Research Guides: Community Engaged Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship: Service-Learning

Foundations of Service-Learning Pedagogy

This section contains resources that provide overviews of the essential elements of service-learning pedagogy.

Journal Articles

PRELOAD: A Rubric to Evaluate Course Syllabi for Quality Indicators of Community Engagement and Service-Learning Components Faculty development programs have proven successful in teaching faculty how to develop community engagement and service-learning (CES-L) courses. Evaluating the outcomes of these programs can occur through assessment of course syllabi for CES-L elements. The PRELOAD rubric was created, which includes the following facets: Partnership, Reflection, Engagement, Logistics, Objectives, Assessment, and Definition. The rubric can support faculty developing CES-L courses and community engagement offices documenting the scope of CES-L opportunities across campus
From the Classroom to the Community: Best Practices in Service-Learning As a pedagogy, service-learning connects students with the community while focusing on course outcomes. The community becomes a live text for reflection and enriches students’ experiences they otherwise would not have in the classroom. This article provides tips and strategies for implementing service-learning in the classroom. These tips and strategies include developing the structure of the course, linking service-learning to outcomes, creating partnerships, working through logistics with partners, communicating with community partners, setting logistics, preparing students, creating reflections, handling challenging issues, giving credit for the learning, and assessing service-learning.

Other Resources

Reflection and Learning Outcomes

All service-learning courses involve integrated reflection guided by faculty, as well as a direct link between the service project and course learning objectives. The resources in this section document the critical role of reflection in learning, as well as provide reflection activities and models for grading/assessment.

Journal Articles

Generating, Deepening, and Documenting Learning: The Power of Critical Reflection in Applied Learning Applied learning pedagogies—including service-learning, internships/practica, study abroad, and undergraduate research—have in common both the potential for significant student learning and the challenges of facilitating and assessing that learning, often in non-traditional ways that involve experiential strategies outside the classroom as well as individualized outcomes. Critical reflection oriented toward well-articulated learning outcomes is key to generating, deepening, and documenting student learning in applied learning. This article will consider the meaning of critical reflection and principles of good practice for designing it effectively and will present a research-grounded, flexible model for integrating critical reflection and assessment
Reflection in Service Learning: Making Meaning of Experience Reflective activities are critical components of service learning because they connect service with course content. Methods include journals, experiential-research papers, ethical case studies, directed readings, and electronic dialogs.
The Articulated Learning: An Approach to Guided Reflection and Assessment The value of reflection on experience to enhance learning has been advanced for decades; however, it remains difficult to apply in practice. This paper describes a reflection model that pushes students beyond superficial interpretations of complex issues and facilitates academic mastery, personal growth, civic engagement, critical thinking, and the meaningful demonstration of learning. Although developed in a service-learning program, its general features can support reflection on a range of experiences. It is accessible to both students and instructors, regardless of discipline; and it generates written products that can be used for formative and summative assessment of student learning.

Service Projects and Community Partnerships

A core principle of service-learning is that the project is identified as a need by the community and that the service-learning process is one of partnership and reciprocity. Materials in this section provide research on developing service projects and community partnerships.

Podcasts

Boost: Elevating Design Episode 3
Episode of the Boost Podcast where WCU faculty member Shelby Hicks discusses her work with service learning at the University.
Moving the Needle: Episode 10
Dr. Lori Edwards Assistant Professor in UMB's School of Nursing discusses the evolution of community engagement and service learning in higher education.
Volunteer Nation: Episode 10
In this episode, host Tobi Johnson welcomes guest Brian Halderman for a deep dive into what service learning is and how it can benefit your organization.

Journal Articles

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Faculty also research and publish on the practice of service-learning pedagogy, processes, and outcomes. This section includes resources for approaching and conducting this research, as well as examples.

Journals Articles

The Impact of Service-Learning: Perspectives of Natural Supports of Students with Intellectual Disability on a College Campus This qualitative study shares experiences of 337 undergraduate students majoring in special education or related fields completing requirements in a designated service-learning course learning about intellectual disability (ID) and other exceptionalities at Western Carolina University.

Other Resources

Service Learning Research Primer

Community Engaged Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship: Service-Learning

Foundations of Service-Learning Pedagogy

Reflection and Learning Outcomes

Service Projects and Community Partnerships

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

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