Benefits to Students
Overall, students in the "service-learning" sections earned grades that were 4.8% higher than those of the "non-service-learning" students (3.28 vs. 3.13 on a 4-point scale, F = 1.9972, p = .1588) (Strage, 2004).
For many years, proponents of service-learning pedagogy have suggested that students recognize numerous benefits. Only fairly recently have these benefits been documented. Strage (2004) and a host of other researchers have been gathering evidence concerning the benefits of service-learning and have found this pedagogy to:
- Enhance student engagement with and commitment to school
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Help prepare students to be contributing citizens in their broader communities
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Have a powerful impact on students social and emotional development
Most importantly, evidence is beginning to confirm that service-learning can enhance the achievement of the curricular goals of the courses in which it is embedded.
In a service-learning course, students:
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Challenge personal and social assumptions, values and beliefs
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Develop deliberative, collaborative, and leadership skills
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Consider the civic, moral and ethical implications of the application of knowledge in professional and civic life
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Connect academic content with hands-on experience by exploring related community opportunities
- Increase sense of self-efficacy and develop analytical skills
WSU alumni report that their WSU service experience is the second most important contribution to their personal growth behind their internship experience. Click here to view the alumni survey.
