Service-learning Experience Research Articles

What Do Veterinary Students Value about Service Learning? Insights from Subsidized Clinics in an Urban Environment.

To promote accessible veterinary care in the community and to help students refine their communication skills, the University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) partnered with the Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS), a human services organization, to develop the UCVM-CUPS Pet Health Clinics. These clinics are a service-learning experience where third-year students provide services to those facing barriers to veterinary care in Calgary, Alberta. The clinics are offered at CUPS for 6 weeks at 1 day per week. Each student participates in one 4-hour lab; running two 90-minute appointments. In this mixed-methods article, the question was asked: How does a communication-based veterinary service learning program impact students' perception and knowledge of their skills and their perceived role in community outreach to underserved populations and their animals? All third-year veterinary students (N = 30) participated in the 2018 UCVM-CUPS Pet Health Clinics. Students completed a demographics survey, and a pre- and post-clinic questionnaire. Statistical analysis was used to compare pre- and post-clinic responses, and to determine relationships between questionnaire responses and the demographics survey data. Students were significantly more in agreement with statements that demonstrated confidence in their medical knowledge, technical abilities, and communication skills after participating in the program. There was significantly more disagreement to continue volunteering after graduation, but many planned on providing community outreach. Overall, students felt a strong sense of social responsibility and were motivated to help underserved populations. The findings suggest that communication-based, service-learning experiences are related to greater social awareness and enhance students' clinical skills including communication.

Pop-up loose parts playgrounds: learning opportunities for early childhood preservice teachers

ABSTRACT Play is a cornerstone of early childhood education. However, recent trends of schoolification and school readiness have meant that academic learning and adult-guided play are often privileged over free play. The aim of this study was to explore how a service-learning experience, in the form of organising and running a pop-up playground for young children and their families, would promote learning about and advocacy for play among early childhood preservice teachers (PSTs). Thirty-six PSTs enrolled in a second-year early childhood education unit in an Australian University were required to advertise, organise and facilitate a loose parts playground at a local park as part of their coursework. PSTs were asked to reflect on their learning from the event. Findings suggest that a service-learning pop-up playground was highly successful in promoting PST learning about children’s play, loose parts and the adulteration of play. Learning about advocacy for play was less evident.

Short-term Service-Learning: Implications for Preparing Health Science Students for Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine students’ self-reported learning outcomes following participation in collaborative interprofessional service-learning experiences through the qualitative analysis of participants’ written, guided critical reflections. Method: Participants responded to guided reflection questions pre and post trip. The four pre-trip open-ended reflection questions included: what the students expected or hoped to learn, how they expected to learn this, the importance of this learning for their career skill development and how this learning could be used in the future. Upon completion of the service-learning experience, students were asked the same questions with slight variation- What did they learn, how did they learn this, the importance of this learning for career skill development and how this learning could be used in their future practice. Open coding strategies were employed to guide the researchers’ analysis of the student participants’ written responses. Results: There were 145 participants in the study, including 86 students in a comparison group and 59 students who participated in service-learning trips during 2018 and 2019. Service-learning participants majored in nursing (47.4%, n=28) and occupational therapy (33.9%, n=20), with fewer participants in pharmacy (n=5), physical therapy (n=5) and social work (n=2). Comparing pre and post service-learning group responses, researchers noted that the post-trip reflections included more depth, breadth and insight compared to the pretest reflection responses for each theme. Post trip responses also included the additional theme of personal growth. Post-trip participants reported having a greater self-awareness of their own limitations and strengths, having a broadened perspective, experiencing spiritual growth, and developing attitudes of gratefulness, humility, flexibility, patience, and empathy after participating in the trip, reinforcing the idea that immersion created learning is exponential when it is experiential. Conclusions: Service learning coupled with guided critical reflection is an effective tool in enhancing interprofessional collaboration. Qualitative analysis of students’ self-reported learning through written reflections served as a valuable means for capturing learning outcomes related to interprofessional collaboration competencies.

