken to guide students launching a new street medicine program in developing and administering a needs assessment survey and is generalizable to other student-led service learning outreaches. Methods: We conducted a needs assessment from April-June 2018 on 144 unsheltered homeless individuals in metro Phoenix, Arizona. The 16-question survey investigated perceptions of priority needs, sources of medical care, health literacy, and health status. Survey results were analyzed using Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, chi-squared analysis, and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Most respondents (91.6%) identified food as a top need. The majority (64.1%) utilized emergency departments as their primary source of care, and 40.1% reported suboptimal health. Suboptimal health was more likely to be reported in those who expressed transportation (OR 3.03, 95% CI: 1.30-7.07) as a top priority need. Health illiteracy (OR 3.68, 95% CI: 0.76-17.9) was associated with suboptimal health, as was obtaining care at an Emergency Department (OR 2.05, 95% CI: 0.81-5.25). Conclusions: Pairing healthcare with meals and other primary needs may be an effective strategy to increase service utilization by this population. Future needs assessments should consider implementing open-ended questions to better assess the holistic needs of study populations and match community partner organization services with these needs. Needs assessments provide an opportunity for health professional students to learn about social needs and more effectively connect patients with services from community agencies and healthcare organizations.

Engaging Health Professions Students in Community-Based Service Learning Through Design of a Needs Assessment Survey

Engaging Health Professions Students in Community-Based Service Learning Through Design of a Needs Assessment Survey

Engaging Health Professions Students in Community-Based Service Learning Through Design of a Needs Assessment Survey

Engaging Health Professions Students in Community-Based Service Learning Through Design of a Needs Assessment Survey

Implementing Fitness and Nutrition Education in Urban, Underserved, Community-Based Montessori Schools: Challenges and Lessons Learned.

Few studies have discussed school-based health programs in Montessori education. Lumin has a network of Montessori elementary schools serving mainly lower income families in Dallas, Texas. Since 2015, our medical school has partnered with Lumin to design and implement fitness and nutrition curricula adherent to Montessori principles. To describe a novel Montessori school-based health program and determine avenues for improvement based on lessons learned. Led by medical students with guidance from faculty mentors, the program was developed collaboratively with Lumin leaders based on a critical need in their community and shaped with results from a cross-sectional health needs assessment among Lumin families. Data were collected to measure the impact of the program and a program evaluation was conducted after 5 years of operation to explore curriculum refinement.Results and Lessons Learned: The greatest challenges were recruitment of student volunteers, scheduling and coordination, and garnering community interest for secondary activities (e.g., health fairs). Despite challenges, this partnership has resulted in a successful program that relies on faculty and student volunteers, incorporates community-based participatory research and service learning concepts, and follows Montessori principles.

Preparing Linguistically and Culturally Conscious Pre-service Teachers with a Community-based Service-learning Project

Teacher preparation for culturally and linguistically diverse communities is crucial as classrooms become increasingly diverse. This study reports on the interaction between 20 pre-service teachers (PSTs) and adult emergent bilinguals during a community-based service-learning (CBSL) project. The project was part of a course offered at a state university in the northeastern USA. The qualitative data demonstrated that the PSTs gained sociolinguistic consciousness, learned about language learners’ prior experiences and linguistic proficiencies, and identified the linguistic demands of the interaction. The study also revealed that CBSL projects can possibly be an effective means of teacher preparation for emergent bilinguals worldwide.

Intergenerational service learning outcomes for event management undergraduates involved in organizing Pickleball events

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport for older adults in the United States. This study explored the impact exerted by service learning experiences on the mental health and ageist attitudes of undergraduates, as well as their stances on civic engagement. The study was conducted over five consecutive semesters between 2014 and 2016, with participants comprising 211 students enrolled in an event management course offered by a tourism department. All participating students were engaged in community-based service learning projects. Their service learning experiences were found to be associated with superior mental health and increased civic responsibility. The hosting of pickleball competitions for older adults by the undergraduate participants also possibly improved their mental health and reduced their ageism.

Social Determinants of Health Screening by Preclinical Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Service-Based Learning Case Study.

