Service-learning as a tool for increasing political efficacy and civic engagement at a Hispanic-serving institution

Abstract

Ample research has noted a positive sense of political efficacy associated with increased civic engagement. In turn, the role of service-learning in boosting students’ civic engagement has been well documented. As civic engagement is a desirable goal for strengthening communities and empowering citizens, the role of service-learning in directly increasing political efficacy in students is worthy of observation. In the context of a student population that includes first-generation students at a Hispanic-serving Institution, where service is emphasized and institutionalized, this study examines preliminary data from student service-learning surveys. This study examines whether student participation in service-learning projects contributes to an increase in students’ sense of political efficacy and civic engagement. This first phase included service-learning projects on environmental justice and voting rights in three upper level political science courses. Preliminary findings indicate a modest increase in perceptions of political empowerment and civic engagement.

The Impact of Service-Learning at an HSI on Attitudes Toward Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

“…At HSIs, students have connected civic engagement to their success (Langhout & Gordon, 2019), higher levels of social engagement were linked to feeling more valued in class (Garcia & Cuellar, 2018), and service-learning helped develop cultural competence and civic responsibility (Vargas & Erba, 2017). Positive changes in political efficacy (Barnett, 2018), selfefficacy (Overton, 2015), and self-awareness (West & Simmons, 2012) have also been reported. Looking at academic outcomes, Fredericksen (2000) reported Latinx students that participated in community engagement outperformed students that did not.…”

Prácticas de inclusión en la educación superior técnica: participación y compromiso público con la formación de los estudiantes vulnerables en Chile

“…Este tipo de prácticas se pueden categorizar de acuerdo al público (académico o no académico) y al tipo de conocimiento (instrumental y reflexivo) que se produce (Franz, 2011). El involucramiento para el aprendizaje ("student civic engagement"), implica la construcción de subjetividades por medio de acciones como la participación democrática con el voto, el trabajo comunitario, y el aprendizaje-servicio que fortalezcan el aporte cívico de parte de los estudiantes vulnerables (Barnet, 2018;Marin Hellwege, 2019;Manning-Ouellette & Hemmer, 2019).…”

Service-Learning at an HSI: A Preliminary Analysis

“…Service learning -defined herein as an active learning pedagogy "whereby course learning outcomes are linked with community service in a way that enhances comprehension of course content while leading to transformative change in student awareness, critical thinking, personal values, and civic responsibility, as well as empowerment of and reciprocity with community partners" (Barnett 2018) -has become a topic of much interest in political science since at least the late 1990s. The decline in political participation among younger Americans (Putnam 2001;Barnett 2018), a disinterest in the political fate of the local community (Hepburn, et al 2000), a greater push by universities to give students demonstrable post-graduate work skills (Stolley, et al 2017), and a desire by professors to compose teaching techniques beyond the traditional lecture have led to calls to intersect community engagement and traditional academic coursework. Scholars and practitioners have sought to provide guidance on the best practices and most effective ways to conduct service learning in a college environment, focusing on defining the underlying pedagogy of service learning and its impact (Kezar and Rhoads 2001), best practices in service learning (Bowen 2010;Mayhew and Engberg 2011;etc.…”

“…https://newsroom.niu.edu/2020/10/13/how-hard-is-it-to-vote-in-your-state/ 8 Future research will need to examine whether the same processes of post-graduate engagement seen at PWI's(Stolley, et al 2017;Barnett 2018; etc.) also apply to HSI's…”