International Service Learning Experience Research Articles

From Sudbury to Sogog: Stories from a Canadian Student's Health Promotion Without Borders Excursion to Mongolia

As the popularity of International Service-Learning (ISL) excursions continues to grow, there is an increasing need for research that explores these types of experiences. This manuscript focuses on the experiences of the lead author (S.L.D.) while participating in an ISL excursion offered by the Health Promotion Without Borders (HPWB) Program as part of their graduate research. The HPWB Program has facilitated ISL excursions for students in the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences (SKHS) at Laurentian University (LU) in Canada for over two decades. However, there is limited formal research about the experiences of HPWB participants while completing their ISL excursions. This research addresses this need by using an autoethnographic approach to explore the lead author's HPWB experience. During the lead author's excursion, they confronted many moments of cultural dissonance, which challenged their usual way of thinking. Through critical reflection after their excursion, the lead author realized the defining role those moments of cultural dissonance had on the nature of their ISL experience. The lead author wrote six stories to share their understanding of those cultural dissonance encounters and provide a snapshot of their excursion for the reader to make sense of in their own way. Overall, this research may benefit future ISL participants and coordinators and adds to the sparse literature available on the nature of ISL experiences from the participant perspective using an autoethnographic method.

Reflecting on Reflecting

Reflection has been identified as a key component of service-learning. To add to the body of knowledge on pedagogical reflective practices, this paper examines how reflection was incorporated in an international service-learning project with Global Brigades in rural Honduras through the lens of three students from Atlantic Canada, one of whom engaged in the project through an optional course and two of whom had a co-curricular experience. The reflections incorporated throughout the project differed by group size, organization, structure, timing, setting, and tone. At a high level, combining different methods of reflection and understanding of gray areas in morality and engineering were explored. Recommendations for reflection in service-learning education are offered in preparing for the experience, during the international project, and after the experience to integrate learning with course content. This article utilizes a retrospective lens to examine the ways in which reflection was incorporated in a curricular and co-curricular international service-learning experience and offers insights from three students who participated in the project.

Shared Decision-Making: A Phenomenological Study of Student Service Learning

The concept of collaborative shared decision-making began with the quality assurance and research efforts associated with the late 1970’s effort of the United States of America President Jimmy Carter. The value of service-learning has been well documented in medical and allied health education. Several studies have examined the cultural experiences and clinical reasoning abilities of persons involved in service-learning. What has not been well-examined is the concept of shared decision-making by those engaged in service-learning. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify how Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) students defined shared decision-making while engaged in a weeklong international service-learning experience with an underserved population in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Through facilitated and recorded discussion, the researchers used qualitative methods to unearth the lived experience and shared decision-making of student participants during the daily service-learning activities. Concepts related to a shared decision-making definition evolved during the week of service-learning for these students. Thoughtful reflection identified processes whereby collective problem-solving contributed to both student experiential learning while addressing the broader needs of the client and the underserved population. Participants defined shared decision-making as a collaborative and interprofessional experience. The beliefs and values of team members, including the patient/client, were found to be influential and relevant to the definition.

A Phenomenological Pre- and Post-Reflective Comparison of Graduate Student Intercultural Competence from Agricultural Service-Learning Experiences

The purpose of this study was to determine growth in intercultural competence after graduate students participated in an international service learning (ISL) experience. One method for developing intercultural competence is service learning, where students apply learning in real-world settings through a cycle of action and reflection. This study used an interpretative phenomenological analysis related to the lived experience of eight graduate students who participated in two intensive ISL projects in Timor-Leste or Guatemala. Results included the student point of view (emic) narrative as an ethnographic crafted profile for each participant to demonstrate the process of intercultural competence development across individual and interaction processes. Students demonstrated knowledge gains after the experience, and several internal and external outcomes in their post-reflective narratives. Despite visiting different countries, the two groups of students demonstrated similar intercultural outcomes along the theoretical framework, indicating that despite contextual differences in experience, this framework maintains a robust perspective for analysing student experiences during ISL. The Process Model of Intercultural Competence served as a framework to assess intercultural competence. The process began with personal attitudes, openness to intercultural learning, and curiosity. Interpersonal outcomes developed with knowledge/comprehension through skills such as listening, observing, and interpretation. Developing flexibility, empathy, and adaptability promoted an informed frame of reference for a desired internal outcome. The external outcome resulted in behaving and communicating effectively from experience. Measuring intercultural diversity as a learning outcome from ISL can ensure adequate preparation for international development professionals.

