Community Service Learning Research Articles

Meningkatkan Kualitas Hidup Masyarakat Melalui Pengembangan Potensi Lokal dan Pemberdayaan Komunitas di Desa Lajuk Kabupaten Pasuruan

Community Service Learning (KKN) is a community service program conducted by students of Universitas PGRI Wiranegara. This service activity was carried out in Lajuk Village, Gondang Wetan District, Pasuruan Regency. This study employed a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to involve the community in every stage of the program. The research results showed that the KKN program has successfully improved access to information, environmental awareness, quality of education, and strengthened social and religious bonds in Lajuk Village. Active community participation in every program activity indicates the success of the participatory approach implemented. Overall, this KKN has proven that students can be effective agents of change in village development. Collaboration between students, the community, and the village government is the key to the success of this program. The implementation of this KKN provides important recommendations for the organization of future KKN, namely the importance of involving the community from the early planning stages, selecting work programs that are relevant to the needs of the community, and ensuring the sustainability of programs after the KKN is completed.

Lived Experiences of Selected College Students in their Participation in the Community Outreach Programs of First City Providential College

In every community service and service learning, individuals volunteer their time to better our communities. Individual participation represents the best in all of us. Being part of this activity means having the opportunity to do something truly special, that is, selflessly serve others (Fisk, et al, 2020). First City Providential College, as one of the front runners in providing quality education at the heart of the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan did not cease to offer relevant community engagement during the pandemic. These community engagement initiatives did not only benefit the target beneficiaries, but most of all allowed every FCPCian to gain intangible rewards that mold each of them into better professionals with a heart. The research study aimed to find out the lived experiences of selected students of First City Providential College in their participation to the community outreach programs organized and conducted by the institution. It is to ensure that all facets of community engagement, most especially feedback from the student participants are gathered, for continuous quality improvement.

“A life-changing experience and the beginning of a lifelong commitment”: experiences and impact of Global Health Community Service-Learning in undergraduate dental curriculum in Canada

BackgroundGlobal Health Community Service-Learning (GHCSL) can have a profound professional and personal impact on learners. This pedagogy provides understanding of unfamiliar environments and challenges learners to step out of their comfort zones, adapt to new cultures, and navigate unique situations. Yet, there are relatively few studies exploring the experiences of learners participating in community service-learning placements in global regions as part of undergraduate dental curriculum. This study aimed to explore the experiences and impact of the GHCSL program in East Africa among undergraduate dental learners at the Schulich School of Dentistry.MethodsEight undergraduate dental learners were enrolled in GHCSL pilot placements. Placement agreements were established with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, and the University of Rwanda in Kigali, Rwanda for the summer of 2022. Stakeholders from both institutions were engaged in the development and implementation of these placements. Learners were required to engage in weekly reflection through a ‘storytelling and incident-based narrative’ while carrying out their placement. A qualitative study design was employed, and an inductive interpretive approach was utilized to thematically analyze the learners’ reflective essays.ResultsFive major themes emerged from the learners’ reflective essays: (1) experiential clinical learning; (2) cultural humility and social awareness; (3) awareness of contrasting healthcare systems; (4) commitment to service; and (5) personal and professional growth. Most learners reflected on their engagement with diverse communities, being exposed to unique patient cases, and witnessing the adaptability exuded in resource-constrained environments. These experiences presented the learners with an opportunity to develop cultural humility and gain a newfound motivation to mitigate global oral health disparities in populations beyond that of their local communities. Learners also reflected on enhanced social awareness experiences and the awareness of contrasting healthcare systems in Canada and their placements, which encouraged the development of empathy, communication, and compassion skills, as well as an understanding of the disproportionate burden of conditions in low-resource settings.ConclusionThe reflective essays concluded that the GHCSL placements had a positive impact on the learners, encouraging many to develop a heightened desire for lifelong learning to address oral health disparities within a global context.

