Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Service Learning On Student Retention And Success, Trish Axsom, William Piland

Higher Education

Southwestern College (SWC) students who participated in service learning were significantly more likely to complete their English composition course and report greater agreement with statements about learning as it related to career and civic awareness. However, student success rates were not significantly different for service learni11g students.

Service As Learning: One School's Story, Deborah L. Bright

Special Topics, General

Cole Porter first alerted us in 1934, and three decades later, Bob Dylan reminded us: times are definitely changing. Too true. A5 we stand with one foot balanced precariously on the ledge of a new millennium, the world around us seems different almost from day to day, from moment to fleeting moment. The pace of this change quickens not arithmetically, but exponentially, and the students we see before us in our classrooms are preparing themselves to inherit from us a world we may not even recognize.

Service Learning: The Right Thing For The Wrong Reasons?, Gary K. Clabaugh

Special Topics, General

It is a deep and abiding truth that in helping others we help ourselves. Among the many benefits is knowledge. We learn things about others, life, and ourselves that are enriching, even ennobling.

Recruiting Male Volunteers: A Guide Based On Exploratory Research, Stephanie T. Blackman

Special Topics, General

The decision to recruit male volunteers is not one that you should make lightly. Adding men to your pool of volunteers could have a variety of implications for your program, not all of which are positive. Understanding the potential impacts of a greater number of male volunteers may add to your excitement about this cause. The same understanding, however, should also call attention to the possibility that recruitment of male volunteers may not suit your program, may generate additional work for you or your co-workers, or may harbor unforeseen consequences. Legal discrimination or organizational policy issues must also be taken …

Missing Pieces In The Service Learning Puzzle, June R. Chapin

Special Topics, General

The increasing popularity in the schools for sponsoring service learning or community service reflects the grave concern that more has to be done to teach youth to participate in a democratic society. The declining voting turnout and the reported low involvement of adults in community groups are often cited as a need for the schools to counter the current apathy and cynicism about government and political leaders. Whether there really is a decline in civic involvement is open to question but the national debate on promoting civic education and social responsibility is reflected in state and local communities requiring students' …

The Progress Of Education Reform 1999-2001: Youth Violence, Suzanne Weiss

Special Topics, General

Three strategies to stem the tide of youth violence: Prenatal and infant care; small schools; and service-learning.

Service Learning As Democratic Action, Joel Westheimer, Joseph Kahne

Special Topics, General

It is often said that today's youth will be called on to solve tomorrow's problems. Schools provide essential preparation for this task. Despite the rhetoric, curriculum that considers the nature of social problems and ways youth might respond as citizens rarely gets center stage. Rather than focusing on ways youth might participate through democratic institutions to foster a better society, curricular discussions focus on the acquisition of academic and vocational skills. To the extent that the democratic purposes of education are raised, educators emphasize conveying knowledge regarding U.S. history and government structures and exercises in which students simulate the operations …

African-American, Latino, And Hispanic Youth In Service Topic Bibliography, Charles C. Cook

Bibliographies

African-American, Latino, and Hispanic communities have been among the least discussed, least researched, and under-reported groups in the area of community service. Traditions of these cultures have a history of building and enriching their environments by involving youth. Over 80% of African-Americans, Latino, and Hispanic people populate the nation's 100 largest cities. Therefore African-American, Latino, and Hispanic youth who are engaged in community service are involved in strengthening and revitalizing our country's urban centers. Today organizations such as the National Urban League, ASPIRA, and the National Council of La Raza, as well as schools and local community organizations help mobilize …

Summary Report: National Evaluation Of Learn And Serve America, Alan Melchior, Joseph Frees, Lisa Lacava, Chris Kingsley, Jennifer Nahas, Jennifer Power, Gus Baker, John Blomquist, Anne St. George, Scott Hebert, Joann Jastrzab, Chuck Helfer, Lance Potter

Evaluation/Reflection

In 1993, the Nalional and Community Service Trust Act (PL. 103-82) established the Learn and Serve America School and Community-Based Programs to support school and Community-Based efforts to involve school-aged youth in community service. The Learn and Serve program is administered by the Corporation for National Service and funded through grants to states and national organizations, and through them to individual school districts, schools, and community organizations. In 1994-95, the first year of the program, the Corporation awarded approximately $30 million in grants supporting over 2,000 local efforts involving over 750,000 school-aged youth.

