Background/purpose: The main problem addressed in this study is the challenge of enhancing public service efficiency and transparency in North Nias Regency, an area with significant geographical and infrastructural limitations. This research was conducted to investigate how human resource education can facilitate the transformation of public…

For administrators of higher education public service and outreach (PSO) units at public research institutions, the opportunities for service to their states are broad. These administrators' efforts in research, technical assistance, and training address critical needs in their states. Yet all units face limited resources, and the administrators…

Decades of scholarship on teaching and learning affirm the benefits of public service internships on student learning outcomes. Studies emphasize how hands-on fieldwork can increase students' substantive knowledge, political efficacy, trust in government, and civic participation, among other factors. However, most articles treat internships…

In 2013, the state of Texas passed House Bill 5 (HB 5) which established high school course pathways tailored to student interests by labor market area via the Foundation High School Program (FHSP). The pathway options for students include STEM, Arts and Humanities, Business and Industry, Public Service, and Multidisciplinary. While the intent of…

How is required public service during college related to later civic behavior? This article reports findings from a survey of 359 alumni, conducted two years after they completed their undergraduate studies at Tulane University. The alumni held positive views of the substantial public service requirement they had completed before graduating and…

Three field studies using norm-based public service announcements were carried out in a university context. The studies yielded inconclusive results, pointing toward the need to investigate the contextual and individual effectiveness of persuasive communication based on making social norms salient. The presented studies are discussed as the first…

Research on individuals' experiences engaging in outdoor education programs suggests participants are impacted in a number of ways. This study investigated the impact of participation in a wilderness education course on undergraduates' experiences with public service. This study asked the research question, what is the impact of an Outward Bound…

A service-learning project appropriate for a biochemistry or advanced biochemistry course was designed and implemented. The project involved students partnering with a homeless shelter to design informational pamphlets to be displayed at the shelter for the clients' use. The pamphlet topics were based on diseases studied within the course.…

This mixed-methods study demonstrates that the SERVE Program at Ignatius University strengthened the public service motivation of participating undergraduates by combining weekly community service with readings in philosophy and theology. These findings offer insights about the role that philosophy and theology service-learning experiences can…

This chapter examines how factors both internal and external to Cooperative Extension have influenced its commitment and capability to assess the quality and impact of its programs. The authors begin by documenting how the nature of Extension programming has changed dramatically in response to societal needs over the course of the organization's…

Objective: To test the effectiveness of an in-training program for practitioners in public child welfare organizations. Method: The sample consists of practitioners (N = 945) working in youth centers or in local community service centers. Data are collected through self-administered questionnaires prior to and after the program. Results: The data…

This case study examines why public-sector reform in education often fails to deliver expected performance gains. Longitudinal evidence from a secondary comprehensive located in a former coalfield is used to identify constraints that frustrate government policies. Although the head and senior staff at Norcross School adopted transformational,…

In public services delivery, action learning is increasingly employed in the hope of improving capacity to address complex, multi-casual and "wicked" social issues to improve the lives of citizens. Yet the understanding of how and why action learning might have potential for enhancing organizational or systemic capability rarely goes…

An effective service learning program (1) engages people in responsible, challenging actions; (2) articulates clear service and learning goals; (3) allows those with needs to define those needs; (4) expects genuine, sustained commitment; (5) includes training, supervision, monitoring, support, recognition, and evaluation; and (6) encourages…

Describes the difficulties faced by AmeriCorps. The laws that govern this national service program have not been updated. Although the Bush administration is expected to increase the number of participants, the long-term health and effectiveness of the program will depend on whether Congress and the administration can agree on legislation to…