scholarly journals Rethinking Service-Learning: Bridging the Gap Between Academic and Student Affairs

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Student Organization ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Site Supervisors ◽  
Definition Of

Although the service-learning literature has clearly demonstrated the importance of reflection in connecting service to learning, this is often a difficult task for faculty. As colleges and universities continue to promote civic engagement through a wide array of service activities, in the classroom, and increasingly through co-curricular projects, greater emphasis needs to be placed on reflecting well. This study evaluated changes in perceptions of poverty by undergraduate students engaged in a co-curricular service project. Poverty was selected as one indicator for understanding concepts of justice. Pre- and post-project surveys were conducted by the student participants, who were members of an on-campus student organization. In addition, guided discussion-based reflection was facilitated by a faculty adviser as well as through interactions with patrons and site supervisors during the project. The findings revealed changes in student attitudes regarding structural issues that promote poverty. As a result, the study concluded that an expanded definition of service-learning which includes co-curricular service cannot be overlooked as an important outlet for student learning and the development of civically engaged citizens.

scholarly journals Medical Student Attitudes Toward the Medically Underserved: The USU Perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 180 (suppl_4) ◽  
pp. 61-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark B. Stephens ◽  
Grace Landers ◽  
Stephen W. Davis ◽  
Steven J. Durning ◽  
Sonia J. Crandall
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Repeated Measures Analysis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Medical Student Attitudes ◽  
Definition Of

ABSTRACT This study examined a cohort of students attending the Uniformed Services University regarding their attitudes toward medical care in underserved populations. Using the previously validated Medical Student Attitudes Toward the Underserved (MSATU), repeated measures analysis of variance showed that student attitudes toward care in underserved populations was less favorable than limited national data at entry and declined over time (Mean MSATU total score Year 1: 46.2 [SD 10.95]; Year 4: 41.7 [SD 12.3] p < 0.01). Differences in medical school debt, exposure to underserved populations, and the definition of “service” in the context of active duty military status might explain some of our findings. Providing broad service learning opportunities within the curriculum could increase student exposure to underserved populations and strengthen the social contract between community and institution.

scholarly journals Service-learning in a Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management Academic Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-98
Author(s):  
Kevin Naaman ◽  
Chengming Hu ◽  
Brandon Howell ◽  
Weixuan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Social Awareness ◽  
Event Management ◽  
Spring Semester ◽  
Learning Barriers

One-hundred and twenty-three undergraduate students in three Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management (THEM) courses participated in a survey that captured service-learning barriers and perceptions of the experiences over the course of the 2017 spring semester. Results from the exploratory factor analysis generated three distinct factors from the perceived benefits of service-learning: (1) civic engagement, (2) social awareness, and (3) translational learning. Statistically significant negative correlations were found between barriers and perceptions of service-learning benefits. Implications from this research includes the identification and creation of interventions to reduce barriers so students may receive the benefits associated with service-learning.  

Developing Leadership Skills and a Commitment to Civic Engagement During an Undergraduate Community-Based Service Learning Class

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim C. Graber ◽  
Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko ◽  
Jamie A. O’Connor ◽  
Jenny M. Linker
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Carnegie Classifications ◽  
Community Data

Civic engagement and service learning opportunities provide students with unique real-world experiences they are unable to acquire in a traditional in-class setting. Students develop a commitment to the community in which they live, exposure to other populations, leadership abilities, skills to work successfully within a team, and a chance to learn from failure. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized the importance of such opportunities and has added the Community Engagement Classification to the restructured Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education. The purpose of this paper is to provide a synthesis of the literature that addresses civic engagement and service learning opportunities and to describe a university class that was designed to provide undergraduate students with a capstone service learning experience promoting wellness for older adults in the community. Data that were collected to evaluate the success of the class are also described.