A Sustainable Service-Learning Program Embedded in PETE: Examining the Short-Term Influence on Preservice Teacher Outcomes

Background: Studies have acknowledged the limitations of short-term service-learning programs. This highlights the importance of examining the influence of evidence-informed sustainable service-learning programs on preservice teachers’ learning outcomes. Purpose: To explore the short-term influence of a sustainable service-learning program on first-year physical education teacher education (PETE) preservice teachers. Methods: Written reflections from 15 students (73% women and 27% men) in the first year of a PETE course were analyzed using Butin’s conceptual model. Results: The service-learning experiences allowed first-year PETE preservice teachers to extend and refine their general pedagogical content, curriculum, and policy knowledge. However, PETE preservice teachers’ learning was limited in terms of cultural, political, and postmodern perspectives. Discussion: This study provides recommendations for improving preservice teachers’ learning in a sustainable service-learning program embedded in a PETE course.

Adapting Global Service-Learning Project and Community Partnership Outcomes Using a “Tele-engineering” Approach in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Water Supply in Developing Countries (WSDC) service-learning course at Purdue University has fostered a strong partnership with the La Vega region in the Dominican Republic since 2012. During this time, an interdisciplinary group of engineering and science students has helped design drinking water treatment systems and the group has developed water, sanitation, and health (WASH) education materials. These WASH education and water safety approaches often have been conducted in person in the past. However, with the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability to travel in the fall and spring semesters of the 2020–2021 academic year, the students have been exploring (1) the impact of the pandemic on the community schools in the La Vega province, (2) the impact of the pandemic on the current water treatment systems, and (3) possible solutions to implement a “virtual installation” of a water treatment system at our newest partner school in the community of Desecho. The coronavirus pandemic has ushered in a new way that we may approach our service-learning experiences in the future. More specifically, in the future, it may be more effective to serve as a “virtual consulting firm” of engineers and consultants, rather than builders, for the implementation and design of the water treatment systems. In this way, we may facilitate a partnership that fosters community agency and solution-based approaches to technical issues are led by local community members.

Pharmacy Students as Volunteer Medical Staff for American Diabetes Association Summer Camp

For children living with a diagnosis of diabetes, com-munity support and education about proper disease management are critical for the mental and physical health of the child and their family. The experiences offered at summer camps hosted by the American Diabetes Association address both of these needs for the pediatric diabetes community. These camps provide children with the opportunity to participate in a traditional camp experience—swimming, rock climbing, tubing, and more—while giving parents peace of mind in the knowledge that their child’s diabetes will be closely monitored by a team of health care professionals. During my time as volunteer medical staff at the American Diabetes Association’s Camp John Warvel, I was given the unique opportunity to put into practice the topics taught in my pharmacy curriculum in a hands-on learning environment. As part of the camp medical staff, I was responsible for adjusting insulin doses, checking blood sugar levels, and treating episodes of low or high blood sugar. While campers were given the opportunity to make friends and learn about how to manage their diabetes, I was able to supplement areas of my education with real-world applications of content from my clinical courses. Camp John Warvel is a prime example of the incredible benefit that a service-learning experience can have for a student, particularly in a health care profession. I left Camp John Warvel with a rejuvenated passion for my profession that helped sustain me through my remaining years of school. I returned to my classes at Purdue with improved retention of my diabetes knowledge after using that information in a hands-on setting. My campers went home having formed lifelong friendships and a better understanding of diabetes management, with their eyes excitedly set on coming back to camp again next year.

Applying Rerum Novarum towards the Academic Service-Learning (ASL) Reflection Process for Promoting Ethical Leadership in Post-Secondary Students

Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum is considered one of the first major works to introduce Catholic social thought on a global level. A key message undergirding Rerum is the concept of supporting the needs of others, leading to empowerment and self-sufficiency. The purpose of this study was to create a list of reflection prompts informed by Rerum for post-secondary students to consider and apply towards their academic service-learning experiences. Through qualitative analysis, three main themes related to Rerum’s key message were identified: (a) opportunity to obtain resources; (b) intrinsic right to continual resources; and, (c) communal support of families and dependents. These themes were then used to develop eight distinct reflection prompts for each stage of the service-learning experience; here, the goal is to provide post-secondary students with a foundation for processing their thoughts and developing their leadership styles in an ethically-informed manner, grounded in Catholic social thought.

