Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Inducing Voluntary Community Service In Undergraduates: The Relative Contributions Of Prior Experience, Coursework, And The Dispositions Of Empathy And Moral Development, Susan M. Hudec

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

In the past twenty years, higher education has been criticized for what is perceived to be a failure to create better citizens. As a result of this criticism, a variety of pedagogical and curricula innovations have been attempted. One of these innovations is service learning, a form of experiential learning, which engages students in activities that combine fulfillment of community needs and opportunities for promotion of student learning and development (Kendall, 1990). This study hypothesized that moral development and empathy would increase over the course of the required service learning experience in the first semester of college and that required …

Writing Toward Democracy: Service-Learning And Composition, Glenn C. Hutchinson Jr.

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This study will show how encouraging students to write toward democracy could help them to become better writers and citizens. Service-learning can help students learn to write through active inquiry, collaboration with different discourse communities, and consideration of their roles as citizens. However, service-learning must meet three challenges in order to be successful.

First, I will argue that freshman composition's subordinate status as a service course to the university can inhibit a pedagogy of service-learning. Even though service-learning may be a useful term to name this pedagogy, I propose that we find a different name in order to emphasize student …

Service Helix: A Grounded Theory Of College Student Development And Outcomes Through Involvement In Community Service, Mary Kay Schneider

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Community service and service learning have been lauded as ways of teaching civic and social responsibility during college. In order to better understand the concept of social and civic responsibility and whether students gravitated toward these concepts, this study was undertaken. The grounded theory was designed to understand students' experiences with community service, what they see as outcomes from their involvement, and the role of responsibility in this dynamic.

Grounded theory was utilized as the methodology because of the lack of research and theory regarding service and the outcomes for the servers. To achieve depth of understanding, information-rich participants were …

A Meta-Analysis Of Service Learning Research In Middle And High Schools, Amy E. White

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This study examines the relationship between service learning innovations and improved academics, self-concept, and social or personal growth in middle and high school students. Meta-Analysis is employed to arrive at effect-size estimates for each construct. A historical overview of service learning is presented and a detailed description of the study selection process is provided. The data revealed a moderate relationship between service learning participation and academics, self-concept and social or personal growth in middle and high school students. The findings are presented, and some appropriate conclusions are drawn. A discussion of the implications of these findings and recommendations for future …

Community Perspectives In Higher Education Service Leaming And Volunteerism, Andrea Vernon

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This study is a qualitative analysis measuring community perceptions of college student volunteers and service learners. The purpose of the study was to examine college student service learning and volunteer activities from the community perspective through data gathered from community agency personnel who work directly with college student volunteers who are serving to meet the needs of youth.

Personnel from 15 community youth service agencies in seven Montana communities were interviewed to determine (a) how agencies ensure and measure the quality and effectiveness of college student volunteer service, (b) the impacts that college student volunteers have at the youth service …

Service Learning: Discovering Effective Communication Strategies By Emphasizing The Community's Perspective, Elizabeth Oppe

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Service learning is a broadly defined term that may encompass a spectrum of projects and course work ranging from acts of charity to activism for social change. "The aim of service learning is always to heighten awareness in our communities that we have the capacity to both learn from and serve each other... and work toward a more just and egalitarian society" (bttp://www.invcol.pdx.edulic.htm). Another description of service learning from Brevard Community College's The Power (1994) explains that, for many community organizations, students augment service delivery, meet crucial human needs, and provide a basis for future citizen support. The Power depicts …

Cultural Aspects Of Preschool Education: Ojibwa, Odawa And Potawatomi Indian Children's ''Ways Of Knowing And Communicating'' In Early Intervention And Head Start Programs, Lois M. Bissell Jircitano

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This research investigated what Anishinabe cultural values and beliefs are transmitted in the Head Start and Early Head Start oft he Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, and how Anishinabe values and beliefs affect instructional communications, teacher/student relationships, and the learning styles used by Native teachers in the educational process of Anishinabe children in the preschool situation. The study used an ethnographic approach to identify what informants would describe was their culture among the four Inter-Tribal Preschool programs. Observations completed in the classroom, home and community environment sought to discover how parents, teachers, children and staff in the preschool process use the …

Implementation Of The Chicago Public Schools Service Learning Initiative: The Role Of Teacher Coaches, Elizabeth F. Conlon

