Student+learning+and+development+at+the+crossroads

**Student learning and development at the crossroads: The influence of the developmental context of those who serve and those receiving service** Judy Primavera, Professor, Fairfield University jprimavera@fairfield.edu] Andrew Martinez, Depaul University andrewmartinez78@yahoo.com] Patricia Calderwood, Professor, Fairfield University pcalderwood@fairfield.edu] Michael Pagano, Assistant Professor & Graduate Program Director, Fairfield University mpagano@fairfield.edu] Joseph Ferrari, Professor, DePaul University jferrari@depaul.edu]



**Keywords:** Adults in hospice, low income pre-schoolers, middle school students, undergraduate student development

**Track:** Student development and learning

**Format:** Panel presentation

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

**Location:** Salon 2

**Summary:** While some benefits of service learning, such as enhanced learning of course material, are more universal, some benefits are particular to the unique pairing of the developmental tasks of the community citizens being served with the undergraduate SL student’s transition into young adulthood. This panel explores both the commonalities and the more idiosyncratic outcomes for undergraduates engaged in service learning experiences with low income preschoolers, with middle school students, and adults in Hospice. Results suggest that by looking through a developmental lens, the benefits for students engaged in service learning can be better understood, documented, and promoted.

The findings of the three studies suggest that context, particularly the unique developmental pairings o f the service learner with the community recipient of the service, does indeed make a difference in the type and the quality of impact the service learning experience has on the personal development of the undergraduate volunteer. Using this type of developmental lens is one potentially fruitful avenue to assure that a more appropriate and potentially rewarding “match” might be made as faculty prepare their service learning offerings and as college undergraduate choose their service learning venues.

**References:** Cook-Sather, A. (2006). Newly betwixt and between: revising liminality in the context of a teacher preparation program. //Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 37//, 110-127.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Eyler, J., Giles, D.E. & Braxton, J. (1997). The impact of service-learning on college students. //Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 4//, 5-15.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Eyler, J., Giles. D.W., Stenson, C.M. & Gray, C.J. (2001). At a glance: What we know about the impact of service learning on college students, faculty, institutions, and communities, 1993-2000. Corporation for National Service Learn and Serve America National Service learning Clearinghouse. Retrieved from <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">[]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;"> Giles, D.E. & Eyler, J. (1994). The impact of college community service laboratory on students’ personal, social, and cognitive outcomes. //Journal of Adolescence, 17,// 327-329.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Hunt, R. (2006). Developing emotional competence through service-learning. //Annual Review of Nursing Education 2006// (4) 251-73.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Luke, A. (1995/1996). Text and discourse in education: An introduction to critical discourse analysis. In Michael Apple (Ed.), //Review of Research in Education, 21//, 3-28. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Primavera, J., & Martinez, A. (2008). Long-term consequences of volunteering: Undergraduate community service touches the future. Poster presented at the 116th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Turner, V. (1967). Betwixt and between: The liminal period in rites de passage. In V. Turner (Ed.), //The forest of symbols: aspects of Ndembu ritual//, (pp. 93-111). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Wittenberg-Lyles, E.M. (2006) Narratives of hospice volunteers: Perspectives on death and dying. //Qualitative Research Reports in Communication. 7//(1), 51-56.

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