This study looked into the experience of a group of elementary school students as well as their parents from Hong Kong, in a service-learning programme that aimed at facilitating the social-emotional development among gifted students. A total of 51 students and 72 parents participated in the focus group interview three months after the…

The purpose of this study was to explore how teacherpractitioners in a Canadian middle school perceive students' experiences of well-being in student-led service learning projects (SLPs). Through semistructured interviews, we explored five school practitioners' accounts of how SLPs contributed to student relating and functioning in a well-being…

During semester-long courses in inclusive methods and beginning reading instruction, pre-service teacher candidates participate in weekly tutoring sessions with elementary students in grades K-5. We outline principles identified for effective service-learning and describe how to embed them to integrate community service. We discuss…

This paper analyzes the lived experience of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students participating in the service-learning program, Anatomy Academy. To understand this experience, we performed a phenomenological analysis using the reflections of 31 DPT students as they participated as Mentors to 5th grade elementary students. Mentors used active…

Real-world experiences, such as situated learning, fieldwork, and student teaching have been among the most prevalent examples employed in teacher preparation programs. Despite the increasing evidence in support of service learning in music teacher preparation, there are a limited number of models specific to instrumental music education. The…

Although service learning has been documented as a promising pedagogy for middle grades learners, it remains the exception rather than the rule in many middle schools. This qualitative study examined fifth grade students' experience of a service-learning class. Using the tenets of service learning and experiential learning theory as the…

This article reports on a service learning project in a South African primary school teacher education programme, as experiential and practice-based pedagogy in a social studies methods course. We aimed to broaden understanding of service learning as a form of non-placement work-integrated learning for the development of teacher professional…

Background and purpose: The purpose of this research was to understand the experiences of pre-service teachers in a service-learning program. The research questions that guided this research were: (1) How does an after-school service-learning program that utilizes pre-service teachers develop students' pedagogy? (2) What are the experiences of…

Does service learning impact the personal growth of middle grades students in grades 4-8? If so, in what ways? A review of the literature indicates that it does, in terms of the development of empathy, responsibility, civic engagement, and self-efficacy. In addition, findings include growth in students' communication with parents and teachers. In…

The purpose of this qualitative research was to examine how a service learning literacy course impacted preservice teacher perceptions of intermediate-aged high-ability children in a mid-high poverty school, and how the educators in the partnering school viewed the experience. Pre- and post-experience responses from preservice teachers and…

The literature on service-learning outcomes in pre-adolescent children is relatively sparse. Empathy (i.e., overall, cognitive, affective) and community engagement (i.e., connection to the community, civic awareness, civic efficacy) were assessed in 155 first, second, and fifth graders (n = 79 males; n = 76 females) using a pre/post design for a…

As part of course requirements, 16 elementary education students in a master's cohort tutored groups of Kindergarten-5th grade children in a service-learning, after-school writing program that emphasized teacher care. The education students had never taught children in a school setting and consequently had difficulties reflecting about their…

This study investigates the extent to which service-learners' mindfulness is affected by engagement in reflection (e.g., dialogue) and contemplation activities (e.g., labyrinth tracing). The results are compared within and between treatment groups, while covarying for participants' initial levels of mindfulness. While both dialogue and…

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…

Teaching songs from a wide variety of cultures is commonplace in music classrooms around the United States. Students gain understanding of and insight into a wide range of cultures by singing their songs and listening to their music. The Afghan Children's Songbook Project is a project focused on preserving and returning traditional songs,…