The Blossoming Of Service Learning Quality In Maryland Or "How Do We Know It's Getting Any Better?!", Luke F. Frazier

Evaluation/Reflection

It's almost 9:20 on a February morning and the parking lot at Edmondson-Westside High School is mostly quiet. Only a faint thump-thump-thump of the latest urban anthem wafts from a Nissan Sentra double-parked at the entrance. The sky threatens rain as our visiting group of Chicago educators steps from the van and hurries inside. The Chicagoans are here to examine urban service learning in all its glory. And although we have carefully selected sites for our visitors based on their reputations, I am still nervous. Nervous about the quality of what they will see. Nervous that the students won't really …

Traits Of Instrumentality And Self-Concept As Related To Mathematical Ability In Pre-Adolescent Girls, Bridget Lee Toon

Student Work

This study examined whether the androgynous trait of instrumentality, (otherwise known as having an androgynous gender-type), and having a positive self-concept is related to higher mathematical ability in pre-adolescent girls in the seventh and eighth grades. Since participants were in both honors and average math classes, the additional variable of being in honors math versus regular math was also analyzed. There were 39 participants that were selected from Norris Middle School, which is in the Omaha Public School System. From these 39 participants, 18 were in honors math classes, while 21 were in regular math classes. The Piers-Harris Self-Concept scale …

How Can Service-Learning Strengthen Tutoring Partnerships?, Jennifer Arndt, Bob Seidel

Service Learning, General

Tutoring is usually volunteer service done to benefit learners and their communities. Tutoring should be a partnership between tutor and student. The partnership should also include the teacher, the student's family or household, the school, the tutoring program, and other tutors and students. All of these people and institutions have an interest in the success of the tutoring endeavor. All have something to contribute and something to gain. These relationships might not always be apparent to everyone involved. But if tutoring programs see all involved as learners and teachers, they can illuminate these relationships and strengthen them.

Youth Teaching Youth Survey, Angela Hauer

Evaluation/Reflection

The Youth Teaching Youth workgroup surveyed Minnesota's 87 counties in February and March of 1999 (Appendix A). 68 of the 87 counties responded, 78%. Of those that responded, 44% (30) currently have 'Youth Teaching Youth' programming and 56% (38) do not. Of those that responded to the survey as currently not having 'Youth Teaching Youth' programming, 35% said that it has occurred in their county in the past. In previous years Alcohol Decisions had been done in ten counties, Project 4 Teens had been done in six counties, and Talking with TJ and Self Kare for Kids have both been …

Wingspread Declaration On Renewing The Civic Mission Of The American Research University, Harry C. Boyte, Elizabeth Hollander

Civic Engagement

Civic engagement is essential to a democratic society, but far too many Americans have withdrawn from participation in public affairs. Higher education can contribute to civic engagement, but most research universities do not perceive themselves as part of the problem or of its solution. Whereas universities were once centrally concerned with "education for democracy" and "knowledge for society," today's institutions have often drifted away from their civic mission.

The Status Of Service-Learning In The United States: Some Facts And Figures, Robert D. Shumer, Charles C. Cook

Service Learning, General

This report focuses on service and service-learning in high schools. The report compares data from 1984 research with information from two studies of service and service-learning completed in 1997. The data suggest that community service and service-learning in 1984 was available in slightly more than one-quarter of all high schools (primarily to white students), and course-related programs (service-learning) occurred in only about 10% of all schools. The 1997 data indicate that the number of high school students involved in service-related programs has increased 686%; and the number of high school students involved in service-learning has increased3,663%. Using data from studies …

Graduate Program Assessment Of Student Satisfaction: A Method For Merging University And Department Outcomes, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

This article evaluates a communication graduate program based upon the perceptions of alumni satisfaction. The department's assessment plan was utilized to measure their perceived knowledge of theory and research, as well as feelings about career preparation. The results indicate that assessment measures related to content taught may be linked to perceptions about quality, flexibility and facilities in a graduate program. Educational outcomes will continue to be an important issue for communication educators. It is critical that assessment data be collected, interpreted and used to revise curriculum in order to be responsive to needs. By doing this, communication programs will be …

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 …

Stress, Stress Utilization, And Creativity, Lisa M. Kobe

Student Work

This study investigated the effects of stress on creative problem solving. It was predicted that individuals in a stressful condition would perform worse on creative problem solving tasks than individuals in a relaxed condition and worse than individuals in a stressful condition where they successfully coped with the incident. It was also predicted that when in a stressful experience, individuals who are able to acknowledge and to advantageously use the information obtained from a stressful situation (high stress utilization) would perform better on creative problem solving tasks than individuals who are not able to acknowledge and use this information (low …

The Physician/Patient Interaction: Patient Satisfaction, Communication Apprehension, And Health Locus Of Control, Darian Allicia Galyon

Student Work

The purpose of this investigation was to discover the nature of the relationships between a patient’s communication apprehension with physicians and health locus of control and his/her satisfaction with the physician/patient interaction. No significant relationship was found between communication apprehension and a patient’s health locus of control. However, a positive correlation was found between communication apprehension and overall patient satisfaction and patient satisfaction with information. Possible explanations exist for this unexpected result within the uncertainty literature, and by considering that individuals with high communication apprehension may still communicate well despite their anxiety. Statistical analysis also showed that communication apprehension predicts …

