A THEORETICAL MODEL OF STUDENT LEARNING IN AN ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING COURSE: DIVERSITY AND CIVIC OUTCOMES

Lori Simons, Sylvia Wang, Nancy Blank, Elizabeth Renavitz, Madeline Hoffman, Sara Shoneman

Abstract


A qualitative-quantitative mixed-methods longitudinal research study was conducted to measure differences in civic and diversity outcomes in a cross-sectional sample of 138 undergraduate students. The quantitative results indicate that students improve their social justice attitudes, awareness of White racial privilege, racial-cultural-ethnic identity, and interests in multicultural work from the beginning of the semester. The qualitative findings replicate and extend the quantitative results. Career development and opportunities for growth were detected as unexpected themes that emerged from the data. The use of the mixed-methods approach provided an opportunity to conceptualize how students reformulate their diversity attitudes and acquire civic skills in an academic service-learning course. Implications for teaching and learning are discussed.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


academic service-learning, diversity and civic outcomes, multicultural education

Full Text:

PDF

References


Allport, G. W. (1979). The nature of prejudice. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Perseus Books. Retrieved from https://faculty.washington.edu/caporaso/courses/203/readings/allport_Nature_of_prejudice.pdf

Baldwin, S. C., Buchanan, A. M., & Rudisill, M.E. (2007). What teacher candidates learned about diversity, social justice, and themselves from service-learning experiences. Journal of Teacher Education, 58 (4), 315-327. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487107305259

Bell, D. J., Self, M.M., Davis, C., Conway, F. Washburn, J. J. & Crepeau-Hobson, F. (2020). Health service psychology education and training in the time of COVID-19: Challenges and opportunities. American Psychologist, 75 (7), 919-932. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000673

Bowman, N. A. (2009). College diversity courses and cognitive development among students from privileged and marginalized groups. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 2 (3). 182-194. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-13602-006

Castellanos, M., & Cole, D. (2015). Disentangling the impact of diversity courses: Examining the influence of diversity course content on students’ civic engagement. Journal of College Student Development, 56 (8), 794-811. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-56851-003

Chenneville, T., Toler, S., & Gaskin-Butler, V. T. (2012). Civic engagement in the field of psychology. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 12 (4), 58-75. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ992127.pdf

Cole, D., & Zhou, J. (2014). Do diversity experiences help college students become more civically minded? Applying Bank’s multicultural education framework. Innovative Higher Education, 39, 109-121. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10755-013-9268-x

Collopy, R. M. B., Tjaden-Glass, S., & McIntosh, N. A. (2020). Attending to conditions that facilitate intercultural competence: A reciprocal service-learning approach. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 26 (1), 19-38. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3998/mjcsloa.3239521.0026.102

Conner, J., & Erickson, J. (2017). Where does service-learning work? Contact theory and service-learning courses in higher education. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, Spring, 53-65. Retrieved from https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?cc=mjcsloa;c=mjcsl;c=mjcsloa;idno=3239521.0023.204;g=mjcslg;rgn=main;view=text;xc=1

Creswell, J. W. (2005). Educational research, 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Dunlap, M., Scoggin, J., Green, P., & Davi, A. (2007). White students’ experience of privilege and socioeconomic disparities: Toward a theoretical model. Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning, 13(2), 19-30. Retrieved from https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mjcsl/3239521.0013.202?rgn=main;view=fulltext

Espino, M. M., & Lee, J. J. (2011). Understanding resistance: Reflections on race and privilege through service-learning. Equity & Excellence in Education, 44 (2), 136-152. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2011.558424

Eyler, J. S., & Giles, D. E. (1999). Where’s the learning in service-learning? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mjcsl/3239521.0006.115/1/--where-s-the-learning-in-service-learning-janet-eyler?page=root;size=100;view=text

Fesinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1993-97948-000

Hess, D. J., Lanig, H., & Vaughan, W. (2007). Educating for equity and social justice: A conceptual model for cultural engagement. Multicultural Perspectives, 9 (1), 32-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/15210960701334037

Littleford, L. N., Jones, J. A. (2017). Framing and source effects on White college students’ reactions to racial inequality information. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority, 23 (1), 143-153. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000102

Mitchell, T. D. (2015). Using a critical service-learning approach to facilitate civic identity development. Theory Into Practice, 54, 20-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2015.977657

Mitchell, T. D. (2010). Challenges and possibilities: linking social justice and student learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 17 (1), 94-97.