Influence of Motivation Climate on Service-Learning Benefits among Physical Education Students

<p style="text-align: justify;">Service-learning (SL) emphasizes the fusion and integration of community service and academic learning, while Physical Education (PE) is oriented towards community health and well-being, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals. The study's primary objective is to discern the benefits perceived by PE students when engaged in SL courses and to test the correlation between benefits and the motivational climate they experience. Additionally, the research explores potential gender-specific variations in students' attitudes. The research was conducted with a survey on a sample of 58 students responding to a Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale (MPCES) and the SErvice LEarning Benefit Scale (SELEB), which assesses the motivation of students and their perceptions of SL benefits. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to test the relationship between the core constructs - SL benefits and student motivation, and t-tests to evaluate gender differences in SL benefits. Key findings underscore that students primarily perceived the greatest advantages from SL in the domain of knowledge application, with comparatively lower scores in general life skills. Notably, female students, on the whole, exhibited higher ratings in both SL benefits and student motivation compared to their male counterparts. Nonetheless, specific exceptions emerged in certain sub-scales, including social relatedness and ego climate within the MPCES scale, as well as critical thinking within the SELEB scale. According to the results, it is suggested that cultivating a student-centered learning environment can augment engagement and motivation in the realm of physical education (PE). Furthermore, the delineated gender differences offer valuable insights for educators, highlighting the need for tailored approaches to accommodate the diverse preferences and requirements of male and female students.</p>

Community engagement, service learning, and underrepresented college student success: An examination of multiple cohorts

Community engagement, service learning, and underrepresented college student success: An examination of multiple cohorts

Utilizing Cow Manure Waste (Bos Taurus) as Organic Fertilizer in Labuan Lelea Village, Labuan District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi

This community service activity has been conducted in Labuan Lelea Village, Labuan District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi Province, in collaboration with the local farming community. They face challenges regarding how to utilize cattle manure waste as environmentally friendly organic fertilizer. The objective of this community service is: 1) To provide knowledge to the farming community in Labuan Lelea Village on how to utilize cattle manure waste as organic fertilizer, as a substitute for inorganic fertilizers, which are known for their chemical content, scarcity, and fluctuating prices annually; 2) To promote organic fertilizers as an environmentally friendly alternative to inorganic fertilizers in agricultural lands; 3) To enhance the knowledge of farming communities regarding the effective utilization of cattle manure waste as organic fertilizer for both food crops and horticultural plants. The method employed in this activity is a participatory approach, wherein a team including Community and Student Service Learning Program (KKN) participants and local community members actively collaborate in fostering good cooperation between extension workers and farmers. The primary target audience of this training is farming communities engaged in plantation, food crops, and horticultural cultivation. The outcomes of this community service activity include increased awareness of how to utilize cattle manure waste (Bos Taurus). This process requires minimal investment as cattle waste, sawdust, and rice husks are all freely available materials, thus serving as a substitute for inorganic fertilizers which contain chemical substances and are environmentally unfriendly.

There and Back Again: A Forty-Year Perspective on Physician Nutrition Education

Medical education faces an urgent need for evidence-based physician nutrition education. Since the publication of the 1985 National Academies report “Nutrition Education in the United States Medical Schools,” little has changed. Although several key efforts sought to increase nutrition content in undergraduate medical education over the past 40 y, most medical schools still fail to include the recommended minimum of 25 h of nutrition training. Without foundational concepts of nutrition in undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education unsurprisingly falls short of meeting patient needs for nutritional guidance in clinical practice. Meanwhile, diet-sensitive chronic diseases continue to escalate, although largely preventable and treatable by nutritional therapies and dietary lifestyle changes. Fortunately, recent recognition and adoption of Food is Medicine programs across the country increasingly connect patients with healthy food resources and nutrition education as core to their medical care, and physicians must be equipped to lead these efforts alongside their dietitian colleagues. Filling the gap in nutrition training will require an innovative and interprofessional approach that pairs nutrition with personal wellness, interprofessional practice, and community service learning. The intersectional benefits of connecting these domains will help prepare future physicians to address the social, behavioral, and lifestyle determinants of health in a way that recognizes nourishing food access as a core part of clinical practice. There are numerous strategies to integrate nutrition into education pathways, including didactic and experiential learning. Culinary medicine, an evidence-based field combining the culinary arts with nutritional science and medicine, is 1 promising educational framework with a hands-on, interprofessional approach that emphasizes community engagement. Advancing the critical need for widespread adoption of nutrition education for physicians will require support and engagement across societal stakeholders, including co-leadership from registered dietitian nutritionists, health system and payor reform, and opportunities for clinical innovation that bring this essential field to frontline patient care.

