Although we have evidence that reflection on community service enhances student development outcomes, we have little understanding of the process by which students integrate their academic and community experiences. This study is a part of a larger participatory research project, for which we collected 403 narrative accounts of awkward and…

Research on community engaged learning (CEL) courses predominantly focuses on the learning experiences of white students or quality of student-community partner relationship(s). Scholarship accounting for the learning experiences of minoritized students describes negative learning experiences wherein students' learning goals are subordinated to…

How does participation in a service-learning program impact the way students think about politics and political engagement? There are reasons to expect that service-learning can contribute to the development of a political consciousness and the skills necessary for political participation. The author uses participant observation, in-depth…

In this study, we explored whether college students' motivations for participating in community service were associated with their perceptions that service enhanced their desire to continue participating in communityfocused activities after graduation, after statistically controlling for demographic variables and other variables of interest.…

In this paper, we share an example of how community service learning (CSL) has been taken up within the framework of critical pedagogy in order to assist educators thinking about moving toward a more critical CSL. We draw from theoretical perspectives on critical pedagogy, data from a research study, and instructor and student experiences to…

International service-learning (ISL) is a popular way to facilitate student growth in the areas of cross-cultural learning and civic engagement. However, many have questioned whether international trips provide any added value compared to domestic service-learning. Using the context of Alternative Break programs, this study compares student…

Data from 50 daily reflection journals of college students participating in service learning were used to draw a descriptive map of the social-psychological stages that occur during service learning. Textual analysis revealed that students progress through three identifiable stages of development: shock, normalization, and engagement. (EV)

Students (n=327) participating in an undergraduate community service learning course were surveyed at the beginning and end of a semester concerning their sense of power to impact the world. Contrary to expectation, they reported a lesser sense of power following the experience, with the effect strongest for particular students and settings,…

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) was created by Purdue University (Indiana) School of Electrical and Computer Engineering to broaden the education of engineering students by the use of an extended service-learning experience integrated into the engineering curriculum. EPICS provides local community service organizations with…

Journals of 30 college students of child development engaged in community-based service learning in multicultural settings revealed three themes. Students: (1) articulated their own approaches or philosophies regarding racial issues; (2) expressed concerns about specific multicultural or race-related incidents; and (3) discussed the resources they…

Reports on a community service learning project in which 11 college students participated in conflict-resolution activities in a middle school. The students' reactions to the experience varied according to their different motivations for participating. Training and close supervision, partially accomplished through meetings and reading weekly…

Describes a college service-learning project addressing a crucial need for school-age child care within the community. While creating and implementing the after-school program, students took responsibility for their decisions, cooperated to solve problems and delegate tasks, and developed leadership and self-efficacy. The result was student…