Moely, B. E., & Ilustre, V. (2011). University students’ views of a public service graduation requirement. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 17 (2), 43-58. Retrieved from https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mjcsl/3239521.0017.204/5/--university-students-views-of-a-public-service-graduation?page=root;size=+50;view=text;q1=Moely

Moely, B. E., Mercer, S. H., Ilustre, V., Miron, D., & McFarland, M. (2002). Psychometric properties and correlates of the civic attitudes and skills questionnaire (CASQ): A measure of student’s attitudes related to service-learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 8 (2), 15-26. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ645399

Narvaez, D., Endicott, L., & Hill, P. (2017). Guide for using the multicultural experience questionnaire (MEQ) for college students and adults. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame. https://www3.nd.edu/~dnarvaez/documents/MulticulturalExperiencesQuestionnaireV4REVISION.pdf

Neville, H. A., Lilly, R. L., Duran, G., Lee, R. M., & Browne, L. (2000). Construction and initial validation of the Color-Blind Racial Attitude Scale (CoBRAS). Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 59-70. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Helen-Neville-2/publication/232491078_Construction_and_Initial_Validation_of_the_Color-Blind_Racial_Attitudes_Scale_CoBRAS/links/586982cf08ae6eb871b964e5/Construction-and-Initial-Validation-of-the-Color-Blind-Racial-Attitudes-Scale-CoBRAS.pdf

Phinney, J. (1992). The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure: A new scale for use with adolescents and young adults from diverse groups. Journal of Adolescent Research, 7, 156-176. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/074355489272003

Reich, C.M., LaCaille, L.J., Axford, K. E. & Slaughter, N. R. (2022). Empathetic communication skills across applied undergraduate psychology courses: A replication study. Teaching of Psychology, 49 (1), 49-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628321995431

Saavedra, J. A., Ruiz, L., & Alcala, L. (2022). Critical service-learning supports social justice and civic engagement orientations in college students. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 28 (1). 1-28. Retrieved from https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/mjcsl/article/id/292/

Sanchez, N., Norka, A., Corbin, M., & Peters, C. (2019). Use of experiential learning, reflective writing, and metacognition to develop cultural humility among undergraduate students. Journal of Social Work Education, 55 (1), 75-88. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2018.1498418

Simons, L., Marshall, C., Weaver, N., & Blank, N. (2021). Engaging students in academic- and cultural-based service-learning. Advances in Social Science Research Journal, 8 (1), 403-420.

Simons, L., Fehr, L., Blank, N., Hogerwerff, F., Georganas, D., & Russell, B. (2011). The application of racial identity development in academic-based service learning. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 23 (1), 72-83. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ938580.pdf

Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational Psychology, 13th edition. Bostone, MA: Pearson. Retrieved from https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/educational-psychology-theory-and-practice/P200000001839/9780136912156

Smolcic, E., & Srends, J. (2017). Building teacher interculturality: Student partnerships in university classrooms. Teacher Education Quarterly, Fall, 51-73. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1157418

Spanierman, L.B., & Heppner, M.J. (2004). Psychological costs of racism to Whites scale (PCRW): Construction and initial validation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51 (2), 249-262. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.51.2.249

Sperling, R. (2007). Service-learning as a method of teaching multiculturalism to White college students. Journal of Latinos and Education, 6 (4), 309-322. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/15348430701473454

Sear, J., Jones, G., Han. S, & Wolfgram, S. (2013). How does high impact practice predict student engagement? A comparison of White and Minority students. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 7 (2), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2013.070217

Talbert, R. (2017). Flipped learning: A guide for higher education faculty. Sterling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003444848

Tinkler, A., Tinkler, B., Reyes, C., & Elkin, S. (2019). Critical service-learning: Learning through experience to advance teacher education. Journal of Experiential Education, 42 (1), 65-78. Retrieved from https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/articles-coal/176/

Valencia-Garcia, N. O., & Coles-Ritchie, M. (2021). Examining service-learning pedagogical practice through centering BIPOC student voices. Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education, 13 (2), 26-40. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1313733

Wadsworth, B. J. (1995). Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, 5th edition. Boston: MA Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1996-97227-000

Wallen-Ruschman, J., Price, A., Richey, C., & Carns, K. (2020). Reflections and results from intersections: Teaching and learning the praxis of intersectionality in the psychology classroom. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 12 (1), 14-26. Retrieved from https://openjournals.bsu.edu/jsacp/article/download/1635/1914/5683

Xiao, C., Wan, K. and Chan, W-F. C. (2022). Ensuring the effectiveness of eservice-learning in holistic education under social distancing. Journal of Experiential Education, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538259221077184

Zucchere, R.A., & Gibson, J.E. (2019). A comparison of intergenerational service-learning and traditional pedagogy among undergraduate students. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 18 (2), 179-196. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475725718823970




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v11i11.5611

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Lori Simons, Sylvia Wang, Nancy Blank, Elizabeth Renavitz, Madeline Hoffman, Sara Shoneman

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2015-2023. European Journal of Education Studies (ISSN 2501 - 1111) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.


This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All authors who send their manuscripts to this journal and whose articles are published on this journal retain full copyright of their articles. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).