Promoting STEM learning perseverance through recognizing communal goals: understanding the impact of empathy and citizenship

Abstract Background Previous research has indicated that placing emphasis on communal goals within the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education can yield beneficial learning outcomes. However, there remains a relative dearth of investigation into the factors that contribute to the success of STEM education programs integrating communal goals. In the present study, we sought to explore the roles of two constructs that prioritize the interests of others, namely empathy and citizenship, in promoting STEM learning perseverance within the context of a STEM-based community service learning (CSL) program. Specifically, we proposed that empathy would be associated with STEM learning perseverance through its relationship with citizenship, within a sample of 275 secondary school students from Hong Kong who participated in the said program. Results Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the results revealed that empathy is significantly and positively associated with STEM learning perseverance, both directly and indirectly, through citizenship. The results held even after controlling for the demographic variables of school membership, gender, and age. Conclusions This research highlights the association between understanding the needs of the community (empathy) and students' desire for community involvement (citizenship), which subsequently influences their perseverance in STEM learning. This relationship is particularly pronounced in educational settings where communal goals are emphasized.

Training and Mentoring in the Development of Test Instruments for Measuring Learning Outcomes of Muhammadiyah School

This community service learning program is collaboration between the Curriculum and Educational Technology Department of the Faculty of Education Sciences. A key issue facing most SMA and SMK Muhammadiyah school teachers is their lack of knowledge and understanding on how to develop valid and reliable test instruments. This research aims to enhance the knowledge of SMA and SMK Muhammadiyah teachers in developing learning assessment instruments. The Blended Learning method was applied for 32 hours of lessons that involved lectures, Q&A discussions, assignments, practical work, and tests. A total of 12 teachers from SMA and SMK Muhammadiyah schools took part in the program. The research method used was the One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design, which is a type of pre-experimental research design. Data drawn from the pretest and posttest results were analyzed using the t-test. Following the smooth implementation of training and mentoring, a key conclusion is that the community service learning program has successfully met its expected outcome of enhancing the teachers’ ability to develop test instruments. This is evidenced by a significant increase in posttest scores compared to pretest results at Sig. (2-tailed) = 0.001 < 0.05.

Management and Re-tooling of Community Service Learning -A Competency-Based Curriculum Strategy for the Realization of Sustainable Development for Developing Nations

Ingrained in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is Community Service Learning (CSL), an instructional strategy where students are expected to actively address genuine societal challenges. This way, learning is made relevant and at the same time enhances students’ moral, social, civic, self-efficacy, political, economic, analytical, and career development skills. This novel learning strategy is critical in facilitating the realization of sustainable prosperity, including Kenya’s Vision 2030 development blueprint, which puts more emphasis on the connection between education and the labour market, fostering the acquisition of core competencies and life skills, and the necessity to fortify partnerships between the public and private sectors. This discourse explores the concept of CSL, its theoretical base, principles, and benefits, particularly in teacher education. Furthermore, the review delves into the implementation of CSL, including the possible sources of activities to be engaged in, projects to be carried out, and assessment.