“Building Bridges, Not Fences”: A History of Civic Engagement at Private Black Colleges and Universities, 1944–1965

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 346-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marybeth Gasman ◽  
Dorsey Spencer ◽  
Cecilia Orphan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Black Colleges ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
College And University ◽  
History Of ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact

HBCUs traditionally build bridges, not fences, for their neighbors.–Barbara S. FrankleIn its truest sense, higher education is aimed at fostering academic achievement and educating students for good and productive citizenship. With this purpose in mind, over the past few decades there has been a proliferation of research on civic engagement. Although substantial in size and reach, the civic engagement literature is limited in terms of depth and scope. Many scholars working in this area have sought to define civic engagement as well as service learning; service learning is believed to lead to greater civic engagement and to increase educational attainment by some scholars and practitioners. Of note, this scholarship aims to defend civic engagement by providing a philosophical justification for it, reclaiming the historic civic purpose of higher education, or providing an assessment of student outcomes, including participation in protest, voting knowledge and behavior, and the impact of service learning. The civic engagement literature also demonstrates the level of engagement among undergraduate students and provides in-depth case studies of college and university initiatives to engage local communities throughout the nation. Scholars of civic engagement have focused on many different types of majority institutions, including small private colleges, state universities, land grant institutions, and private research universities. Most of these studies draw on how the unique histories of these various sectors of higher education position them for civic engagement work as well as the institutional efforts to engage local communities.

scholarly journals Self-Efficacy and Civic Engagement in Undergraduate Students: Empirical Results of a Service Learning Program in Thailand

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prasart Nuangchalerm
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
General Education ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
First Semester

The environmental and cultural problems in Thailand are large and widely distributed. To address these problems, public awareness must be raised and all sectors of society must assume their civic responsibilities to assist in sustaining both our environment and the local culture. This study sought to engage undergraduate students in civic engagement projects in order to enhance their self-efficacy to address such problems through service learning experiences. One hundred and ninety six undergraduate students participated in a general education course on civic education during the first semester of 2012. This course provided students the opportunity to explore theoretical aspects of citizenship as well as the opportunity to practice community service. Such community service allows the students to experience and learn how the community members live. Data was collected by a variety of methods; self-efficacy questionnaires, student reports, journal writing and reflections, and interviews. Findings revealed that the students had high levels of self-efficacy and increased their levels of civic engagement through the community service conducted.

scholarly journals AGING IS VERY PERSONAL: INTERPROFESSIONAL GERONTOLOGY COURSE IMPROVING STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARD OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S151-S151
Author(s):  
Jason T Garbarino
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Program Construction

Abstract Educational programs that foster the development of a robust healthcare workforce committed to the provision of exemplary care of older adults is vital. The Aging is Very Personal (AIVP) service learning gerontology course has demonstrated the ability to foster future student interest and improved attitudes towards working with older adults. The AIVP program provides mutual benefit for undergraduate students from a variety of health science majors and older adult resident volunteers at local senior living facilities. For students, AIVP serves as direct insight into the lived experience of aging among community older adults. Students are provided the opportunity to practice communication skills, relationship-building skills, and gain an understanding of the multitude of diverse needs within this population. Older adults who volunteer to participate in the activity are provided with the opportunity to speak to and actively engage with students and feel empowered by the opportunity to provide valuable life guidance. This presentation will provide a curricular overview of the steps required to construct, implement, and evaluate an interprofessional gerontology course. A review of student learning objectives, service-learning program construction, selected course topics, and student assignments will be presented. Attitudes and future interest in working with older adults measured in the initial interprofessional student cohort (n=106) will be presented. A pre-established, validated tool utilized to effectively measure student attitudes and interest pre/post-course participation will be reviewed.

scholarly journals Rope Pump Modifications to Reach Greater Depths: A Service Project for Clean Water in The Gambia

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-23
Author(s):  
Jennifer Kadlowec ◽  
Jess Everett ◽  
Hong Zhang ◽  
Taylor Purdue ◽  
Katelyn Dmitruck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
The Gambia ◽  
Design Solution ◽  
Pump Design ◽  
Human Power ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Simple Technology ◽  
Rope Pump