A systemized literature synthesis of encounters with cultural differences in engineering international service-learning literature

Abstract – International service-learning (ISL) has been attributed to fostering multicultural education outcomes by impacting the understanding of diversity and cultural competence in students. Within engineering education, international service-learning courses are often designed with an emphasis on engineering technical skills development. Despite the expected encounters with cultural differences, learning outcomes addressing these interactions are often an implicit focus. When not addressed, unintended consequences of these encounters can lead to increased prejudice, stereotypes, and other negative behaviors towards outgroup community members in service-learning partnerships. This manuscript presents a systemized literature synthesis of 20 papers from the engineering ISL literature in order to provide researchers and practitioners with a foundational understanding of how cultural differences have been examined or acknowledged in existing ISL work. The literature synthesis revealed the need for 1) further empirical research on encounters with cultural differences in engineering, 2) more qualitative studies exploring student experiences encountering cultural differences, and 3) a theoretical agenda that examines encounters with cultural differences within the context of engineering research and practice. The outcomes of this synthesis provide insights on research and practice that can be used to inform future work for centering encounters with cultural differences in ISL experiences in engineering.

International Service-learning Experiences: Impacts on Post-service Education

This qualitative phenomenology investigates the acquisition of intercultural competencies during international service-learning experiences. Additionally, the authors of this article examine the impact of intercultural competencies on subsequent coursework. The findings of this study indicate that international service-learning experiences result in the acquisition of multiple intercultural competencies. Participants of this study were able to make their experiences more meaningful through the practice of purposeful reflection. Despite a lack of institutional preparedness, participants of this study unanimously acquired intercultural competencies that were used to contextualize the learning process in a more meaningful way.

Impact of Clinical and Cultural Activities on Personal Growth During International Service-Learning

Purpose: When healthcare students participate in international service-learning experiences, they are exposed to a culture that is different from their own. This exposure, accomplished through cultural and clinical activities, can help to develop their clinical skills and result in personal growth. However, the individual impact of clinical versus cultural activities on personal growth is poorly understood. This study examines the impact on personal growth of clinical activities and cultural activities during international service-learning in occupational therapy students. Methods: Qualitative interviews using a phenomenological approach were utilized to explore the lived experiences of American occupational therapy students who traveled to Morocco. Responses were coded and analyzed to identify general themes on the impact of different clinical and cultural activities. Qualities of impactful experiences were also identified. Results: Participants identified authentic clinical activities that elicited an emotional response and cultural activities that involved full cultural immersion as being most impactful for their personal growth. Conclusion/Recommendations: To support healthcare students’ personal growth, international service-learning should be designed to include authentic clinical activities that elicit emotion and reflection and opportunities for full immersion into the culture of the country abroad.

Impact of International Service-Learning on Students’ Global Citizenship and Intercultural Effectiveness Development

International service-learning (ISL) is conceptualized as an intersection of three educational components: service-learning, study abroad, and international education. Its potential benefits include increases in students’ intercultural competence and sense of global citizenship. Arguably, through immersion in a cross-cultural context, students can learn to appreciate diverse values and cultures while enhancing their social responsibility and bringing benefit to a community in need. However, most existing empirical studies of the impact of ISL utilize small samples drawn from a single program, which restricts the generalizability of the findings. This study, using a large sample from multiple courses, aims to bridge the gap by examining the relationship between an ISL experience and university students’ global citizenship and intercultural effectiveness. The findings suggest that skills such as intercultural effectiveness and global competencies are more easily enhanced than attitudinal values such as social responsibility and global civic engagement. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

A Descriptive Analysis of the Experiences of Nursing Students Who Participated in an International Service-Learning Project in Haiti.

Studies have demonstrated multiple benefits of international service-learning experiences in nursing education. These benefits include personal and professional growth, increased cultural sensitivity, and increased self-efficacy. The purpose of this project was to describe the experiences of nursing students engaged in an international service-learning experience in Haiti. A descriptive qualitative outcomes evaluation project was utilized to understand student perceptions of this experience. Nine respondents were interviewed about their experiences that took place as part of a nursing capstone course offered at a private liberal arts university in the Midwest. Interview transcripts were analyzed by the authors for common themes. The six themes identified included: a desire for an international experience to better understand healthcare in a developing country; culture shock; context of poverty; excitement and a sense of "helping" amidst the chaos; feelings of increased confidence, independence, and competence; and personal and professional growth. Responses indicated students felt more confident in caring for individuals from other cultures as well as in basic nursing skills and interprofessional communication after this experience. Participants' narratives also indicated intent to serve vulnerable populations in the future. The nursing students perceived increased sociocultural understanding and self-efficacy following a 10-day international service-learning experience.

Reaching Out: The Lived Experiences of Self-Becoming Through International Service-Learning

Research findings generally agree that international-service-learning (ISL) experiences may contribute to changes in the self in service learners. However, few studies have investigated how the self is experienced and rediscovered in the process of ISL. The purpose of this study was to investigate how students experienced their own self-becoming in interpersonal encounters with locals during ISL experiences. Seven in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with seven college students engaged in a 21-day ISL project in Ghana; their accounts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three major themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) experiencing a gap, (2) launching out into the deep, and (3) embracing new possibilities. The findings provide a basis for future research and demonstrate the potential of ISL to help students explore and reconstruct their sense of self.

