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Faculty Experience of Service-Learning Pedagogy at a Hong Kong University
Get PDFGiven the development of Service-Learning (SL) in Hong Kong, it is important to study the experience and impact of S-L on faculty members, the challenges and the professional development they need to successfully integrate S-L into teaching. This study adopts the Faculty Engagement Model to conceptualise the factors affecting faculty engagement in SL at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. Forty faculty members completed the online survey and 17 faculty participated in individual interviews. Over 80% of faculty members indicated that SL had a positive impact on student learning and community engagement. Only 28% of faculty members indicated that SL had little influence on faculty research, promotion and tenure. Similar research could be conducted at other universities to solicit further faculty responses. Experts in the field and university management committed to S-L should explore ways to facilitate faculty member’s integration of SL, research and teaching, which could also influence their career paths
Civic Attitudes and Skills Development Through Service-Learning in Ecuador
Get PDFA mixed methods study was conducted to determine if a mandatory hybrid service-learning course had an effect on the civic attitudes and skills of college students attending a private university in Ecuador. The Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire (CASQ) was used in a quasi-experimental design using MANOVA with follow up t tests. After this analysis, results showed that civic action was not significantly different while the other five factors of the CASQ had a significant difference. A case-study interview approach was used for the qualitative portion, and students reported feeling engaged with the community and perceived a positive impact in each of the CASQ six factors: civic action, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, political awareness, leadership skills, social justice attitudes, and diversity attitudes
Challenge, Meaning and Preparation: Critical Success Factors Influencing Student Learning Outcomes from Service-Learning
No full textWhat makes service-learning effective? This article examines key factors influencing student service-learning outcomes in higher education. We studied 2,214 students who had completed a credit-bearing service-learning course in a large public university in Hong Kong. The students were asked to rate the course and pedagogical features, as well as their attainment of the intended learning outcomes of the course. Multiple regressions were then performed to identify and compare the relative contribution of the individual course and pedagogical elements. Results showed that students’ attainment of the different service-learning outcomes is influenced to varying degrees by different course and pedagogical elements. Specifically, we found that the most positive outcomes are associated with challenging and meaningful tasks, interest in the subject/project, perceived benefits to people served, preparation for service, and appreciation of the service by the people served. We discuss implications of the findings for theory, practice, and further research
Comparing Graduate Student Civic Engagement Outcomes in Chile Among Private For-Profit and Public Universities
Get PDFThis mixed-methods research examined civic engagement in Chilean public and private for-profit universities and its representation among study volunteers. Focus groups of graduate students along with in-person interviews with university administrators were conducted. The study also used an online survey, which was completed by 202 participants who had at minimum completed their título (first university degree). The mean age of participants was 32.5 with a standard deviation of 7.1 years. The theoretical framework in this study, spiral dynamic theory (SDT), helped guide the research as data was organized by worldview categories. Findings were that civic engagement, broadly conceptualized, was not well integrated into the Chilean higher education mission. Additionally, the key civic engagement study variables were statistically lower among the participants within the for-profit university environments. Participants also evidenced more higher order thinking and individualism at the for-profit universities based on the SDT memetic indicator classifications
Leadership Practices for Place-Based Community Engagement Initiatives
Get PDFPlace-based community engagement (PBCE) is a contemporary form of community engagement gaining popularity throughout the United States. PBCE provides a comprehensive strategy for universities and communities to more democratically partner with each other through long-term efforts focused on distinct geographic areas. Drawing from one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and observational data, this research examined the leadership at five institutions currently engaged in PBCE. In particular, this research involved an analysis of the leadership role of community engagement professionals within a framework of the five elements of PBCE (Yamamura & Koth, 2018). Findings revealed three leadership competency areas for community engagement professionals: (1) Managing geographies of place and space, (2) actualizing a 50/50 approach to community and university impact, and (3) leading with multicultural competency and inclusion. The findings illuminate the need for stronger training and development in these areas, especially for institutions that seek to start a PBCE initiative
The Degree of Collaboration Abacus Tool
Get PDFCommunity-engaged scholars, practitioners, and community partners often find the language of community engagement challenging. Words like participate, collaborate, partner, or engage fail to convey who in a community–university partnership has voice and authority in decision-making and responsibility for actions. The Degree of Collaboration Abacus Tool was developed as a visual to address this challenge. The authors provide two case studies to demonstrate how this tool can be used to name steps in community-engaged projects, clarify voice and decision-making authority, and represent collaboration responsibilities at multiple project stages. The Matter of Origins evaluation example illustrates how the tool can be used in a community-engaged research setting. The GRAND Learning Network example demonstrates how the tool can be used in a more complex community-engaged teaching and learning context. In the conclusion, the authors acknowledge the tool’s potential limitations and imagine possible adaptations of the tool for other community–university partnership contexts
A Service-Learning Partnership Between Cal State LA and the Los Angeles County Probation Department: Making the Case for Civic Professionalism
Get PDFThis article provides an overview of the structure and implementation of the Probation Service Learning Program at Cal State LA. We use post-term evaluation reflections completed by students and probation directors to offer insight into the broader application of service-learning programs in criminal justice–related agencies. The findings presented demonstrate that the Probation Service Learning Program at Cal State LA was partially successful. Students showed evidence of connecting civic and personal outcomes as well as personal and academic outcomes; however, the connection was less substantial for academic and civic outcomes. This study underscores the importance of fostering partnerships between academic departments and professional practitioners to build strong curricula, facilitate student transitions into the workplace, and contribute to the broader public good. Additionally, it offers “lessons learned” and recommendations for improving the use of service-learning to achieve a fuller appreciation of civic professionalism for students as they choose their career paths
How Do Academic Agriculturalists Engage in and View Outreach? The Case of Faculties of Agriculture in State Universities of Sri Lanka
Get PDFThis study aims to fill in the gap in literature on the state of academic engagement in Sri Lanka by investigating types of outreach engagement activities, outreach mechanisms, and attitudes of academic agriculturalists toward outreach. An online questionnaire survey was conducted among the academics (stratified random sample of 257) across eight faculties of agriculture in the state universities of Sri Lanka. According to the results, the average number of outreach activities per academic per year was 2.9, and the majority spent less than 5% of their working time on outreach activities, indicating low involvement in outreach by the academics. However, they held positive views on outreach engagement. Generally, the academics engaged in outreach activities through personal or informal individual contacts. Findings help provide guidelines for strategies to improve outreach engagement by academics at department, faculty, university, and national levels in Sri Lanka