How+characteristics+and+confidences+of+service-learning+leaders+impact+institutionalization

**How characteristics and confidences of service-learning leaders impact institutionalization**

Alisha Vincent, Director, Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Iowa Wesleyan College [alisha.vincent@iwc.edu]

**Keywords:** Leadership capacities of service-learning champions, institutionalization, education reform

**Track:** Faculty roles and professional development

**Format:** Interactive workshop on research methodologies  **Date & time: **Friday 2:00-3:10 **Location: **Salon 7

**Summary:** Research notes that effective leadership is key to executing and institutionalization an educational reform like academic service-learning. The current research focuses on an area of service-learning that is largely unexamined: the leadership capacities of service-learning champions and how these capacities impact institutionalization. Results of a survey collected from 173 service-learning leaders, across the U.S., will be discussed in terms of how their education, experience, and confidences in carrying out complex academic initiatives can impact institutionalization. Implications for service-learning program planning and leadership development initiatives will be highlighted.

Leaders were most confident in building partnerships and least confident in their ability to research and publish. Leaders who indicate having one or fewer years of involvement with service-learning indicated significantly lower levels of institutionalization than leaders who had three to five or five or more years of involvement with service-learning. Participants with a background in academic affairs affected the institutionalization of service-learning to a greater extent than those with a background in student affairs.

The findings highlight the role that service-learning leaders play in institutionalization and factors to consider when developing leader confidences. Leaders who have experience related to complex activities like building academic courses and researching and publishing will be able to lead the process of institutionalization more effectively than leaders without. Because of the complexities involved in carrying out service-learning initiatives it is imperative that leaders have opportunities for professional growth. Institutions should consider the importance of developing the skills in areas of course design and academic research along with fundamental skills in communication and building partnerships.

**References:** Bringle, R.G. & Hatcher, J.A. (1996). Implementing service learning in higher education. //Journal of Higher Education, 71,// 273-290.

<span style="color: #1e1417; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Bringle, R.G. & Hatcher, J.A. (2002). Campus-Community partnerships: The terms of engagement. //Journal of Social Issues, 58//(3), 503-516.

<span style="color: #1e1417; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Furco, A. & Holland, B. (2010). “Assessing service-learning institutionalization through effective management of organizational change”. Unpublished manuscript.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J.W. (2007). //Organizational Behavior//. Mason, OH: Thompson South-Western.

<span style="color: #1e1417; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Lick, D. & Kaufman, R. (2000). Change creation: The rest of the planning story. In J. <span style="color: #1e1417; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Boettcher, M. Doyle, & R. Jensen (Eds.), //Technology-driven planning: Principles to practice//. Ann Arbor, MI: Society for the College and University Planning.

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