Different strategies to facilitate meaningful reflections among post-secondary students in a community service learning water project

This study explored how continuous diverse reflective exercises embedded in a Community Service Learning chemistry lab support science students' meaningful learning. The findings of this study are intended for those involved in teaching natural science in higher education, as well as those interested in Community Service Learning, self-directed learning, and reflective strategies. Fourteen students in a second-year Analytical Chemistry II lab participated in this study. Reflective exercises representing multiple modes of reflection were purposefully designed and embedded across the lab curriculum. Qualitative content analysis of data from reflective writings, scrapbook reflections, and reflective discussions demonstrates that students were able to articulate their self-directed learning from the perspective of academic enhancement, personal growth, and civic engagement in the different reflective exercises. Students indicated a high level of satisfaction, agreed that the integration of diverse continuous reflective strategies can enhance their transformative learning practice in an engaging way, and would like to continue this practice for other science laboratory courses.

Improvement of Quranic Reading Skills and Islamic Insight among Children and Adolescents in Tarai Bangun Village

This paper discusses the implementation of the Thematic Community Service Learning (KKN-T) program in Tarai Bangun Village, Tambang Sub-district, Kampar Regency, with the background of selecting a theme focusing on the need for religious and Islamic education in the village. The chosen theme for the KKN-T program is "Improving Quranic Reading Skills and Islamic Understanding for Children and Adolescents in Tarai Bangun Village, Tambang Sub-district, Kampar Regency" because the village has an urgent need to enhance religious knowledge and Islamic life, especially among the younger generation. In implementing this program, the participants follow a well-structured method of planning and executing activities. The activities involve intensive Quranic teaching, dawn sermons (kultum subuh), sermons before tarawih prayers (kultum before tarawih), and the imparting of Islamic values to the local community. During the implementation, data is collected through observation, interviews, and Quranic reading skill assessments, allowing for the collection and analysis of scientific findings. The scientific findings indicate that the KKN-T activities have had a significant and positive impact on improving Quranic reading skills among the children of Tarai Bangun Village. The data shows a tangible increase in the understanding of religion and Islamic awareness among children and adolescents. Furthermore, the program has successfully nurtured a sense of care and affection for Islam among them. The conclusion drawn from this research is that KKN-T can serve as an effective model for promoting religious and Islamic education and enhancing Quranic reading skills for children and adolescents in similar villages.

Empowering Islamic Education

The village of Jaharun B was selected as the site for the Community Service Learning program by students from STAI As-Sunnah due to the presence of Al-Barokah Islamic Elementary School (Madrasah Diniyah Takmiliyah Awaliyah, MDTA), which serves as the primary educational center for children in the village. Despite MDTA Al-Barokah's crucial role, most children in Jaharun B Village still require a deeper understanding of Islamic teachings and the ability to recite the Quran according to Tajwid rules. The student's participation in the Community Service Learning program is expected to significantly reinforce the role of MDTA Al-Barokah as an educational institution advancing the children of Jaharun B Village in Galang. The method applied in this initiative is asset-based community development, which comprises three main stages: planning, action, and evaluation. The outcomes of this community service project demonstrate notable and positive changes. Children at MDTA Al-Barokah have shown an increased understanding of the fundamentals of Islamic teachings, improved Quranic recitation with better adherence to Tajwid rules, and enthusiasm in the learning process, particularly in comprehending the taught concept of Mahfuzhat. This community service brings renewed hope to the people of Jaharun B Village, fostering positive changes in the religious education of children and strengthening the role of MDTA Al-Barokah as a center for enhanced knowledge and understanding of Islamic teachings for future generations.

Knowledge, attitude, and adherence to coronavirus preventive measures among residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Since the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been spreading globally, variants have emerged and been identified in many countries around the world. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to explore the level of knowledge, attitude, and adherence to coronavirus variant preventive measures among residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is a cross-sectional online survey that was conducted between April and November 2020 and involved the residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An electronic invitation for participation was sent to prospective participants, including the link to the research instrument, using social media websites. A total of 780 participants responded to a 4-part online survey developed by the investigators. The findings revealed that 72.9% of the participants (95% CI: 69.6%-75.9%) had a high level of knowledge about COVID-19; 78.2% said they supported all precautionary measures put in place by health authorities; only 29% wore face masks; and 93% wash their hands at least 5 times a day. Furthermore, 69% of the residents were always covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with a piece of tissue paper, while 71% were observing physical distancing. Participants showed a positive attitude towards supporting all the precautionary measures being put in place by the health authorities and the efforts made by healthcare workers in the kingdom. Residents in Saudi Arabia showed a high level of knowledge of COVID-19 variants. Higher levels of education, being employed, and higher income were factors that influenced participants' knowledge positively (P < .05). Females and younger age were predictors of a better attitude towards COVID-19 (P < .01).The majority of the residents were afraid of the spread and mutation of the coronavirus. This study highlights the value of continuing community service learning programs for raising knowledge retention and adherence to coronavirus variant prevention strategies.

