Whom Does Service Learning Really Serve? Community-Based Organizations' Perspectives on Service Learning

Abstract

One of the major selling points of service-learning courses is their potential to mutually benefit communities, universities, and students. Although a great deal of research reports numerous pedagogical and personal benefits for students—from improved grades and increased civic engagement to increased understanding and appreciation of diversity—there is relatively little research on the impact of service learning on the community. To understand when and how service-learning courses benefit the community, we conducted in-depth interviews with representatives of local community-based organizations that have worked with service learners. We report on the primary benefits and costs associated with service-learning courses. We identify three types of obstacles to successful service-learning courses: issues related to student conduct, poor fit between course and organizational objectives, and lack of communication between instructors and organizations. We develop practical guidelines for addressing these obstacles and for ensuring that service learning fulfills teaching and learning goals and provides valuable service to community-based organizations.

‘Useful, usable and used’: Sustaining an Australian model of cross-faculty service learning by concentrating on shared value creation

“…These models can also be a response to the increasing criticism that higher education promotes learning that is disconnected from practice, which leads to the compartmentalisation of knowledge by discipline, fails to prepare students for work in highly complex environments (Dallimore & Souza 2002) and lacks connection to students' personal lives, public issues and the wider community Less often explored, however, is the benefit to community organisations (Lester et al 2005;Grossman 2002). In 1998, Giles and Eyler argued that understanding community impacts of service learning was one of the top 10 unanswered questions in service-learning research; more recent research would seem to suggest this remains an issue (see, for example, Blouin & Perry 2009;Eyler et al 2001;Stoecker & Tryon 2009;Stoecker 2009). …”

Designing Value into Engineering Learning Through Service Activities Using a Blueprint Model

“…LTS programs certainly expect the community to invest time and energy into the partnership. 49,[59][60] Some community partners also supply money, directly or in-kind. Frequently the community is also a key source of energy and passion for the project.…”

Value-adding to health professional student placement experiences: Enhancing work readiness and employability through a rural community engagement program

“…However, although community engagement has potential benefits for all concerned, in particular for students such as enhanced employability, self-efficacy and skill set (Millican & Bourner, 2011), it is not without challenges and risks (Moore, McDonald, McHugh-Dillon, & West, 2016;Weerts & Sandmann, 2008, 2010. While there are benefits for students, there are challenges and impediments to creating mutually beneficial relationships with the community (Blouin & Perry, 2009). The valuable role of the community must be acknowledged, individual and organisational voices heard, and the risk of demanding too much of the community, leading to disillusionment and disengagement, avoided (Butin, 2010;Moore et al, 2016).…”