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

The growth of service leaming during the past two decades is testimony to this method by which young people learn and develop through active participation in service experiences. Legislative initiatives have supported schools in their efforts to involve youth with their local communities through service linked to academic study. In 1984, 9 percent of all high schools offered some form of service learning. By 1999, 46 percent of public high schools alone were using service learning activities (Kleiner and Chapman 1999). At the same time, service learning studies are complicated by the subject's broad-based goals, the varying contexts and age …

The Meaning And Value Of Service In The Scholarly Work Of Education Faculty At Mississippi Public Four-Year Institutions, Thomas Joseph Schnaubelt

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning Mississippi education faculty give to the concept of service within their scholarly work and examine the relationship between faculty definitions, reward structures, and service activity. Survey results from 131 faculty members (45% of the sample) and focus group data from a few faculty members at each campus relating to education faculty activities, perceptions, and attitudes were collected and compared with national data. Definitions and typologies of professional service were compared to other state and national data related to professional service, and attempts were made to identify specific performance benchmarks related …

Student Perceptions Of Service-Learning In The Community College, Ruben Michael Flores

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

United States Census Bureau projections predict that Whites' share of the population should decline from 75% in 1990 to 68% in 2010. Thus, mechanisms must be employed to facilitate cooperation and support among and across people from different ethnic and racial groups. This examination seeks to determine if service-learning is such a mechanism. The researcher utilized student experiences and perspectives, through a mixed qualitative/quantitative study, to determine the impact that a service-learning course had on a diverse group of students attending an urban community college.

The researcher originally sought to determine whether a community college service-learning course changed students' perceptions …

Pedagogical Effects Of Service-Learning In A Human Exceptionality Course: A Comparison Of Two Approaches, John Clinton Mayhew Jr.

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Service-learning. as a pedagogical approach for increasing social responsibility in students. has increasingly gained acceptance in higher education. With its emphasis on reflection and reciprocity. service-learning combines content-area learning with authentic community-based experiences in order to enhance understanding of the course content and to promote civic responsibility. Although several studies have investigated the effects of service-learning at the college level, few studies have specifically focused on the use of service-learning in special education.

The purpose of this study was to examine the service-learning component of an undergraduate human exceptionality course. One section of the course utilized an unlimited choice (UC) …

The Missing Link: Democratic Citizenship In Service Learning A Case Study Of Undergraduate Course Offerings At A Large Urban University, Michael S. Bittner

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to explore a discrete set of service-learning courses to determine. (1) were they of the type conducive to fostering democratic citizens. and (2) did the coordinating center that supported service-learning advocate it for democratic Citizenship. Sixteen university instructors and two administrative staff members from a coordinating center were interviewed, and documents describing the courses and coordinating center were reviewed. Drawing from the literature. a list of ten criteria for democratic citizenship was assembled, and two sets of questions-one for the instructors and another for the administrative staff-were devised to prompt the response of the …

Increasing Basic Writers' Thinking About And Understanding Of Literacy Through Literacy-Based Service-Learning, Suzanne Dena Gates

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This project aligned a community college basic writing class with student-performed community service that was specifically literacy-based. The sample consisted of two writing classes, with data collected through an eighteen-week semester. The study was conducted according to qualitative methods and thus allowed for a close look at students' thinking about and understanding of literacy, and how changes in students' thinking about literacy reflected in their class experiences. One basic writing class was designated the service-Iearning class; the other basic writing class was designated the comparison class. Both classes shared the same instructor, texts, in-class activities and writing prompts. The service-learning …

A Comparative Investigation Of Service-Learning Models In Maryland: Student Outcomes In Relationship To Employability Skills, Ruth Brodsky

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the relationship between structured service-learning outcomes, through Maryland's replication models, and the attainment of employability skills for adolescents. Participants included fifty-five out of ninety-two service-learning coordinators and a panel of experts comprised of five key informants. The site of the study was the state of Maryland, which is divided into twenty-three counties and Baltimore City. Three data gathering procedures were utilized: content analysis of the four most frequently used replication models, a key informant rubric, and a survey of nineteen counties in the state.

A criterion sample of four models was …

The Service Sojourn: Conceptualizing The College Student Volunteer Experience, Brian C. Schmidt

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Despite the increasing popularity of volunteerism in student activities and service-learning courses on college campuses, little is known about the experience of volunteers. This study examines the experience of 16 students from the University of Utah who t participated in community service. The qualitative investigation is based on 54 interviews regarding student descriptions of their experience. What common events occurred? How did they make sense of their experience? What, really, did they learn? Ethnographic interviews and a "naturalistic" approach were used to identify patterns and analyze the data. Grounded in reoccurring themes such as leaving familiar surroundings. the shock of …

Associations Of Civic Attitudes In Service Learning, Christina M. Roemer

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Civic responsibility is comprised of actions and attitudes associated with democratic governance and social participation. Students enrolled at institutions of higher education have the opportunity to transform their social interests into advocacy through personal connections with the community. Service learning is an effective method of increasing citizenship participation and civic responsibility by incorporating community service activities with academic coursework.

