Skip to main content
Log in

Service-learning instructional design considerations

  • Published:
Journal of Computing in Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper explores the design of service-learning experiences to engage college students in the real-world application of course subject matter. Service learning is an educational approach that combines community service, academic coursework, and work-based applied learning. Based on data gathered during a series of recent interviews conducted with students, faculty, and instructional designers with applied and service-learning experience, a set of design considerations is offered for the facilitation of service-learning experiences in both campus-based and online courses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abes, E. S., Jackson, G., & Jones, S. R. (2002). Factors that motivate and deter faculty use of service-learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 9, 5–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Bures, E. M., Borokhovski, E., & Tamim, R. M. (2011). Interaction in distance education and online learning: Using evidence and theory to improve practice. Journal of Computing in Higher Education,. doi:10.1007/s12528-011-9043-x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2013). Changing course: Ten years of tracking online education in the United States. Wellesley MA: Babson Survey Research Group and The Sloan Consortium.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, C. P. (2007). Service learning: Applications and research in business. Journal of Education for Business, 83(1), 19–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bacdayan, P. (2008). Finding win-win forms of economic development outreach: Shared priorities of business faculty and community. College Teaching, 56(3), 143–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Borokhovski, E., Wade, C. A., Tamim, R. M., Surkes, M. A., et al. (2009). A meta-analysis of three types of interaction treatments in distance education. Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1243–1289. doi:10.3102/0034654309333844.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blouin, D. D., & Perry, E. M. (2009). Whom does service learning really serve? Community-based organizations’ perspectives on service learning. Teaching Sociology, 37(2), 120–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (1996). Implementing service learning in higher education. The Journal of Higher Education, 67(2), 221–239. doi:10.2307/2943981.

  • Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2002). Campus–community partnerships: The terms of engagement. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 503–516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2009). Innovative practices in service-learning and curricular engagement. New Directions for Higher Education, 2009(147), 37–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butin, D. W. (2006). The limits of service-learning in higher education. The Review of Higher Education, 29(4), 473–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campus Compact. (2013). Creating a culture of assessment: 2012 Campus compact annual member survey. Boston, MA: Campus Compact. Retrieved from http://www.compact.org/about/statistics/2012-campus-compact-annual-member-survey/.

  • Carnegie Foundation. (2014). Community engagement classification; classification description. Retrieved from http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/descriptions/comm_eng_classified_campuses.php.

  • Carver, R. L. (1997). Theoretical underpinnings of service learning. Theory into Practice, 36(3), 143–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Celio, C. I., Durlak, J., & Dymnicki, A. (2011). A meta-analysis of the impact of service-learning on students. Journal of Experiential Education, 34(2), 164–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conway, J. M., Amel, E. L., & Gerwien, D. P. (2009). Teaching and learning in the social context: A meta-analysis of service learning’s effects on academic, personal, social, and citizenship outcomes. Teaching of Psychology, 36(4), 233–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corporation for National and Community Service. (2014a). Special initiatives: President’s higher education community service honor roll. Retrieved 29 May 2014, from http://www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/honor-roll.

  • Corporation for National and Community Service. (2014b). Legislation. Retrieved 29 May 2014, from http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/legislation.

  • Correia, A.-P., Yusop, F. D., Wilson, J. R., & Schwier, R. A. (2010). A comparative case study of approaches to authentic learning in instructional design at two universities. Presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED509340.pdf.

  • Dailey-Hebert, A., Sallee, E. D., & DiPadova, L. N. (2008). Service-elearning: Educating for citizenship. Charlotte: IAP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dewey, J. (1938). Education and experience. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Driscoll, A., Holland, B., Gelmon, S., & Kerrigan, S. (1996). An assessment model for service-learning: Comprehensive case studies of impact on faculty, students, community, and institution. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 3, 66–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furco, A. (1996). Service-learning: A balanced approach to experiential education. Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning, 1, 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giles, D. E., & Eyler, J. (1994). The theoretical roots of service-learning in John Dewey: Toward a theory of service-learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 1(1), 77–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., & Oliver, R. (2014). Authentic learning environments. In J. M. Spector, M. D. Merrill, J. Elen, & M. J. Bishop (Eds.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (pp. 401–412). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Holland, B. A. (2001). A comprehensive model for assessing service-learning and community-university partnerships. New Directions for Higher Education, 2001(114), 51–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hung, D., Lee, S.-S., & Lim, K. Y. T. (2012). Authenticity in learning for the twenty-first century: bridging the formal and the informal. Educational Technology Research and Development, 60(6), 1071–1091. doi:10.1007/s11423-012-9272-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hussar, W. J., & Bailey, T. (2013). Projections of education statistics to 2021 (NCES 2013-008). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/projections/projections2021/sec5a.asp.

  • Kenworthy-U’Ren, A. L. (1999). Management students as consultants an alternative perspective on the service-learning “call to action”. Journal of Management Inquiry, 8(4), 379–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraft, R. J. (1996). Service learning: An introduction to its theory, practice, and effects. Education and Urban Society, 28(2), 131–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambright, K. T., & Alden, A. F. (2012). Voices from the trenches: faculty perspectives on support for sustaining service-learning. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 16(2), 9–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehman, C. M., & DuFrene, D. D. (2008). Achieving active learning through a service learning podcast project. Journal of Business and Training Education, 17, 41–44.

  • Mooney, L. A., & Edwards, B. (2001). Experiential learning in sociology: Service learning and other community-based learning initiatives. Teaching Sociology, 29(2), 181–194. doi:10.2307/1318716.

  • Novak, J. M., Markey, V., & Allen, M. (2007). Evaluating cognitive outcomes of service learning in higher education: A meta-analysis. Communication Research Reports, 24(2), 149–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roeger, K. L., Blackwood, A., Pettijohn, S. L., & Urban Institute. (2012). The nonprofit almanac 2012. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/id/10619496.

  • Saltmarsh, J., Giles, D. E., Ward, E., & Buglione, S. M. (2009). Rewarding community-engaged scholarship. New Directions for Higher Education, 2009(147), 25–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strait, J., & Sauer, T. (2004). Constructing experiential learning for online courses: The birth of e-Service. Educause Quarterly, 27(1), 62–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldner, L. S., Widener, M. C., & McGorry, S. Y. (2012). E-service learning: The evolution of service-learning to engage a growing online student population. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 16(2), 123–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warren, J. L. (2012). Does service-learning increase student learning? A meta-analysis. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 18(2), 56–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yorio, P. L., & Ye, F. (2012). A meta-analysis on the effects of service-learning on the social, personal, and cognitive outcomes of learning. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 11(1), 9–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer Maddrell.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Maddrell, J. Service-learning instructional design considerations. J Comput High Educ 26, 213–226 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-014-9085-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-014-9085-y

Keywords

Navigation