Civic-Mindedness Is More Than Personality

Abstract: Many colleges and universities have embraced the goal of increasing students’ civic-mindedness. The research associated with theorizing and measuring civic-mindedness, however, has thus far progressed in a silo away from the established literature of personality psychology. This paper bridges this gap – adopting civic efficacy and service motivation as two measures of civic-mindedness – and examines how well they are explained by the five-factor model of personality (FFM). Using survey data from undergraduate students at a large, public research university, we estimated a structural equation model to measure personality traits from the FFM, service motivation, and civic efficacy. Results showed that variation in personality accounts for approximately 40% of the variation in Service Motivation and 53% of the variation in Civic Efficacy, which does not support a clear assertion that either construct can neatly be categorized as a facet of the FFM. Our findings provide an additional theoretical basis for community service learning courses and other educational opportunities that blend traditional pedagogical strategies with experiential and reflective opportunities aiming to produce change across state-like and trait-like attributes.

CARE-full Online Service-Learning in the Digital Age: Overcoming TIP and FEAR to Maximize Community Partner Outcomes in the Philippines

AbstractThis study investigates the outcomes of online Service-Learning (SL) in Philippine partner communities, addressing a literature gap on predominantly face-to-face (f2f) SL. Applying the Conceptual Framework of Community Impacts Arising from Service-Learning, it employs a mixed-method convergent design to assess the benefits, drawbacks, and influential factors of online SL’s effectiveness (CARE, TIP, and FEAR). Data, sourced from 101 survey participants across 46 Community Partner Organizations (CPOs) in affiliation with Ateneo de Manila University, is complemented by the insights derived from 22 comprehensive interviews with key community contact persons. Findings reveal that online SL bolsters CPOs’ missions, enhance resources, facilitates knowledge transfer, and yields positive outcomes. However, barriers such as Time management challenges, Infrastructure and technical hurdles, and Participation obstacles (TIP), along with its consequent drawbacks such as difficulty in providing timely and effective Feedback, disparity in varying levels of Effort displayed by students, erosion of Authentic relationships in prolonged virtual engagements, and Repetitiveness and nonfulfillment concerns (FEAR) were identified as challenges. Despite these, Collaborative coordination, Active communication, Responsiveness to CPO’s needs, and Engaging online environment (CARE) were recognized as key enablers. This research highlights the significance of examining the outcomes of online SL from the perspective of community partners, informing best practices for implementation, and cultivating effective online SL collaborations that can be adapted across various countries with similar contexts.

Disorientation in Community Service-Learning: A Phenomenological Inquiry

Community service-learning (CSL) is commonly featured in health promotion curriculum. Lauded for its pedagogical richness and transformative potential, CSL is also pedagogically messy and often experienced as a struggle. And yet, the content, contexts and conditions of that which students find disorienting in CSL have garnered little attention in the literature. In this qualitative, phenomenological study, we explore the “disorienting dilemma” as an understated concept in CSL. Our aim is to better understand the disorienting dilemma to “make CSL a smoother experience for everyone.” We draw upon reflections from 39 students enrolled in a full-year undergraduate health promotion CSL course. Using directed content analysis, we read and coded 390 reflections. In mapping the codes ( n = 2104), we found them to cluster around three domains: (i) aspects of the CSL learning experience that were most disorienting, (ii) course aspects that enabled students to navigate their disorientation, and (iii) how students relate their learning to the disorientation. Students often shared their emotional experience of CSL as a pedagogy, and that they struggled with the process of real program planning, and uncertainty with how they related to the community. Often, it was the practical, social, and relational content that students struggled with that morphed into support for students to navigate their disorientation. We found students to relate their disorientation to new self-learning, a changed and more collectivist criteria of success, and an altered sense of self in relation to community. We discuss theoretical and pedagogical implications of the disorienting dilemma.

