Connecting with others and experiences of dissonance are two factors identified as central to transformative learning in engaged teaching and research (Kiely, 2005). At the same time, these ways of knowing are unpredictable and come with the risk of actually disrupting rather than enhancing learning. This article reports the findings of a mixed…

Service learning is a methodology that promotes the participation of citizens in their community. This article presents a brief conceptualization of citizen participation, characteristics of service learning methodology, and validation of a programme that promotes service-learning projects. This validation highlights the suitability of this…

The following design case illustrates the approach a group of advanced graduate online-design students, two design coaches, and an instructor used to design an online instructional intervention as a service-learning project for parents interested in improving their parenting skills with their pre-teens. This design case is distinctive in that it…

Examining traditional and contemporary professional development practices of youth-serving organizations can inform practices across Extension, particularly in light of the barriers that have been noted for effectively developing the professional competencies of Extension educators. With professional development systems changing quickly,…

Framed by self-determination and identity development theories, this study examined the process through which participating in a community-based service-learning project supported high school students' feelings of autonomy, competence and relatedness, and how these feelings were related to students' intentions for doing more service in the future.…

Service learning is a well established pedagogy within higher education. Specifically, service learning allows students to engage in "real world" activities to practice skills and reflect upon their own competence. To enhance the effectiveness of service learning, instructors need to consider a multitude of learning influences. This…

This chapter examines the differences between institutions with high and low levels of involvement in service learning as well as the differences between students with high and low levels of involvement. The study shows a correlation between institutional organization and service-learning emphasis and describes, at the student level, correlations…

This study explores the professionalization of a group of 28 pre-service teachers, using a qualitative case study design and reflective practice as the analytical framework. The pre-service teachers were involved in a service learning project at a local middle school in the U.S. where they designed and taught a content area lesson to English…

A research study investigated student perspectives on service learning during the TRAIL to Wellness program, a four-week leisure education program for veterans being treated for substance abuse. The research explored the students perspectives on their own learning at the end of 15 weeks. Based upon the content analysis of open-ended questions…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of two higher education institutions in the Western Cape, South Africa, and how their initiatives and collaboration brought about a particular health promoting schools (HPS) program in a resource poor setting. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the importance of the role that external…

The current study (N = 209) explored service-learning utilization in social work education by examining the influence of personal and institutional characteristics, perceived barriers, and beliefs about service-learning outcomes. Results of an online survey of social work educators showed that neither personal nor institutional characteristics…

This qualitative study provides a theoretical framework for understanding faculty members' motivation to persist in utilizing academic service-learning pedagogy. Twenty-four faculty members from a private liberal arts university in the southeastern United States were interviewed about the benefits and challenges of teaching academic…

In the spirit of the Steven Stahl 600 Book Kid Challenge, 90 preservice teachers engaged children in 36 read-aloud sessions for a vocabulary improvement service learning project. This article describes how the preservice teachers used narrative and informational books as a vehicle for rare-word vocabulary exposure for children ages 8-12.

The environmental and cultural problems in Thailand are large and widely distributed. To address these problems, public awareness must be raised and all sectors of society must assume their civic responsibilities to assist in sustaining both our environment and the local culture. This study sought to engage undergraduate students in civic…

Service-Learning is a form of applied learning that engages students in solving social problems within community-based settings. It is rooted in the social and educational philosophy of John Dewey's Pragmatism. As a pedagogy, service-learning presents students with opportunities for social and intellectual growth by complementing classroom…