Service-Learning vs. Learning Service in First-year Engineering: If We Cannot Conduct First-Hand Service Projects, is it Still of Value?

Abstract

are members of Northeastern University's Gateway Team, a group of teaching faculty expressly devoted to the first-year Engineering Program at Northeastern University. The focus of this team is on providing a consistent, comprehensive, and constructive educational experience that endorses the student-centered and professionally-oriented mission of Northeastern University.

Service-based First-year Engineering Projects: Do They Make a Difference?

“…[5][6][7][8][9] In first-year programs, PBSL has specifically been reported to positively impact students' perceptions of their roles as engineers, awareness of socially-responsible opportunities, and satisfaction with their first year-experience. 4,10,11 Unfortunately, there is very little previous work available in the literature that compares PBL to PBSL to determine any specific psychological and educational benefits from engaging in service-learning based PBL as compared to conventional PBL.…”

The Impacts of Real Clients in Project-Based Service-Learning Courses

“…5 A study at Northeastern University suggests that similar gains as those seen in client-based service-learning can be acquired by completing projects that are thematically similar or representative of an actual community issue. 6 This study proposes that a theoretical client can be used to take the place of a community client and hypothesizes that students respond similarly between situations where a class project is client-specific and situations are not client-based, yet theoretically could help someone. Although this research finds that theoretical clients are a successful way to eliminate logistical difficulties in coordinating client-based projects, Northeastern University still plans to expand the number of client-based service-learning projects offered.…”

“…Although this research finds that theoretical clients are a successful way to eliminate logistical difficulties in coordinating client-based projects, Northeastern University still plans to expand the number of client-based service-learning projects offered. 6 The recommended continued pursuit of clients hints that the extra effort required by faculty to coordinate these experiences might still be worthwhile.…”