A Clemson University introductory landscape design class collaborated with South Carolina Botanical Gardens (SCBG) staff and coordinators of Sprouting Wings to design an exploratory Children's Garden within the SCBG. Service learning provides students with invaluable real-world experiences solving problems and interacting with clients while…

The effects of service-learning on the academic attainment of rehabilitation services students were examined using a quasi-experimental design. One hundred and thirty senior rehabilitation services students enrolled in the medical aspects of disabilities course, 65 with service-learning and 65 with classroom-only instruction. The same instructor…

The intent of a liberal arts education is to expose students to a broad array of ideas and subject matter. Its perceived weakness involves the possible lack of preparedness for the workplace; a liberal arts education is deliberately not vocational. To bridge that divide colleges and universities, in cooperation with industry, non-profits, and the…

This study describes a service-learning course in the Department of Organizational Leadership at Purdue University developed in 1998 with the overarching goal of creating a culture of civic engagement by providing students with an opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to meet community needs, to learn from social service providers…

Experiments in using outdoor education to affect juvenile development and deter crime abound. Most of these outdoor adventure programs use a setting of developed challenges and perceived risk situations in order to create a life-changing experience. However, these "adventures" remain contrived events and require significant interpretive…

The fourfold purpose of this study was to determine if student attitudes toward community service, student attitudes toward civic involvement, student attitudes about life skills, and student attitudes toward civic engagement and service learning differed based on enrollment in a course with a service learning component or enrollment in a course…

Argues that the current U.S. educational system helps perpetuate some social problems; at the heart of this situation are beliefs held about the role of higher education in the larger society. Proposes that service learning as a powerful tool for colleges, both to address social problems and to strengthen experiential learning, which is central to…

As interest in service-learning increases, there is a concomitant need for a theoretical base for it. Reviews aspects of John Dewey's educational and social philosophy relevant to the development service-learning theory, including learning from experience, reflective thinking, citizenship, community, and democracy. A series of key questions for…

Identifies five specific areas in which John Dewey's writings contribute to service-learning: linking education to experience; democratic community; social service; reflective inquiry; and education for social transformation. Argues that these contributions form the basis of a cultural and political critique and reconceptualized pedagogy aimed at…

Raises concerns about effectiveness of service learning efforts to engage students in community problems as part of an integrated curriculum. Suggests the HIV epidemic as a situation requiring the diverse resources of modern colleges and universities and proposes partnerships with local communities to address the problem. Programs at the…

Asserts that the participation of citizens in the U.S. Census is vital because the quality of the census is increased and in turn allows for the accurate depiction of U.S. society and allocation of resources. Believes that service learning enables students to learn about and participate in the U.S. Census. (CMK)

Discusses ways that experiential and service learning can contribute to a sense of community for both resident and commuter college students. Considers the theory and practice of experiential education and ways in which experiential learning can involve commuter students with other students, faculty, and the community. (DB)

Service learning benefits students of all academic abilities, particularly the gifted. Teachers should use the principles of good service, make service a requirement, encourage service experiences based on real needs, design interdisciplinary service courses, consider opportunities for social change, provide mentorships, reduce liability, and help…

Describes a brief, pre-internship, observation assignment that has increased student awareness and provided some of the same benefits as internships. Finds that student reactions and other data support pre-internships as an effective learning tool. Concludes that pre-internships are most beneficial when used in combination with long-term,…

Describes a service learning project in which students addressed the public health problem of rural sanitation in Alabama, which is related to socio-economic status, by researching, designing, and constructing a pit latrine. Focuses on four levels of inquiry and resolution (the social problem, developing and implementing an intervention strategy,…