This study used survey research to examine the civic attitude scores of service learning students at a large, public, mid-Atlantic state university. The research questions attained information on the associations among students who perform written and discussion reflection activities (outside of …

Service-Learning: Comparison Of Hospitality Programs In Two- And Four-Year Institutions, Verna M. Ward

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Partnerships between community and academic institutions are the cornerstones of academic service-learning. While the term "academic service-learning" emerged in the 90's, civic or citizenship education has been part of academic curriculums for centuries. Hospitality management programs at two-(n=63) and four-year (n=79) institutions were surveyed for this study using a 21 question faxed survey and two-year (52%) and four-year (48%) institutions responded. Results indicated that academic service-learning was not as prevalent in hospitality management programs of four-year institutions as anticipated, while two-year (67%) institutions had higher participation.

Overall results showed that hospitality program directors did not identify what influences inclusion/exclusion. The …

Along The Red Road: Tribally Controlled Colleges And Student Development, Ann Marie Machamer

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

American Indian tnibally controlled colleges were created to provide higher education in a familiar cultural setting to a population that is severely underrepresented in American higher education. Since little is known regarding student development at tribal colleges, the purpose of this study was to assess retention, talent development, satisfaction, racial discrimination, and cultural knowledge/identity at tribal colleges using American Indians who attended non-Indian institutions as a comparison sample. In early 1999, survey data were collected from students who entered fourteen tribal colleges and two Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) colleges and from American Indian students who entered non-Indian. institutions in …

A Case Study Of Community Action Service Learning On Young, Gifted Adolescents And Their Community, Alice Wickersham Terry

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This study documents the evolution o fservice learning in America and the types of service learning. This case study examined the perception of 28 young, gifted adolescents involved in a Community Action service learning project toward their project, the effects of this involvement upon them, the impact of the project on the rural community, and the effects of the methodology that was used in the classroom from 1998-2000. The study examined this case in relation to an earlier pilot study by the researcher.

Data were gathered through focus group and individual interviews, observations, and a review of documents. The importance …

Student Development Outcomes In Service Learning For Teacher Education, Hilda A. Sramek

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Students in the Liberal Studies Track I program for teacher preparation at California State University, Long Beach, are required to participate in service learning. The SERVE (Service Experiences to ReVitaIize Education) Program provides training for the students. The purpose of this study was to develop a mechanism for infusing Chickering's psychosocial development model into the training. Two questions were asked: (a) given instruction in the model and support, are students able to apply the model to further their personal and professional development? and (b) what is the best way to implement the model in service learning training? Qualitative methodology was …

Characteristics Of Environmental Restoration, Service-Learning Projects In Selected California Watersheds, And The Perceived Gains By Participating At-Risk High School Students And Their Teachers (Volume Ii), Peter Scott Moras

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This chapter presents conclusions drawn from the data analysis, implications for future research, and recommendations for action based on the results of the study.

The primary purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of environmental restoration service-learning projects in selected California watersheds that produced gains for at-risk high school students who were I I enrolled in the programs. A second purpose was to describe the characteristics of service-learning programs that at-risk students and their teachers perceived to be most helpful in making gains in school attendance, sense of connectedness to I I community, sense of social responsibility, sense …

Characteristics Of Environmental Restoration, Service-Learning Projects In Selected California Watersheds, And The Perceived Gains By Participating At-Risk High School Students And Their Teachers (Volume I), Peter Scott Moras

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

The number of at-risk youth in California public high schools has steadily increased over the last forty years, challenging school administrators to find I effective educational strategies to help them succeed academically and flourish I as contributing members of society. This need for effective educational options I is compounded by the demands of modern society (California Department of Education 1995) and a 1 percent annual population growth within the state (California Legislative Analyst's Office 1998).