Pilot experience of Service-Learning with Universitary Students: Learning about inclusive education with a Multiple Intelligences Project and Interactive Groups

opportunity to come into contact with their future careers. Students from Faculty of Education of Universidad Autonoma of Madrid, participated in a pilot experience collaborating with the development of an educative project in a Primary Public School in the municipality of El Casar (Guadalajara-Spain). The project consisted about designing eight activities for each Multiple Intelligences of Gardner’s Theory and implementing them through an Interactive Groups methodology. There was an adult tasked with explaining and moderate each group. After a previous theoretical training, the university students collaborated in the production of materials and activities, and the implementation of the workshops in the school, participating in the assessment afterwards. All the university students achieved knowledge related to methodology used in the project, inclusive education and also they have the opportunity to live how a Primary Public School works. They themselves give a punctuation of 9.57 out of 10 to the experience.

All Work or All Play? The Impact of Cultural and Clinical Activities on Perceived Cultural Sensitivity Development During an Occupational Therapy Service Learning Experience

All Work or All Play? The Impact of Cultural and Clinical Activities on Perceived Cultural Sensitivity Development During an Occupational Therapy Service Learning Experience

Co-editors' notes

Co-editors' notes

Characterizing Service-Learning Partnerships in Engineering Through the Experiences of Undergraduate Students

Partnerships are a central part of the service-learning experience. Recent research has focused on partnerships, types of interactions, and relationships across service-learning from various perspectives, yet examinations of service-learning partnerships from the student perspective, specifically the relationship between the community partner and the student, are limited. This investigation answers two research questions: (a) How do undergraduate engineering students characterize the nature of service-learning partnerships? and (b) What factors within service-learning influence student perspectives on partnerships? Focus groups and interviews were conducted with students who engaged in service-related engineering experiences, and the transcriptions of these discussions were analyzed using the transactional, cooperative, and communal framework, a method of thematic discourse analysis. Results revealed that the experiences of undergraduate students in service-learning provide valuable insight for analyzing partnerships, specifically with respect to the following themes: service component, social context, and community interactions. The factors shown to influence students’ perspectives of the service-learning partnership include the positionality of the students and the intentionality of the instructors. Our results imply that student experiences hold value beyond what is currently leveraged for research, teaching, and community outcomes. This study provides evidence that service-learning and community engagement efforts benefit when they are designed and evaluated in ways that acknowledge student voices and embrace students as knowledgeable and valuable members of university-community partnerships.

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.

Service-learning in problem solving in the community: pre-service teachers’ reflection on their experience

The article substantiates the relevance of service-learning in the study process of pre-service teachers solving problems relevant to the community. The multifaceted benefits of service-learning for both learners and the community have been highlighted. Pre-service teachers treat the service-learning experience as unique, allowing them to get closely acquainted with professional reality, develop collaboration outside the university, understand the importance of change in education in response to the needs of society and the extent of their responsibility for this change.

El mapa de los valores del Aprendizaje-Servicio

A pesar de que la bibliografía especializada reconoce el aprendizaje-servicio como una metodologíarelevante de educación en valores, no se dispone todavía de una relación suficientemente completa dela pluralidad de valores que activa. El objetivo de este artículo es construir un mapa fiable de los valores quepropone esta metodología. Para conseguirlo se definirán los niveles de aprendizaje que se superponen en una práctica educativa compleja y luego se determinarán los valores que se trabajan en cada uno de los niveles de la práctica del aprendizaje-servicio. Para conseguirlo se ha realizado un trabajo de reconstrucción racional basado en la optimización recíproca conseguida entre una selección de buenas experiencias de aprendizaje-servicio y la teoría de las prácticas morales y del aprendizaje-servicio. Esta metodología ha permitido establecer tres niveles simultáneos de aprendizaje —la práctica, las acciones y las tareas— así como un elenco de los valores que cristalizan en cada uno de ellos: un mapa completo de la variedad y riqueza de valores que se ponen en juego en el aprendizaje-servicio. Un resultado que, en los procesos de formación del profesorado, ayudará a tomar conciencia de la fuerza moral de esta metodología y a activarla durante su desempeño profesional.