BackgroundThe inclusion of social determinants of health is mandated for undergraduate medical education. However, little is known about how to prepare preclinical students for real-world screening and referrals for addressing social determinants of health.ObjectiveThis pilot project’s objective was to evaluate the feasibility of using a real-world, service-based learning approach for training preclinical students to assess social needs and make relevant referrals via the electronic medical record during the COVID-19 pandemic (May to June 2020).MethodsThis project was designed to address an acute community service need and to teach preclinical, second-year medical student volunteers (n=11) how to assess social needs and make referrals by using the 10-item Social Determinants of Health Screening Questionnaire in the electronic health record (EHR; Epic platform; Epic Systems Corporation). Third-year medical student volunteers (n=3), who had completed 6 clinical rotations, led the 2-hour skills development orientation and were available for ongoing mentoring and peer support. All student-patient communication was conducted by telephone, and bilingual (English and Spanish) students called the patients who preferred to communicate in Spanish. We analyzed EHR data extracted from Epic to evaluate screening and data extracted from REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture; Vanderbilt University) to evaluate community health workers’ notes. We elicited feedback from the participating preclinical students to evaluate the future use of this community-based service learning approach in our preclinical curriculum.ResultsThe preclinical students completed 45 screening interviews. Of the 45 screened patients, 20 (44%) screened positive for at least 1 social need. Almost all of these patients (19/20, 95%) were referred to the community health worker. Half (8/16, 50%) of the patients who had consultations with the community health worker were connected with a relevant social service resource. The preclinical students indicated that project participation increased their ability to assess social needs and make needed EHR referrals. Food insecurity was the most common social need.ConclusionsPractical exposure to social needs assessment has the potential to help preclinical medical students develop the ability to address social concerns prior to entering clinical clerkships in their third year of medical school. The students can also become familiar with the EHR prior to entering third-year clerkships. Physicians, who are aware of social needs and have the electronic medical record tools and staff resources needed to act, can create workflows to make social needs assessments and services integral components of health care. Research studies and quality improvement initiatives need to investigate how to integrate screening for social needs and connecting patients to the appropriate social services into routine primary care procedures.

The Australian Catholic University and DePaul University (Chicago) service-learning partnership

In this paper, we report on the service-learning partnership between Australian Catholic University and DePaul University (Chicago) and how this partnership has enriched the scholarship of service-learning for both institutions. Using a case study methodology, we explore how two large Catholic Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs) with similar, yet distinct missions have partnered to learn about each other’s approaches and contexts. Since 2018, the SteansCenter for Community-Based Service-learning and Community Service Studies (DePaul) and ACU Engagement, the central agency responsible for supporting the extensive service-learning program at ACU, have met to discuss their programs and explore opportunities for collaboration. These discussions have led to new understandings and translations in the pedagogical terminology across Australian and US contexts and the identification of how mission coherence can inform partnerships between CHEIs. The partnership has also led to ongoing collaborations that have furthered the service-learning mission and institutionalisation of both universities. The paper concludes by reflecting upon the value of partnerships between CHEIs across national boundaries and the value of mutually exploring mission, principles, and practice as the field seeks further institutionalisation of service-learning. That is, service-learning for the mutual benefit and transformation of the community and university.

Development and Content Validity of the Personal-Professional Development Tool for Occupational Therapy Students During Community-Based Service Learning

As community-based service-learning becomes more widely used in occupational therapy (OT) education, valid and reliable outcome measures are needed to ensure that student learning outcomes are meaningfully and consistently measured. Currently, educators may use instructor-developed questionnaires that have not been validated or employ narrowly focused or overly prescriptive surveys borrowed from other disciplines that may not fully capture the skills that are necessary for competent entry-level practice. Grounded in the Occupational Adaptation Model, the Personal-Professional Development Tool (PPDT) was developed to meet this need. The PPDT was designed as a non-normative, self-referential rating scale that OT students use to set their own learning goals and to self-rate and reflect on their relative mastery of selected skills before and after participation in service-learning. To establish content validity of the PPDT, six experts rated the relevance of each of the 29 test items for measuring the central construct of student personal-professional development. Item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) was calculated for each item and adjusted for chance agreements. Twenty-seven items had excellent I-CVI (≥ 0.8) and were retained. Two items had fair I-CVI (0.67) and were revised. With acceptable Scale-level Content Validity Index (S-CVI = 0.91), pilot testing of the revised PPDT in the field is warranted. The PPDT may be a powerful tool to help guide OT students through a community-based service-learning experience by facilitating their setting learning goals, rating their performance, and reflecting on their personal-professional development.

Developing students' solidarity disposition: A case for translation in community‐based service‐learning

AbstractThis study investigates the ways students' disposition toward solidarity can be fostered during a community‐based service‐learning (CBSL) project performed remotely, not requiring direct contact or interactions with community members. Seventeen students were enrolled in an advanced Spanish grammar course section with a service‐learning component and collaborated throughout the semester to translate documents from English to Spanish for three local non‐profit organizations. The analysis of their end‐of‐semester reflection papers reveals that the high stakes of the outcome (facilitating the local Spanish‐speaking population's access to essential social services) influenced students' engagement in the task, triggered by an emotional buy‐in with the nonprofit organization's missions. Participation in the CBSL project fostered solidarity disposition as students considered opportunities to get involved and reflected on how they might be able to support Spanish speakers in their future jobs. The article concludes with suggested guidelines for the design of remote CBSL opportunities to nurture solidarity disposition as a primary objective.

