A+study+of+community-based+learning+and+academic+gains+in+college+students

**A study of community-based learning and academic gains in college students**  Andrew Furco, Associate Professor and Associate Vice President for Public Engagement, University of Minnesota [ afurco@umn.edu]  Ronald Huesman, Jr., Associate Director of Institutional Research, University of Minnesota [ huesm003@umn.edu]  Daniel Jones-White, Analyst, Office of Institutional Research, University of Minnesota [ djwhite@umn.edu]  Krista Soria, Analyst, Office of Institutional Research, University of Minnesota [ botx0006@umn.edu]



** Keywords: ** Academic gains**,** social gains, student interconnectedness**,** community-building**,** college students  ** Track: **Theoretical or conceptual frameworks to advance research  ** Format: ** Research paper  ** Date & time: ** Thursday 2:00-3:10 ** Location: ** Salon 8   ** Summary: ** Given the growing popularity of community engaged experiences on college campuses, it is important to understand how these experiences interact with other academic and social engagement opportunities to promote achievement gains among college students. In this research paper we utilize data from a multi-institutional study of student engagement to estimate potential direct and indirect effects of community engagement on students’ academic and social gains. A latent variable structural equation model of student achievement was developed to explore the potential relationship between participation in community-based learning activities (e.g. service learning course, community based research, et cetera) and students’ perceptions of academic and cultural development. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Specifically, our empirical investigation addresses two important questions: 1) Does participation in community based learning opportunities contribute, either directly or indirectly, to improved academic and social skills development for students? 2) Does participation in community-based learning opportunities produce differential outcomes for different subgroups of students? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">This study utilizes data from the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey, a multi-institutional survey that assesses students’ perceptions of campus climate, satisfaction, time use, and levels of academic engagement, community engagement, global knowledge and skills and student life/development. Utilizing data from approximately 18,000 students from 12 different AAU public research universities, the preliminary findings of our research demonstrate that participation in community based learning activities contribute to both the integration and skill development of college students. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">The implications of these findings support public and community service efforts across college campuses and indicate the ways in which community service benefits the community-building capacity within colleges. As a means of connecting students to stakeholders outside of the higher education organization, in addition to supporting their interconnectedness within the organization, community service carries an indirect--but important--role in fostering students’ academic and social gains. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">** References: ** <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Andrews, C. P. (2007). Service learning: Applications and research in business. //Journal of Education// //for Business, 83//(1), 19-26. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Astin, A.W. (1970). A researcher’s proposal for changes in higher education. //Educational Record, 51//, 225-233. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Astin, A. W., Vogelgesang, L. J., Ikeda, E. K., & Yee, J. A. (2000). How service learning affects students. Higher Education Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles. Retrieved April 18, 2010, from [|http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/PDFs/HSLAS/ HSLAS.PDF] <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Eyler, J., & Giles Jr, D. E. (1999). //Where’s the learning in service-learning?// San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Furco, A. (2010). The community as a resource for learning: An analysis of academic service-learning in primary and secondary education. In Dumont, H., Istance, D. & Benavides (Eds.), //The nature// //of learning: Using research to inspire practice// (pp. 227-249). Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Kendrick, J. R. (1996). Outcomes of service-learning in an introduction to sociology course. //Michigan// //Journal of Community Service Learning, 3//, 72-81. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Markus, G. B., Howard, P. F., & King, D. C. (1993). Integrating community service and classroom instruction enhances learning: Results from an experiment. //Educational Evaluation and Policy// //Analysis, 15//(4), 410-419. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Steinke, P. (2002). Cognitive outcomes of service-learning: Reviewing the past and glimpsing the future. //Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 8//(2), 5-14. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;">Tartter, V. C. (1996). City College Report to FIPSE. New York, NY. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">**Please click here to access a PDF of this page:** <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">[|Furco_A study of community-based learning and academic gains in college students.pdf] To download materials from this session please click on the file link(s) below:

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