“Yo me quedo en casa”: Una experiencia de aprendizaje-servicio online en el Grado de Educación Infantil para ofrecer propuestas educativas a las familias

espanolSe detalla una experiencia de aprendizaje-servicio online en el marco del ultimo ano del Grado en Educacion Infantil de la Universidad de Cadiz. Experiencia mediada por la tecnologia en unos tiempos de pandemia que nos han ofrecido la oportunidad de un nuevo aprendizaje, al reinventarnos. Partiendo de la necesidad social evidenciada por las diferentes familias en contextos y redes sociales desencadeno el diseno del mismo como respuesta a dicha necesidad. El grado de satisfaccion del alumnado se evidencia en forma de voces, expresando lo aprendido mediante el mismo. EnglishThis paper discusses “Yo me quedo en casa” (‘I am staying home’), an online service-learning experience that was developed by final-year students of the Early Childhood Education degree at the University of Cadiz. The experience was mediated by technology in times of a pandemic, a situation that has forced us to reinvent ourselves and thus has offered us the opportunity for new learning. The service-learning project was designed as a response to the social needs shown by the different families in various contexts and social networks. The students who participated in the project voiced their level of satisfaction with the experience and highlighted what they had learned throughout the project.

Aprender, servir y ser solidarios en tiempos de pandemias

espanolEn tiempos de pandemias se desafia la capacidad de individuos, colectivos sociales, organizaciones, instituciones, politicas y gobiernos, para crear y recrear el aprendizaje, el servicio y la solidaridad. Sustentado en el marco del Aprendizaje y Servicio Solidario (AYSS) y una perspectiva organizacional estrategica, se analiza el mapa “Aprendizaje-servicio en tiempos de pandemia” (Centro Latinoamericano de Aprendizaje y Servicio Solidario [CLAYSS], 2020). Se identifican, exploran y analizan 200 experiencias de AYSS, georreferenciadas en cuatro continentes y 22 paises entre marzo y septiembre de 2020. Se utiliza la tecnica de analisis de contenido tematico y la perspectiva etnografica digital para sistematizar y categorizar las experiencias. El analisis evidencia el devenir del AYSS en tiempos de pandemias, sus enfasis, acciones y busquedas, y muestra la permanencia del foco de los proyectos en el protagonismo de quienes aprenden, el vinculo con la comunidad y la integracion del servicio solidario en el curriculum. El mapa denota un habitus organizacional (aprender de y con otros); su diseno y desarrollo sustentan la perspectiva de una construccion colectiva, de un conocimiento distribuido que recrea esperanza e invita a (re)construir redes solidarias en tiempos de pandemias. EnglishIn times of a pandemic, the ability of individuals, social groups, organizations, institutions, policies and governments to create and recreate learning, service and solidarity is severely challenged. Based on the framework of solidarity service-learning and a strategic organizational perspective, this paper analyzes the ‘Service-Learning in times of a pandemic’ map. Two hundred solidarity service-learning experiences were identified, explored and analysed, georeferenced in four continents and 22 countries, between March and September 2020. The thematic content analysis technique and the digital ethnographic perspective were used to systematize and categorize the experiences. The analysis shows the evolution of solidarity service-learning in times of a pandemic, its focal point, actions and goals, evidencing how the projects have remained focused on the learners’ central role, the bond with the community and the integration of solidarity service into the curriculum. The map denotes an organizational habitus (learning from and with others); its design and development supports the perspective of a collective construction of knowledge, which is shared and generates recreates hope and invites us to (re) build solidarity networks in times of pandemics. The map is evidence of the interweaving of solidarity service-learning citizenship (political action), rights and education, which systematizes and enhances a way of being-making-knowing that has been shared for decades between local and global actors and the networks that are configured in times of a pandemic.

The impact of service-learning methodology on business schools' students worldwide: A systematic literature review.

