Integration of Service-learning into Elementary Science Teaching Methods Courses

A Synthesis of the Research on Community Service Learning in Preservice Science Teacher Education

“…It is distinguished from volunteering experiences with its incorporation of "explicit learning experiences" (Kim, 2010, p. 322) that hold potential for preservice science teachers to improve their understanding of concepts related to teaching and learning in community and, in doing so, fosters better quality teaching. Kim (2010) further differentiates service learning from "community service" by suggesting that analysis and reflection on one's own teaching and students' learning, attends the former. Our analysis supports this contention.…”

“…Notwithstanding apparent agreement on the broader definition of CSL as a pedagogy among the articles reviewed, the purposes for using CSL as a teacher education pedagogy were only somewhat varied including: (a) applying course content in a community setting (Owens and Foos, 2007); (b) forming a learning community (Ronen and Shemer-Elkiyam, 2015); (c) gaining (technical) knowledge and skills related to pedagogy, and (d) learning about community and complex social issues (Barton, 1999(Barton, , 2000Cox-Petersen et al, 2005;Cone, 2009b,c;Kim, 2010;Lawrence and Butler, 2010;Riley and Solic, 2017). Underscoring this limited variation in purposes were shared notions of civic responsibility and strengthening communities (Borgelt et al, 2009;Haines, 2010) and how important these shared notions were to developing pedagogical skills in pre-service teachers (Chin, 2004;Cone, 2009a).…”

“…The studies analyzed employ different models to integrate CSL within a broader program of preservice science teacher education. The most common framework (11 articles), involves a "one-on-one model" with the inclusion of CSL within a single science methods course in the form of an after-school program wherein preservice science teachers have opportunities to work one-on-one during their course with children in community settings (Barton, 1999(Barton, , 2000Hammond, 2001;Chin, 2004;Cox-Petersen et al, 2005;Jung and Tonso, 2006;Cone, 2009a,b,c;Kim, 2010). For example, in VanWynsberghe and Khan (2014) study, preservice science teachers participate in an after-school club to help secondary students with their science homework.…”

“…In both cases, the preservice science teachers report an increase in preservice teachers' confidence in teaching both science and language arts and an increased ability to plan and implement collaborative inquiry-based lessons. Kim (2010), integrates four different service-learning activities into an elementary science teaching methods course that includes the involvement of graduate students interested in language learning. Kim has preservice science teachers participate in CSL contexts where they: (1) help elementary students complete their science fair projects in a local public school, (2) present authentic science experiments to the elementary students and parents (3) present their science fair projects to middle school students, and (4) help English language learners in second grade complete their science fair projects.…”

“…Studies that investigate the use of CSL pedagogy in preservice science teacher education contexts report a range of teacher outcomes including: gains in teachers' understanding of scientific knowledge, appreciation for scientific inquiry, and an overall capacity for articulating how to do science (Barton, 1999;Cox-Petersen et al, 2005;Owens and Foos, 2007). In addition, studies noted positive changes in self-efficacy, self-worth, and confidence among pre-service teachers (Cox-Petersen et al, 2005;Thompson et al, 2007;Cone, 2009a,b;Kim, 2010).…”