Community Engagement in the Liberal Arts
How Service Hours and Reflections Influence Course Value
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21634533 |
|---|---|
| Authors | David Lynn Painter (0000-0001-5808-6319, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL, USA, corresponding author), Courtney Howell (Rollins College, Winter Park, FL, USA) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 416-430 |
| Publication date | 2020-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Experiential Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1053-8259 • E-ISSN: 2169-009X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1053825920931563 |
| OpenAlex | W3036283778 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 31 |
Background: In response to critics’ charges that the liberal arts lack practical value, most colleges have incorporated service-learning in their curricula. Ideally, these service-learning activities not only benefit the community but also enhance the course’s (a) pedagogical effectiveness as well as the students’ (b) civic engagement and (c) professional development. Purpose: This investigation uses a survey to measure the extent to which service-learning in community engagement courses at a liberal arts college achieved these three outcomes. Methodology/Approach: Specifically, we parsed the influence of service hours and reflection activities on 740 students’ ratings of pedagogical effectiveness, civic engagement, and professional development. Findings/Conclusions: The results suggest students in community engagement courses that included at least 15 service hours and three different types of reflections reported significantly greater outcome achievement than those with fewer hours or reflections. Moreover, class discussions and individual conversations were rated the most effective types of reflection activities. Implications: Based on these findings, we provide some best practice suggestions for service hours and reflection activities in liberal arts community engagement courses
Civic engagement · Community engagement · Curriculum · Higher education · Liberal arts education · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Service-learning · Sociology · Student engagement · The arts · Computer Science · Diverse Educational Innovations Studies · Medicine · Nursing Education, Practice, and Leadership · Psychology · Service-Learning and Community Engagement
Where's the Learning in Service-Learning?
Learning Styles and Learning Spaces
Generating, Deepening, and Documenting Learning
The link between high-impact practices and student learning
Experience and Education
Action Research and Minority Problems
Reflection
Results of Immersion Service Learning Activism With Peers
Service-Learning's Impact on College Students' Commitment to Future Civic Engagement, Self-Efficacy, and Social Empowerment
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |