When teachers believe in their own ability to teach, they are more likely to provide better instruction for their students. It is not uncommon for new teachers to doubt themselves in the classroom. Not only do teachers have to show a level of confidence, they must also display particular dispositions in their work. "Dispositions" is a…

In redesigning a pedagogy course for college dance majors, the author sought ways to provide practical teaching experience for students that coincided with making connections within the local community. Through research on best practices in service-learning courses, diverse methods of reflection proved key toward enhancing student experience…

This article represents the culmination of a two-year qualitative case study concerning how 33 students in a service-learning course understood poverty as they prepared taxes for low-income families through the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Because the tax site communities are seen as community partners in their own right, this…

The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of service learning dimensions and service learning partnerships. The study examined three partnerships currently maintained through the Office of Public Service at a four-year educational institution in the southeastern region of the United States. The partnerships were: AuburnServes, a…

The purpose of this reflective essay is to encourage the discussion of community-engaged scholarship (CES) that does not progress as planned. Insufficient attention is given to lessons gleaned from missteps and outright failures experienced by scholars in the field, which results in a paucity of documented cases and recommendations for…

Service-learning is a high-impact educational practice that benefits the community, the university, and students (Jacoby, 2015). It also represents an educational practice that specifically supports the integration of Christian thought and action within Christian institutions (Schaffer, 2004). The purpose of the study was to determine the level of…

This article is based on a keynote presentation delivered at the Alabama Poverty Project Lifetime of Learning Summit at the University of Montevallo on September 30, 2011. Conference organizers asked for the perspective of a survivor of a significant natural disaster, for information regarding Louisiana's recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita…

In summer 2011, a course titled "Nonprofit Management" was offered as an undergraduate, junior-level course for nontraditional, adult, distance students at the University of Alabama (UA) who were enrolled in the New College LifeTrack (NCLT) program. This article discusses how the course was centered around a service-learning experience…

Teaching about the sociology of HIV/AIDS involves teaching about the causes and effects of stigma. We describe a Sociology of HIV/AIDS course at the University of Alabama in which stigma reduction was assessed as a primary objective. The syllabus involved theory-based instruction, class visits, service learning, and student research on community…

Each year, millions of people around the world are affected by natural disasters. Following these disasters, many students from colleges and universities arrive to support the affected areas. These seamless leadership learning opportunities engage students by allowing them to implement the concepts they learned in a classroom. Humanitarian relief…

This article describes the development of a service-learning project and analysis of student pharmacists' participation therein. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analyzed student pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes after volunteering in the inaugural Medicare Outreach Program, a collaboration between the School of Pharmacy and State…

In 2010, the National Center for Learning and Civic Engagement (NCLCE) established the Schools of Success, a national network of 19 schools that use service-learning as an instructional strategy. The schools were part of a three-year project to examine how the elements of service-learning might enhance key student outcomes, such as academic…

On Thursday, April 27, 2011, one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Alabama struck in the form of ferocious tornadoes touching down in various parts of the state. The dollar amount of the property damage was in the billions. Lives were lost and thousands of survivors' lives were seriously and in many cases forever disrupted. A few…

Universities struggle with how to get students more involved and active in the university and community. Providing projects that just collect cans or raise money for a cause, while admirable, are not teaching the students how to be active, how to conduct projects, and give them connections to the community. This paper will describe service…

University-based Extension specialists often face the dilemma of scheduling time for both teaching and outreach activities. Service learning projects that give hands-on experience in the application of classroom activities while giving back to the community can bridge this gap. A demonstration forest and service learning techniques were used to…