Browsing by Subject "Service-learning"
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Item Defining the role and experiences of service-learning faculty : a qualitative study at The University of Texas at Austin(2014-05) Ortego Pritchett, Katie Elizabeth; Reddick, Richard, 1972-Over the past two decades researchers have analyzed motivating factors and institutional barriers that influenced a professor's initial decision to utilize a service-learning pedagogy. The majority of this research has been quantitative in nature, surveying faculty members' initial attitudes around service-learning. However, the extant literature fails to qualitatively examine the experiences of faculty members who successfully integrate service-learning, especially at a public research institution with civic-engaged mission. Because a public institution relies upon a critical mass of faculty members to support its civic engagement mission, this study focused on explaining the lived experience of exemplar professors in service-learning to understanding their motivations, barriers, and experiences. Faculty members are important to study because service-learning is a form of community engagement that cannot happen without sustainable efforts from professors. Moreover, students and communities cannot derive the benefits of service-learning, nor can civically minded institutions achieve their goal, if faculty members do not incorporate service-learning into their classrooms. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of service-learning faculty members at a four-year public research institution where community engagement is a stated priority. Utilizing a recently developed faculty engagement model (Demb & Wade, 2012) as the guiding theoretical framework, this research study seeks to understand the lived experience of faculty members at The University of Texas at Austin by inquiring 1) how faculty members implement meaningful community engagement through their service-learning classes, 2) how service-learning may shape a faculty members' professional and personal identity at a research institution, and 3) how service-learning fits into faculty members' larger scholarship agenda.Item Educating the next generation for public service : integrating service-learning into the art classroom(2012-05) Ehman, Aren Rebekkah; Bolin, Paul Erik, 1954-; Bain, ChristinaThis thesis establishes an understanding of how public school art teachers are incorporating service-learning into their art classroom curriculum. Through conversations with three public school art teachers and one administrator, observations of the teachers' instruction, and written reflections from several students, I have introduced how service-learning can impact students. Additionally, this thesis identifies resources that help create and sustain a successful service-learning curriculum. Using case study methodology, an investigation was made of service-learning philosophies and perspectives, methods of application and practice, and impacts on the students and the art classroom environment. Through this research I have gained an understanding of what I believe to be best practices of service-learning found in the art classroom, which are particularly helpful for real world application.Item Evaluating the cognitive process of students participating in a service-learning experience while enrolled in a collegiate social problems class(Texas A&M University, 2007-09-17) Pracht, Dale WayneThis study evaluated the cognitive process of students participating in a 20-hour service-learning experience while enrolled in a collegiate Social Problems course. This study examined student attitudes about social problems and their ability to affect change and examined relationships between demographic variables, student attitudes, and their stages of cognitive process. The population was all students who were enrolled in a Social Problems course during the Fall 2005 semester. Of the 77 students enrolled in the course, 48 completed both the pre-test and post-test questionnaire and 64 completed the service-learning journals and papers. The researcher used a mixed method research design. The quantitative study used a pre-test and post-test questionnaire to evaluate changes in attitude towards service learning. The qualitative study evaluated journal entries and papers using the Constant Comparative Method of Qualitative Analysis to assess stages of cognitive development. The major findings of the study were: 1) Students progressed through six stages of cognitive development - Shock, Guilt, Normalization, Cultural Sensitivity, Engagement, and Empowerment, however no student experienced all stages; 2) Three new stages were discovered - Guilt, Cultural Sensitivity, and Empowerment; 3) All students who had not volunteered before experienced Shock; 4) Shock occurred for some students who had previously volunteered; 5) Students experiencing Guilt were primarily White and from families with parental incomes greater than $75,000 a year; 7) A majority of students experienced Empowerment; 8) Most students volunteering more than 10 hours a month experienced Empowerment; 9) All People of Color experienced Empowerment; 10) Results from pre-test and post-test questionnaires did not indicate a significant change in attitudes towards service-learning as a result of participating in the service-learning experience. Educators should: 1) Be prepared to assist students as they experience multiple stages of the cognitive process during their service-learning experiences; 2) Give instruction in reflective journaling, provide students with guided journal questions, and monitor stages of the cognitive process; 3) Incorporate service-learning into curriculum to enhance cognitive learning and empower students; 4) Replicate with a more diverse population and larger sample size.Item Teachers' perceptions of service-learning: K-12 school community partnership development in Texas schools(2009-05-15) Bludau, Jo AnnAt the conclusion of a three-year grant cycle (2003-2006), educators and administrators as well as the general public in the state of Texas are questioning whether or not service-learning is indeed a powerful means of preparing students to become more caring and responsible parents and citizens. This study was designed to measure teachers? perceived effectiveness of service-learning. The Texas Center for Service- Learning provided a list of districts participating in the K-12 School-Community Partnership Grant Project and contact information for district grant coordinators. Coordinators in participating districts were then contacted by phone and e-mail to submit names and contact information for teachers participating in the service-learning program. Teachers whose districts are located in central and southeast Texas were interviewed during the spring 2006 on their campuses, and teachers from more remote parts of Texas were interviewed in Austin during the Summer 2006 Institute. The sample that was used in this study includes six elementary, four middle, and two high school teachers who have been involved in the development and implementation of service-learning programs in their districts. In addition to targeting teachers at the elementary and middle school level, both male and female service-learning teachers were interviewed as well as teachers who also assumed the role as campus and/or district service-learning coordinator. Data collected from the service-learning teachers interviewed was analyzed to generate a composite picture of teachers? perceptions and attitudes toward servicelearning. Once interviews were completed, data were transcribed, coded for audit trail purposes, printed onto separate sheets, and those sheets that apparently related to the same content were categorized into provisional categories. Five important salient themes emerged as conclusions of the study. The first conclusion relates to service-learning work and competing priorities. The second conclusion illustrates service-learning as having a higher purpose for the teachers who have chosen to become involved in it. The third conclusion was reached by examining the role of grant funding. The fourth conclusion was drawn from situations where teachers and communities are promoting a culture of service, and the fifth and final conclusion stresses the importance of teacher leadership in the success of servicelearning programs.