Utilizing a faculty-led student assessment team to evaluate international interprofessional service learning opportunities

IntroductionGlobalization, combined with health professional students increasingly seeking international interprofessional service learning (IISL) experiences, presents new challenges and opportunities for faculty establishing these programs. This paper describes the novel process of utilizing a faculty-led team of health professions graduate students to evaluate IISL opportunities with an international partner. MethodsAn interprofessional task force recruited student volunteers to travel abroad for the purpose of evaluating the potential learning opportunities at an international site. Faculty and students utilized an assessment tool adapted from the University of Minnesota's “Health and Safety Site Visit Checklist” to evaluate various aspects of the site. Findings were compiled, and students developed a program-specific list of potential collaborative opportunities with a corresponding evaluation of the value and feasibility of these learning experiences. ResultsFive students representing the schools of pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant studies were accompanied by two faculty task force members. Compilation of faculty and student assessments revealed general congruence between both evaluation findings and subsequent recommendations for collaboration. There was an expected difference in the focus of faculty and student observations, though all evaluators were in agreement regarding the potential to develop a seven to 10 day IISL experience at the site. Overall, students provided positive feedback regarding their experience as part of the site evaluation team. ConclusionsIncorporating students as part of the site evaluation process is a valuable and effective method for assessing the logistical and educational characteristics of an IISL experience when developing a relationship with an international partner.

Facilitating the Scholarship of Discovery: Using the Mini-Ethnographic Case Study Design

Background: Case study is widely used in teaching and learning literature; however, the extant literature contains few examples of student-developed case studies. This study used the situated perspective of experiential education (EE) to highlight context and legitimate peripheral participation encouraging enculturation into research communities of practice. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a mini-ethnographic case study (MECS) during an international service-learning (ISL) experience to transform ISL and EE pedagogy through the inquiry-as-EL approach. The MECS design is a research method that uses an ethnographic approach bounded within case study methodology. Methodology/Approach: Working collaboratively, four students designed and implemented an MECS research project during an ISL. Using the crafted profile technique, data were analyzed to evaluate the impact of the MECS design on the students’ experience and research skill development while in country. Findings/Conclusions: The MECS approach helped students develop their own exploratory research framework and have real-world experiences with data collection, analysis, and dissemination as emerging researchers. Implications: This study describes how the MECS design can be used as a tool to enhance service-learning experiences for students, especially during graduate education.

Uncovering Ethical Dilemmas in International Service-Learning: A Grounded Theory

Introduction. International Service-Learning (ISL) is a model of experiential learning offered by Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs in the United States. Over the past several years, the number of these experiences has grown rapidly. Review of Literature. Recent evidence has uncovered detrimental impacts of short-term health-related experiences, such as ISL, on the host community; however, to date, ethical situations arising in ISL in DPT education have not been explored. From the perspective of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA's) Code of Ethics and the Realm-Individual Process-Situation (RIPS) model of ethical decision making, the aims of this study were to (1) explore the experiences, perceptions, and insights of faculty, students, and alumni, who attended an ISL experience and (2) analyze their ethical nature. Subjects. Ten students, 6 faculty members, and 5 alumni from 4 DPT programs participated. All participants, except one alumnus, traveled to the same Central American country and partnered with the same host organization for the ISL experience. Method. This study used a constructivist grounded theory approach. Results. Data analyses indicated that ISL as experienced by participants in this study did not align with APTA's ethical principles 2A, 3B, and 8B. Furthermore, the RIPS situational analysis indicated that the primary themes arising from this study reflected ethical issues/problems and an ethical temptation, with an overarching ethical silence. Discussion and Conclusion. In their desire to be altruistic and provide global experiential opportunities to students, educators may overlook ethical situations arising from ISL. Research demonstrating the benefit of ISL to patients and the host community, and to establish best practice standards to minimize detrimental impacts to the host should be undertaken.

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An evaluation of a medical student international service-learning experience in Southeast Asia.

