College completion is an issue of great concern in the United States, where only 50% of students who start college as freshmen complete a bachelor's degree at that institution within six years. Researchers have studied a variety of factors to understand their relationship to student persistence. Not surprisingly, student characteristics,…

We examine the political and personal effects of disaster volunteerism with participants of the New Orleans Rebirth Movement (NORM) using four waves of pre- and postsurveys and qualitative analysis of participant journals. Significant increases are found in internal political efficacy, desire to be active in politics, and value placed on social…

Background: Development of cultural competence in future health educators is often mentioned as a goal of health education preparation programs; however research demonstrating evidence-based methods for development of cultural competence is limited. Purpose: To determine the impact of a service-learning project on development of cultural…

The purpose of this study was to explain how participation in an international service-learning project during a community health course influenced transcultural self-efficacy of baccalaureate nursing graduates following graduation and their subsequent clinical practice. A qualitative, explanatory case study was used to conduct telephone…

The self-service nature of today's society means that technical communicators are needed more than ever before since users may find themselves struggling to make sense of online documentation with minimal support from the institutions that provide it. Certain demographics within the user population (older adults, disabled persons, non-native…

E-service-learning (electronic service-learning)--online course instruction and/or service--holds massive potential to transform both service-learning and online learning by freeing service-learning from geographical constraints and by equipping online learning with a powerful and much-needed tool to promote engagement. Students are increasingly…

This article covers the importance of creating and developing agency in community partners when engaging in community-based learning. Often when faculty incorporate service- or community-based learning into their classes, we measure the "learning" part but not the "service" or "community." Focusing more on the latter involves working "with"…

These are tough times for the law profession. Employment prospects are the weakest they have been in decades. Wages have stagnated. Many blue chip law firms have laid off lawyers or are hiring fewer lawyers. Lately, law schools have been accused of luring students with false promises of cushy, high-paying jobs. There have been accusations of law…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of community-based service learning (CBSL) on preservice elementary teachers' beliefs of the characteristics of effective science teachers of diverse students. Using semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 74 preservice teachers enrolled in four sections of an elementary science…

At a time when languages in universities are under pressure, community-based learning language courses can have many positive benefits: they can increase interest in language learning, they can foster greater engagement with learning, and they can encourage active learning, creativity and teamwork. These courses, which link the classroom and the…

The purpose of this research was to evaluate a service-learning project conducted at a public university in the southern United States of America. A sample of 46 undergraduates enrolled in two sections of a liberal studies personal nutrition seminar course participated in a food insecurity awareness project. The service-learning component entailed…

Language learning within the context of service-learning presents a unique opportunity for students, educators, and community members alike. Most service-learning projects focus on the development of a more civic-minded student whose increased knowledge of democratic values through the service-learning experience benefits the community and society…

This research study examined the impact of the size of accredited public associate degree-granting community and technical colleges on institutional characteristics and behaviors that support general education programs. Further, it sought opinions of the chief academic officers (CAOs) of these institutions regarding key elements of their general…

A decade ago, research on the civic engagement and learning of young people was still in a "bear market" (Cook 1985). The body of literature was strikingly small, considering that the future of democracy depends on the preparation of young citizens. Today, the situation is dramatically different. There is a torrent of research on youth civic…

Can art make a difference? This is a call for a new sense of interconnectivity among visual art programs in and out of schools. This common ground will be found in the embodiment of performance, critical reflection, and social change within art learning. One goal of this article is to encourage educators to use the "verbs of art" for…