Supporting Independent Living Through Interdisciplinary Service Learning

Service learning within independent living facilities may be a highly effective means to address the service gaps that challenge older adults and people who are disabled. We present a new approach to service learning by leveraging opportunities for community–university partnerships. The Community Collaborative Model (CCM) represents synergy between organized independent living and higher education at Arizona State University and led by the School of Social Work. The CCM is a unique collaborative service learning program aligned with current thinking about independent living, supportive services, and community-based service learning. We share lessons learned from the challenges of establishing this program, which included institutional hurdles, maintaining adequate physical space, student-focused planning, varying levels of preparedness, and stigma related to service use. In conclusion, we recommend means to (1) build interprofessional teams, (2) seek support and commitment of faculty partners, (3) ensure sustainability via community liaisons and clinical supervisors, and (4) create space for reflective practice.

Teaching Advocacy Through Community-Based Service Learning: A Scoping Review.

Advocacy has been identified as a core element within the practice of medicine and thus a key component to medical education. However, there are challenges regarding teaching and evaluation of advocacy within medical education. Community-based service learning (CBSL) has emerged as a valuable educational tool to foster knowledge and skills related to advocacy. CBSL is particularly relevant to psychiatry, given the extent of engagement with underserved communities and opportunities to advance learning in these environments. A scoping review was conducted to identify current educational strategies and outcomes related to advocacy training among medical learners in the context of CBSL. Between July and October 2019, the authors searched PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, ERIC, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest for English language literature with no date limits and retrieved 2,813 articles and abstracts; 68 were included in this review. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data. Data were then charted, analyzed, and discussed with the research team. Seven key themes related to approaches to advocacy education were identified: (1) type of community partner; (2) populations served; (3) program participants; (4) program structure; (5) evaluation of learner outcomes; (6) sustainability; and (7) challenges and limitations. This scoping review provides insights into the variety of CBSL-based advocacy program formats and evaluation methods, which is of particular importance to psychiatry. There is heterogeneity in the methodology by which CBSL is implemented and how outcomes are measured. A list of recommendations for future areas of inquiry is provided.

Developing Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Professional Identity as Science Teachers Through Community-Based Service-Learning

As preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) engage with the community, they start to develop their professional identity as educators. This longitudinal, mixed methods study examined how participation in a science-focused, community-based service-learning (CBSL) experience, a Family Energy Fair, influenced the professional identity development of 39 PSETs. Pre- and post- surveys were utilized, incorporating quantitative and qualitative components, including students’ reflections on their experience. Pre- and post-CBSL findings indicate that there was growth in both individual and social aspects of PSETs developing identity. Individually, PSETs identified themselves as more knowledgeable about science content, standards, and the need for personal flexibility in teaching. However, they were only slightly more confident about their abilities as science teachers and less likely to see teachers as content experts. Socially, PSETs were more likely to view themselves as facilitators or helpers as a result of the CBSL experience, assisting students in understanding difficult concepts and seeing connections. Pre- and post-CBSL reflections demonstrate that while 80% initially did not understand what CBSL was, by the end of their multidimensional service-learning experience, they greatly expanded their ideas about the identity of teachers as collaborators with the community. *** A medida que los futuros maestros de primaria (en inglés ‘PSET’) se involucran con la comunidad, comienzan a desarrollar su identidad profesional como educadores. Este estudio longitudinal a corto plazo de métodos mixtos examinó cómo la participación en una experiencia de aprendizaje-servicio comunitario (ASC) centrada en la ciencia, una Feria de Energía Familiar, influyó en el desarrollo de la identidad profesional de treinta y nueve futuros maestros de primaria. Se utilizaron encuestas previas y posteriores, en las que se incorporaron componentes cuantitativos y cualitativos, incluidas las reflexiones de los estudiantes sobre su experiencia. Los hallazgos previos y posteriores a la experiencia de ASC indican que hubo un crecimiento en la identidad de los maestros, tanto en aspectos individuales como en los sociales. Individualmente, los maestros se identificaron a sí mismos como más conocedores del contenido y los estándares científicos, así como de la importancia de la flexibilidad personal en la enseñanza. Adquirieron algo más de confianza en sus habilidades como profesores de ciencias, pero pocos identificaron a los profesores como expertos en contenido. Socialmente, como resultado de la experiencia ASC, los maestros fueron más propensos a verse a sí mismos como facilitadores o asistentes que ayudan a los estudiantes a comprender conceptos difíciles y a hacer conexiones. Las reflexiones previas y posteriores demuestran que si bien el 80% inicialmente no entendía qué era ASC, al final de su experiencia de aprendizaje-servicio multidimensional, los maestros participantes expandieron enormemente sus ideas sobre la identidad de los docentes como colaboradores de la comunidad.