The purpose of this research is to perform a systematic review of the literature published on the benefits of applying the service-learning methodology with business students. Several works and studies identify significant contributions that are important to the student’s profile; however, a systematic review of the benefits derived from the methodology application in the profile previously described has not yet been conducted. The main objective of this study is to gather, identify, and classify evidence from 32 studies conducted across global business schools regarding the benefits of service-learning in university students. The applied methodology follows the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” statement for systematic reviews. The studies were extracted from the World of Science, Scopus, and Educational Resource Information Center databases and were analyzed according to the suggested objectives. The suggested systematic review provides a rigorous analysis of academic literature on the benefits of service learning in the student’s personal, social, academic, and civic environment. A theoretical framework that combines all gathered benefits from the 32 studies has been suggested in these pages, by means of grouping these benefits into four categories considering prior research on the academic, personal, social, and citizenship outcomes. Several quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies support the benefits of this methodology, focusing on the student’s profile development. We found that students enjoy plenty of outcomes after participating in the service-learning experience, thus, the most frequent outcome is greater social engagement. With more than 4,000 students involved in the total analyzed studies, we present a list of ranked outcomes that reflects and supports the strength of the methodology. Through this study, institutions as well as teachers may be aware of the potential present in this methodology. Our study also suggested a framework for university coordinators to act.

Important Considerations in Developing and Evaluating Intergenerational Service-Learning Programs

Very often, intergenerational programs measure their success by collecting feedback primarily from the students participating in the program. Critical stakeholders such as the adults/older adults, administrators, and service-learning personnel can be overlooked, as well as the impact of the various classroom activities and tools used. Each fall semester over a five-year period, an undergraduate adulthood and aging intergenerational service-learning course was offered, measuring and building on the successes and challenges from the previous year. No matter how much thought goes into planning a class, unexpected variables naturally unfold over time. This presentation will highlight a best practices model developed over a five-year period with feedback collected from key constituents. Engaging different generations in a purposeful service-learning experience is complex and intended outcomes are not guaranteed. Understanding the key variables and the needs of all those involved through feedback and measurement, can help ensure a more meaningful educational experience. Part of a symposium sponsored by Intergenerational Learning, Research, and Community Engagement Interest Group.

Reducing Ageism in a Lifespan Development Course Using Service Learning: Does an Aging Focus Matter?

A rapidly growing older adult population underlies the importance of reducing ageism. Research shows that college students typically hold negative views of older adults. While education and demonstrations within aging-focused courses contribute to reducing ageist beliefs, attitudes, and behavior toward older adults, contact with older adults amplifies these effects. This study investigated whether integrating contact with older adults into a lifespan development course was effective in decreasing college students’ ageism. The sample (N = 104; Mage = 19.94, SD = 3.27) were enrolled in the psychology course, largely as a major requirement for social science majors (51.9%) and health science majors (38.5%). As part of the course curriculum, a portion of the students (n = 57) interacted with older adults to fulfill a service-learning requirement; a control group (n = 47) were not given this option. Knowledge (Facts on Aging), behavior (Relating to Old People Evaluation; aging-related career intentions), and attitudes (Anxiety about Aging and Ambivalent Ageism) were assessed at the beginning and end of the semester. Quantity and quality of contact with older adults was also measured at baseline as a covariate. In a series of ANCOVA analyses, students with aging-related experiences across the term did not differ significantly on any measure compared to those without these experiences, controlling for experience with older adults and baseline assessments. The implications of this finding in the context of research may signal that focus of the course content may be an important moderator of the effectiveness of service-learning experiences with older adults.

Curricula Innovation to Positively Influence Preference for Working With Older Adults: A Review of the Literature

Few nursing students show preference in working with older adults. The purpose of this study was to review the U.S. nursing education evidence-based literature to determine curricula innovation to positively influence preference for working with older adults. CINAHL, Medline, Ovid Emcare, PsychInfo, and PubMed databases were searched for relevant U.S studies published between 2009 and 2020 using the search terms “nursing students”, “geriatrics OR gerontology OR older adults OR elderly OR aging”, “career OR work”, and “choice OR preference OR attitude”. Nine studies were eligible for inclusion. Nursing education may play a role in influencing how students perceive and prefer to work with older adults. Promising interventions include stand-alone gerontology courses, intergenerational service-learning experiences, and clinical experiences with community dwelling older adults. More evidence-based research with larger sample sizes are needed to determine effective nursing education interventions to improve nursing students’ attitude and preference for working with older adults.