Benefits of Service-Learning

Source: Eyler, J & Giles, D. E. Jr. (1999). Where's the learning in Service-learning?)

1. Personal and Interpersonal Development

Personal and interpersonal development and diversity are higher education goals in and of themselves, but the interpersonal experiences that aid this development are also good pedagogy for attaining other goals, such as mastery of academic subject matter, critical thinking, and development of citizenship skills and attitudes. Service-learning, which involves different roles for students from those typically encountered in the classroom, seems like a natural fit for achieving such goals of higher education as interpersonal competence, personal development, and increased experience with and tolerance for diversity.

2. Understanding and applying knowledge

Service-learning particularly service learning that is highly reflective and where course and community service are well integrated---has a powerful impact on student understanding. A majority of service-learning students report that they learn more and are motivated to work harder in service-learning classes than in regular classes.

3. Engagement, curiosity, and reflective practice

Students believe that the learning that results from their service-learning experience is richer and more applicable to real-world contexts than material they learn in traditional classes: Students find that they remember and can use material that they learn from the rich and complex community context.

4. Critical Thinking

Service-learning, particularly service-learning that is highly reflective and where course and community service are well integrated, has an impact on the quality of student thinking and problem solving. The quality of service-learning, including application, opportunities for structured reflection, and diversity and community voice, was a predictor of reports of critical thinking, ability to see consequences of actions, issue identification, and openness to new ideas.

5. Perspective Transformation

Students who have spent lots of time in service developing leadership roles and studying the issues in the classroom may challenge their assumptions and move in the direction not just of action but of political action, as this student said: growing up, I didn't have the questions, the structural questions. I didn't see the inequities on a day-to-day basis that exist in our society that I see now or that I'm now connecting my service with.

6. Citizenship

Service-learning---particularly, well-integrated service-learning---contributes to attainment of each element or our citizenship model: Values, knowledge, skills, efficacy and commitment. Participation in service-learning leads to the values, knowledge, skills, efficacy, and commitment that underlie effective citizenship.

The Benefits of Service-Learning

Source: Boise State University
Students benefit through...

  • Hands-on use of skills and knowledge that increases relevance of academic skills
  • Accommodation of different learning styles
  • Interaction with people of diverse cultures and lifestyles
  • Increased sense of self-efficacy, analytical skills, and social development
  • Valuable and competitive career guidance and experience
  • Opportunities for meaningful involvement with the local community
  • Increased civic responsibility "It brings books to life and life to books."

Faculty benefit through...

  • More lively class discussions and increased student participation
  • Greater participant retention of course material
  • Greater student awareness of community and "real world" issues
  • More innovative approaches to classroom instruction
  • Enhanced opportunities for research and publication
  • Greater faculty awareness of community issues "It changes faculty role from the expert on top to the expert on tap"

The Community benefits through...

  • Access to university resources
  • Positive relationship opportunities with the university
  • Awareness-building of community issues, agencies and constituents
  • Opportunities to contribute to the educational process
  • Affordable access to professional development
  • Short- and long-term solutions to pressing community needs "It shifts from community as laboratory to community as classroom"