Investigating+the+impact+of+time+in+service-learning

**Investigating the impact of time in service-learning on university general education outcomes** Paul Matthews, Assistant Director, Office of Service-Learning, University of Georgia pmatthew@uga.edu] Sarah Brackmann, Graduate Assistant, Office of Service Learning, University of Georgia sbrackma@uga.edu]



**Keywords:** Students, time, critical thinking, moral reasoning, general education

**Track:** Student development and learning

**Format:** Research paper

**Date & time:** Thursday 9:30-10:40

**Location:** Salon 12

**Summary:** As service-learning becomes institutionalized, universities need to be able to demonstrate whether and how service-learning provides dividends for desired student learning outcomes. This study uses data from end-of-semester course surveys (n=876) to investigate the relationship between time spent on service-learning and the university’s “general education” learning outcomes of critical thinking and moral reasoning.

Regression analyses found that percent time spent in class on the service activity, and hours spent on the service activity outside class both showed a significant though small positive relationship with the composite moral reasoning scores; but neither time variable was a significant contributor to critical thinking outcomes. Instead, the primary covariates making a significant contribution to the outcome scores were the relationship with instructor and reflective journaling. It appears that the extent to which the relationship between student and teacher is “enhanced” through the service-learning—perhaps a proxy for instructor involvement with the service activity, regardless of time spent—is the strongest predictor of both general education outcomes.

**References:** Astin, A. W., Vogelgesang, L. J., Ikeda, E. K., & Yee, J. A. (2000). //Understanding the effects of service learning: A study of students and faculty//. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Higher Education Research Institute. Retrieved from http://gseis.ucla.edu/heri/understanding_service_learning.html

Bringle, R.G., & Hatcher, J.A. (2000). Institutionalization of service learning in higher education. //Journal of Higher Education, 71//(3), 273-290.

 Eyler, J., & Giles, Jr., D. E. (1999). [|//Where's the learning in service-learning?//] San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ikeda, E. (2000). How reflection enhances learning in service-learning courses. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (New Orleans, LA, April 24-28, 2000).

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Lambright, K. (2008). //Lessons outside the classroom:// Examining the effectiveness of service-learning projects at achieving learning objectives. //Journal of Public Affairs Education//, //14//(2), 205-217.

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Mabry, J. (1998). Pedagogical variations in service-learning and student outcomes: How time, contact, and reflection matter. //Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning//, //5//, 32-47.

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Toncar, M., Reid, J., Burns, D., Anderson, C., & Nguyen, H. (2006). Uniform assessment of the benefits of service learning: The development, evaluation, and implementation of the scale. //Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice//, //41//(3), 223-238.

[|Investigating the Impact of Time in Service-Learning.pdf]

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