ERIC Number: EJ1418688
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1076-0180
EISSN: EISSN-1994-0219
Critical Service-Learning Supports Social Justice and Civic Engagement Orientations in College Students
Jean Abigail Saavedra; Lizette Ruiz; Lucía Alcalá
Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, v28 n1 p1-27 2022
Service-learning is a high-impact practice that increases students' engagement with class material and the community. However, a critical lens is needed to strengthen students' understanding of and commitment to social justice and the inclusion of students from diverse backgrounds. This mixed method study examined the impact of a critical service-learning approach, which integrated critical curricula with 30 hours of service to community organizations, on undergraduate students' orientations towards social justice and civic engagement. Statistical analyses suggested significant differences in social dominance orientation and orientations to civic engagement across three psychology classes using critical service-learning, critical curriculum, and traditional (i.e., non-service-learning) approaches and significant differences over time in the critical service-learning class. The extent of these differences in outcomes varied between White students and students of color and between first-generation and non-first-generation students. Qualitative findings from critical service-learning students' class reflection assignments suggest that, by the end of the semester, students shifted from considering social justice as an abstract concept related to equality to identifying strategies and expressing willingness to engage in behaviors that lead to social change. This study highlights the potential for critical service-learning to enhance student learning and meet the community's needs with an awareness of power dynamics and the systemic nature of oppression.
Descriptors: Service Learning, Social Justice, Citizen Participation, Student Diversity, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Student Behavior
Edward Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning, University of Michigan. 1024 Hill Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-3310. Tel: 734-647-7402; Fax: 734-647-7464; Web site: https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/mjcsl/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A