International service-learning trips (ISLTs) are structured experiences in a different country where students interact and engage in cross-cultural dialog with others. Month-long ISLTs originating from North American or European medical schools enhance clinical acumen, cultural awareness, and global health familiarity. The impact of experiences shorter than 1 month or those that originate from Asia is unknown. We aimed to determine the impact of a short-term ISLT on medical students' clinical and cultural competence. At Duke-National University Singapore, we developed an ISLT incorporating peer-assisted learning and a 1-week on-site experience delivering supervised primary care, health screening, and health education in an underserved Southeast Asian community. Using a prospective controlled design, we assessed its impact on medical students' clinical and cultural competency using validated surveys. We compared medical students who participated in the ISTL (intervention group) to a control group of students before and after the ISTL experience. We analyzed responses using univariate analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test. : Sixty-six students responded to the survey (100%). After the ISTL, the intervention group (n = 32) showed an increase in their ratings of clinical competency (preexperience mean = 3.39, postexperience mean = 3.81, P < 0.01) as well as an increase in their cultural competency domains (preexperience mean = 3.61, postexperience mean = 4.12, P < 0.01). Post the ISTL, students in the intervention group rated their clinical and cultural competency higher than the control group (n = 34) (clinical: intervention postexperience mean = 3.81, control postexperience mean = 3.30, P < 0.01; cultural: intervention postexperience mean = 4.12, control postexperience mean = 3.50, P < 0.01). After the ISTL, the intervention group reported increased ratings of self-efficacy (pre mean = 3.99, post mean = 4.29, P = 0.021), which were higher than the control group (pre mean = 4.29, post mean = 3.57, P < 0.01). : This short-term ISLT in an Asian medical school improved students' clinical and cultural competency and self-efficacy. Our findings suggest a positive impact of short-term ISLTs if designed and implemented with a student learning focus.

Role of Emotional Entropy and Ethnocentric Paradigms in International Service-Learning

Transformational learning in international service-learning experiences can by stymied by cultural ignorance and culture shock. Cognitive dissonance and emotional entropy are especially salient in American student encounters in India. Based upon three program years of data a pedagogical model for dismantling ethnocentric paradigms supports students’ development of culturally-contextualized global agency development.

The Impact of Service Learning on Associate Degree Nursing Students' Cultural Competence.

Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs rarely offer international service learning experiences. A project involving an ADN program in a southwestern U.S. border city and a care facility in a nearby city in Mexico was initiated to address cultural competence. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an international service learning experience on ADN students' cultural competence as measured by pre- and post-scores on the student version of the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Student Version (IAPCC-SV). Twenty third-semester ADN students participated in a 1-day cross-border international experience. Descriptive statistics provided summaries about the participants and their IAPCC-SV scores. Results indicated a positive effect between participating in an international service learning experience and increased levels of cultural competence. Increasing ADN students' cultural competence through international service learning may help reduce health care disparities among different cultures, promote care that enhances communication between nurses and patients, and build upon therapeutic relationships. International service learning provides ADN students the opportunity to incorporate classroom learning into their care of populations living within diverse communities.

Changes in Volunteerism Perception: Results from an International Service Learning Case Study

Background Engagement in volunteer activities is an experience that many students may not prioritize due to lack of time and interest. Purpose This research examines the use of International Service Learning (ISL) as a potential platform to positively change student perceptions of volunteerism. Methodology/Approach Multiple methods (interviews, journals, observations) were used to measure ISL impacts on 13 San Francisco State University students who participated in an ISL experience in Costa Rica in Spring 2017. Data were analyzed based on five processes of transformational learning, as outlined by Naude. Findings/Conclusions The results show that a change in volunteer perspective was evident in students as a result of the ISL experience. Students’ motivation evolved from desirability to travel abroad to an apparent sense of stewardship and desire to give back. Implications Participating in ISL programs can have a profound impact on students. Including international travel components may be a useful tool to entice the millennial student to participate in SL programs. Participants’ regular reflective activities are proven to be crucial to the process of enhancing ISL.

Launch out into the deep: a psychotherapist’s view of an international service-learning experience

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores how emotions are experienced and handled during international service-learning (ISL) initiatives. It involved one focus group discussion and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with six college students engaged in a 10-day ISL project in Burkina Faso. Their accounts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four major themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) awareness of emotions, (2) regulation of emotions, (3) reflection on emotions, and (4) transformation of emotions. The importance of emotional experiences in ISL are underscored in this study and the potential of ISL to become a means to help deepen students’ experiential learning is demonstrated.

What the Community Learns: International Service-Learning in Yucatán, México

Colleges and universities have increasingly adopted international service-learning (ISL) as a pedagogy for students studying abroad. The literature on these programs has illustrated that international students receive more attention than host communities as objects of study. Host groups often face real challenges caused primarily by historical and social factors that contribute to their long-term marginalization. If ISL implies mutual learning and reciprocity between host communities and students, it is important to question how communities live the ISL experience—in other words, what do they learn? This study introduces the voices of a group of women in Mérida, Mexico, who participated in an ISL program. Utilizing an ethnographic approach, including participant observation, focus groups, and interviews, the study discussed in this article produced findings that suggest that communities participating in ISL gain important learning outcomes in areas such as empowerment, skills, values, and collective organization.