IM Twenty-Four Steps Of Educational Innovation In Indonesia

This study aims to critically analyze educational innovation in Indonesia through twenty-four appropriate educational strategies. This type of research is library research. Collecting data by identifying discourse from books, papers or articles, journals, newspapers, the internet (web), or other information related to education. Data analysis used descriptive analysis, content analysis, and scientific critical analysis. The results of the study show that educational innovation in Indonesia can implement twenty-four educational strategies which include Personalization, Multi-Age Classes, Small Community Learning, Peer Group Learning, Small Group Learning Communities with other groups, Multidisciplinary Curriculum with Block Scheduling, Cooperative Learning, Cooperative Learning, Project Based Learning, Co-Teachers, Teaching Teams, Community Service Learning, Looping Partnerships, Business for Assessment, Resources, and Funding, Global Connections, Laptops, and Wireless Technology for Anywhere, Anytime Learning, Parental Involvement, Students Putting on Shows, Curriculum Life Skills (Non-Academic), Meaningful Career Counseling, Social/Emotional Counseling, Open Learning, Education to Serve Student Needs, Portfolio-Based Assessment and New Paradigm of School Buildings.

Evaluating Community Service Learning Effects on OTs’ Perceived Competence After Taking a Cancer Survivorship Elective

Abstract Date Presented 04/20/2023 Researchers conducted a mixed-method study evaluating the impact of a Community Engagement Model (CEM) on graduates’ entry-level competence. Participants consisted of OTD alumni who took a cancer survivorship elective with a community service-learning component. Participants reported perceived competence and indicated that engagement in service learning improved entry-level knowledge and skills, enhanced cancer culture awareness, and heightened their interest in cancer care. Primary Author and Speaker: Katie M. Polo Additional Authors and Speakers: Taryn J. Springgate, Megan Yingling, Sierra Kern, Ashton S. Williams, Shelby D. Cash, Katherine Kelley

Drug Prevention Outreach: Enhancing Youth Knowledge and Awareness in Ureng Country, Maluku Tengah, Indonesia

The dangers and detrimental effects of drugs on the lives and health of addicts and their families have become increasingly concerning. This study aimed to address the lack of understanding about narcotics among the youth in Ureng Country, which consists mostly of vulnerable individuals susceptible to drug contamination. The research was conducted through a community engagement initiative called the "Kuliah Kerja Nyata" (KKN) or Community Service Learning program, in collaboration with the National Narcotics Agency of Maluku Province. The drug prevention outreach involved a socialization program targeting 30 young people in Ureng Country. The implementation of the program consisted of several stages, including obtaining permission, preparation, conducting the socialization event, engaging in a question-and-answer session, and concluding with closing remarks and prayers. The results demonstrated that the drug prevention outreach successfully increased the youth's knowledge and awareness regarding the detrimental effects of drugs and drug abuse. The implications of this study highlight the importance of community-based initiatives in tackling drug-related issues, particularly among the younger generation, and call for further research and interventions to combat drug abuse globally.Highlight:&#x0D; &#x0D; Dual nature of drugs: Drugs can provide benefits but also pose health risks, including addiction.&#x0D; Negative impacts: Drugs affect individuals, families, and communities, leading to deviant behavior and future generation damage.&#x0D; Importance of drug prevention: Knowledge counseling and socialization programs help increase youth awareness and prevent drug abuse.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keyword:Drugs, Narcotics, Drug Prevention, Youth, Knowledge