Communication Stereotypes Of Caucasian College Students, Danna Voorhes Swartz

Student Work

This thesis examined what communication stereotypes are held by Caucasian college students. The literature review focused on defining stereotypes, the function and roles of stereotypes, how stereotypes serve as communication barriers, and findings of previous studies of stereotypes. The research question asked what are the communication stereotypes of African-Americans, Japanese-Americans and Mexican-Americans as maintained by Caucasian undergraduate college students? Participants in the study were 200 Caucasian, undergraduate students who were asked to complete a survey regarding typical communication characteristics of each group in question. The results indicated uniformity in response to Japanese- and African- Americans with less agreement on characteristics …

Humorous Communication In Casual Work Relationships: Self-Perceptions Concerning Humor Orientation, Loneliness, And Verbal Aggressiveness, Maurizio Gagliolo

Student Work

In order to understand humor orientation, loneliness, and verbal aggressiveness better, 14 faculty members and 25 graduate students from the University of Nebraska at Omaha completed measures of humor orientation (HO), loneliness, and verbal aggressiveness (VA). These individuals were asked to have an acquaintance (as opposed to a close friend or relative) complete an adapted version o f the HO scale (HOA). Results indicated that faculty members and graduate students did not significantly differ in HO, loneliness, or HO A, however graduate students were more verbally aggressive than faculty members in 10 different questions concerning VA. No correlation was found …

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 …

The Airline Quality Rating 1999, Brent D. Bowen, Dean Headley, Uno Aviation Institute

Faculty Books and Monographs

UNOAI Report 99-3

he Airline Quality Rating (AQR) was developed and first announced in early 1991 as an objective method of comparing airline performance on combined multiple criteria. This current report, Airline Quality Rating 1999, contains monthly Airline Quality Rating scores for 1998. Additional copies are available by contacting Wichita State University or the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The Airline Quality Rating 1999 is a summary of month-by-month quality ratings for the ten major domestic U.S. airlines operating during 1998. Using the Airline Quality Rating system of weighted averages and montly performance data in the areas of on-time arrivals, …

Problems, Politics, And Possibilities Of A Progressive Approach To Service Learning In A Community College: A Case Study, Kevin L. Burr

Higher Education

Change -- it is easy to determine when change is needed and even what needs to be changed; the problem is effective implementation. Cohen and Brawer (1989) said that community colleges still have not found a way to implement alternative learning methodologies.

It is reasonable to assume that in an institution dedicated since its inception to 'good teaching', new instructional forms will be tried. However, despite the spread of reproducible media, traditional methods of instruction still flourish. Visitors to a campus might be shown mathematics laboratories, the media production facilities, and computer-assisted instructional programs. But on the way to those …

Mass Media And The Death Penalty: Social Construction Of Three Nebraska Executions, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

This research analyzes local TV news coverage of three Nebraska executions in the 1990s, the first in the state since 1959. The three Nebraska executions allow us to see mass media coverage of the death penalty from four perspectives: 1) media organization routines, journalistic beliefs, and how source selection affected the content; 2) justice was portrayed through a consonant set of social symbols; 3) the public support for the death penalty in this country may have led journalists to avoid tough questioning of public officials; 4) the resulting coverage was a social construction of reality that might influence future public …

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 …

Strengthening And Supporting Service-Learning Objectives, Ins

Project Summaries

In the fall of 1994, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation gave a pilot grant to the Institute for Global Ethics to develop and demonstrate a methodology that incorporates a values-based orientation and reflection component into a selected number of service-learning programs across the country. A continuing two-year grant to expand the initiative got under way in December, 1996.

Service-Learning As A Tool For Violence Prevention An Annotated Topic Bibliography, Ann Treacy

Bibliographies

Bibliographic information for discussions and reports on service-learning as a tool for violence prevention.

Reflection In Service Learning: Making Meaning Or Experience, Robert G. Bringle, Julie A. Hatcher

Evaluation/Reflection

Traditional methods of instruction based on lectures and textbook readings can be effective in some instances and for some types of! earning, yet many educators seek methods to enhance traditional student learning and to expand educational objectives beyond knowledge acquisition. Two related issues illustrate the limitations of traditional methods. The first is context-specific learning. Students are taught a particular module of content, they are provided examples of how to solve particular types of problems, and then they practice solving these types of problems. However, when the nature of the problem is varied, or when similar problems are encountered in different …

Information Search And Creativity: The Role Of Need For Cognition And Personal Involvement, Jody J. Illies

Student Work

The effects of type of personal involvement and need for cognition on information search behaviors and creative problem solving were investigated. It was predicted that participants who are involved through the personal relevancy of the outcome of a problem would engage in more information search behaviors and be more creative than participants who are involved through having their values and morals engaged. It was also predicted that participants high in need for cognition would engage in more information search behaviors and would be more creative than would participants low in need for cognition. Results showed that information search behaviors effectively …