Service-Learning In Social Work Education: Building Democracy Through Informed Citizenship, Ryan Tolleson Knee

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Longitudinal studies spanning the last three decades have indicated that incoming college students have become increasingly concerned with individual gain, competition, and materialism. This, coupled with 1996's lowest voter turnout in 70 years and declining levels of participation in civic groups are indicators that citizens are relatively uninterested in, or lack the capacity to engage in activities that strengthen the democracy. To address this concern, faculty in social work education have been encouraged to reconsider traditional pedagogy and structure curricula so community service is combined with structured reflection; commonly known as service-learning. Undergraduate social work programs typically offer community service …

Alternative Spring Break And Social Responsibility Is There A Relationship?, Judith Angela Biggs Garbuio

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Humans are living in a complex, interdependent, global society. Violence by youth is at an all-time high, the school system is failing to educate students (especially in urban areas), and all of this is compounded by major economic and social forces that are significantly altering the fabric of our lives. According to Keith (1994) these forces include: “… the impact of technology and the globalization of the economy on social relations and the structure of work (Broyn. 1991; Mingrone, 1983; Offee & Heinz. 1992; Wilson. 1987); the depletion of non-renewable resources and the ecological crisis; the mounting pace of population …

Two Studies Of The Impact Of Performance Feedback On Community Service Learning Among College Students, Mahesh Subramony

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

In Study 1, I manipulated students' access to frequent written performance feedback from agency supervisors. Thirty-eight service-learning students enrolled in a Midwest university were randomly assigned to a performance feedback (experimental) condition and a no performance feedback (control) condition. Student learning from community service (SLCS) was measured both before and after the semester-long intervention. Students in the experimental group did not show significant improvements in SLCS over those in the control condition. However, an individual differences variable, feedback disposition predicted SLCS.

In study 2, I looked at the impact of organizational feedback quality, client feedback quality, student feedback seeking, and …

Self Service: Self-Concept Enhancement In High School Students In A Service Learning Program, Sarah Foster

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

This study attempted to answer the question of whether participation in a high school service learning program can be linked to increases in measures of self-esteem in students. Proponents of service learning claim that it is a valuable means of engaging students, increasing comprehension, and fostering citizenship, but the positive psychological effects are often overlooked.

The Rosenberg (1965) Self-Esteem Scale was used to measure self-esteem levels. Personal interviews were also conducted and coded categorically into scales for self-values of competence, self-determination, personal unity, and moral worth. This coding was done according to a framework created by Gordon (1982). The results …

Service Learning: A Vision For Change And Youth Empowerment, Martha J. R. Johnson

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Service Learning: A Vision for Change and Youth Empowerment examines the theoretical and practical framework of service-learning in a curricular setting. Service-learning is both a method and a philosophy of education. This position paper provides teachers and students with the conceptual framework and practical knowledge to implement successful school based service-learning programs that emphasize youth empowerment, democratic process, consensus building, critical reflection, and community collaboration. Key topics included are: definition, philosophy, essential elements, and practical strategies to apply service-learning methodology.

Priviledged Servants: Community Service In Private High Schools, Ellen Clarissa Reynolds

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Traditionally, the school has been the primary role model for citizenship development. One method schools may use to convey the roles and models of involved citizens is through community service experiences.

Public and private schools throughout the United States include community service as part of the curriculum and/or extracurricular activities. Service promotes responsibility, a caring ethic, and growth of community. Service can improve society through individuals working together and forming a bond with one another. Service provides opportunities to witness the diverse cultures of society. Through service, students may experience affective and cognitive development, form relationships with community members, and …

The Effects Of Service Learning On Middle And High School Students With Emotional Disturbance, Arthur E. Brandt

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

A qualitative investigation into the efficacy of the integration of service-learning into the curriculum for emotionally disturbed students as a means of fostering social/emotional well-being was considered in this thesis. Two separate service-learning approaches were used to observe the effects of service-learning on (a) school related behaviors, (b) academic performance, (c) positive shifts in empathic feelings, (d) improved self-esteem, and (e) individual locus-of-control.

Two case studies, one group and one individual, were completed over an 11 month period in two different service-learning environments. Participants were 12-15 year old boys with emotional disturbance. Data were collected using formalized pre and post-test …

The Impact Of Service-Learning On Participants In Community-Based Organizations, Kay S. Bailey

Thesis, Dissertations, Student Creative Activity, and Scholarship

Research questions examined variables addressing the impact of service-learning on participants in community-based organizations during the 1997 summer session. The researcher set out to determine whether young people engaged in service-learning programs were likely to be involved in other service organizations, whether they are likely to continue to enroll in service-learning programs, likely to be committed to participation in voluntary service as adults, whether they value their service-learning experience, see value to themselves and to the community, and if differences exist by ethnicity and gender.

A survey instrument was mailed to the six program coordinators in the study for administration …