Rope pumps are a locally adaptable and relatively simple technology for water retrieval that are easy to understand and repair and perform well with respect to water quality. Concern Universal - an NGO with offices in Banjul, The Gambia - was introducing the rope pump into The Gambia and needed assistance in designing a rope pump that could lift water from greater depths. Modifications to the rope pump would be needed, which became the basis of an opportunity for a student service-learning project / capstone design experience for students to develop a solution. More specifically, the design criteria were to develop an affordable, easy to use rope pump that could be used to pump water from a depth of 30 m to a storage tank 5 m above ground with a constraint of human power by a single operator. A team of undergraduate students and faculty designed, built and tested a rope pump that was similar to those used in rural Gambian villages. The team’s rope pump design, analyze, build and test process is described in this paper. The design solution began by first modeling the rope pump in a user-defined MATLAB routine to effectively determine the effects of parameters and constraints. A parametric study, where pipe diameter, number of pistons per meter of rope length, well depth and input rotational speeds were varied, was conducted. These results provide a range of conditions for using a rope pump at various depths and provided a basis for designing a pump. Experimental tests were conducted, and the results were compared to theoretical predictions. Experimental results for flow rate were within 3-18% of predicted values. To meet the client’s needs, it was determined that a rope pump with 1.27 cm (0.5 in) diameter piping, two pistons per meter, and a belt drive with gears of ratio of 1.5:1 to increase torque could raise water 35 m using operator under human-power. Additionally, alternative forms of power that would be available to the region are briefly investigated and discussed as potential future work, although further development was beyond the scope of this design project.

scholarly journals An Analysis Of Gender And Major Differences Upon Undergraduate Student Attitudes About Community Service Learning

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
P. K. Shukla ◽  
Monica P. Shukla
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Business Majors ◽  
Community Service Learning ◽  
Service Projects ◽  
Faculty And Administrators

Community Service Learning (CSL) believes that university and colleges should incorporate community based service projects into courses. There are faculty and administrator supporters who argue for such proposals to require community service learning components into classes, but there are also faculty and administrator critics of such proposals. The focus of this study was to examine the attitudes of undergraduate students on community service learning. A questionnaire was given to students at a private university in Southern California to see if statistically significant differences in attitudes could be found based upon: gender, class level, major, and any prior high school community service experience. In particular, the study focuses upon the differences in attitudes between business and non-business majors as there is a perception by some non-business faculty that business students are more focused upon self-interest rather than concern for social problems. The paper reports the findings of this study and offers policy implications/recommendations for faculty and administrators.

scholarly journals 336 Integration of teaching and extension of companion animal biology and nutrition

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 67-68
Author(s):  
Lisa Karr
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Development ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Companion Animal ◽  
Extension Programs ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Service Learning Projects

Abstract Students have a strong desire for hands on experiences during their undergraduate careers. This can be accomplished through combining teaching with extension to provide students with new experiences. Many students chose Animal Science because they had experiences with extension programs when younger and they have a desire to help animals. Utilizing undergraduate students in community outreach programs provides an opportunity for students to develop critical skills required for employment, but also provides a broader reach of companion animal extension programs. A variety of creative activities can be utilized to improve student learning and gain experiences outside of the classroom. Extension or outreach programs allow for opportunities for students to develop leadership skills. Undergraduate students serving as instructors in 4-H and other youth programs can provide both an impact on the education of the youth involved, but also develop a deeper understanding of materials. Undergraduate students can be involved in teaching health care, nutrition, and other topics related to companion animals to youth audiences. Examples of successful programs include student organized dog training courses, service-learning projects through humane societies or animal rescues, student involvement in feral cat control programs, and student assistance with spay/neuter programs. These activities can support student-learning outcomes as well as provide a valuable community service. During the process, the Kolb’s experiential learning cycle should be used to promote student development. This cycle includes a concrete experience, reflection, conceptualization, and active experimentation. Students must reflect on their experiences, consider how it could be improved, how it relates to their future careers and educational experience, and propose areas of improvement to gain the most from their experiences. Measuring the impacts of these activities on student learning and life skills, as well as community implications, will be critical to evaluation of the success of the programs.

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