scholarly journals Assessing the impact of a short-term service-learning clinical experience on the development of professional behaviors of student physical therapists: A pilot study

Author(s):  
Jeannette Renee Anderson ◽  
Leslie Taylor ◽  
Julie Gahimer

As with most health care provider education programs, physical therapy programs seek ways to develop professional behaviors of students. This study describes the integration of a one-week service-learning experience into an existing clinical internship. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed between groups of students who participated in the experience, expressed a desire to participate but were unable to, and those who did not wish to participate.  Results suggest that engaging in, as well as the desire to engage in, a service-learning project for under-served members of our community is associated with professional behavior development from students’ and clinical preceptors’ perspectives. 

Author(s):  
Leah Katherine Saal

Although (1) literacy teacher education research and professional practice standards highlight the significance of empathy as a central tenant of teachers' professional dispositions, and (2) developing deeper and more empathetic understanding of others is a frequently cited rationale for utilizing service-learning as a critical pedagogy for in-service and pre-service teacher preparation, little quantitative research exists measuring in-service teachers' empathy or empathy development. The purpose of this chapter is to explore how a course-embedded, self-selected, and community-based service-learning experience effected participating literacy teachers' self-reported empathy. While participants scores increased in the pre-post condition, results of a paired sample t-test indicated no significant difference in teachers' self-reported empathy across the pre-post condition. Implications for practice and program administration as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-45
Author(s):  
Lisa H. Gren ◽  
L. Scott Benson ◽  
Caren J. Frost

The University of Utah is a publicly funded, R1 university located in the United States, with a mission statement that includes recognition of its global role, asserting that “. . . we engage local and global communities to promote education, health, and quality of life.” As part of that engagement, the University of Utah has offered learning abroad opportunities since 1967. Approximately 1 in 10 students participates in a global learning experience, and 80% of programs are short term (defined as 10 weeks or less). The pedagogical theories that guide these short-term programs are experiential learning, authentic learning, and intentional targeted intervention. We describe three short-term learning abroad programs in public health and social work—for students at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate level—connecting the reported benefits to the pedagogical model and theories used to develop the specific curriculum for these short-term programs. Faculty use a variety of reflective tools to help students learn to function in their new setting (experiential learning); explore and meaningfully construct concepts and relationships as they address real-world problems (authentic learning); and facilitate intercultural growth (intentional targeted learning). The University of Utah has adapted a three-stage model for learning abroad that incorporates principles from these theories to drive program activities: Plan (predeparture), Learn (program participation), and Integrate (postprogram). Immediate benefits to students of participating in a global-learning experience include intercultural learning, personal, and career development. Benefits to faculty include scholarly products in the domains of education and service learning, community-engaged participation, and research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. e77-e81
Author(s):  
Eileen Marie Rodriguez

Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs rarely offer international service learning experiences. A project involving an ADN program in a southwestern U.S. border city and a care facility in a nearby city in Mexico was initiated to address cultural competence. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an international service learning experience on ADN students' cultural competence as measured by pre- and post-scores on the student version of the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals-Student Version (IAPCC-SV). Twenty third-semester ADN students participated in a 1-day cross-border international experience. Descriptive statistics provided summaries about the participants and their IAPCC-SV scores. Results indicated a positive effect between participating in an international service learning experience and increased levels of cultural competence. Increasing ADN students' cultural competence through international service learning may help reduce health care disparities among different cultures, promote care that enhances communication between nurses and patients, and build upon therapeutic relationships. International service learning provides ADN students the opportunity to incorporate classroom learning into their care of populations living within diverse communities.


Author(s):  
Diane Ceo-DiFrancesco ◽  
Leah Dunn ◽  
Nathalie Solorio

Purpose: Curricular integration designed to include cultural competence standards for health care professionals is paramount to preparing students to meet the needs of a growing diverse population in the U.S. The purpose of this research is to examine the cultural competency development of occupational therapy students, and to report on their reflections and perspectives during a two-week immersive and service-learning experience in Guatemala. Methods: As intercultural competence is a highly personal trait, the study used a descriptive qualitative research design gaining participants’ perspectives of the short-term international immersion experience through student-led reflective focus groups, using an open discussion format, during the immersion experience. Results: Data analysis yielded three themes: Do, Experience, Understand; Change Factor; and Future Action that represent the student perspective in a cultural immersion experience. The first theme: Do, Experience, Understand encompassed participants’ discussion of how fully engaging in a culture different than their own was necessary to understand differences and commonalities. The second theme: Change Factor included expressions of dissonance in level of physical, emotional, and mental comfort that prompted a transformation within the student. The final theme: Future Action, described a tangible outcome from the immersion experience. By engaging with a different culture, participants experienced a transformation, leading to sharing of their desire to continue their advocacy efforts on behalf of others. Conclusion: Reflection became a key element in the transformative nature of the learning experience. It became obvious that a safe environment in which to share dreams, doubts, cultural missteps and successful moments was necessary for coping with feelings of dissonance. The safe sharing environment added to the cohesiveness of the group, lowered anxiety and provided opportunities for learning. Participants’ verbalized descriptions of transformative learning necessary in the development of intercultural competency during an international cultural immersion experience. By participating in a cultural immersion experience integrated into their curricular program, students began to articulate cultural competencies required to consider multiples lenses, perspectives and backgrounds of their future clients.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0244389
Author(s):  
Marta Marco-Gardoqui ◽  
Almudena Eizaguirre ◽  
María García-Feijoo

The purpose of this research is to perform a systematic review of the literature published on the benefits of applying the service-learning methodology with business students. Several works and studies identify significant contributions that are important to the student’s profile; however, a systematic review of the benefits derived from the methodology application in the profile previously described has not yet been conducted. The main objective of this study is to gather, identify, and classify evidence from 32 studies conducted across global business schools regarding the benefits of service-learning in university students. The applied methodology follows the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” statement for systematic reviews. The studies were extracted from the World of Science, Scopus, and Educational Resource Information Center databases and were analyzed according to the suggested objectives. The suggested systematic review provides a rigorous analysis of academic literature on the benefits of service learning in the student’s personal, social, academic, and civic environment. A theoretical framework that combines all gathered benefits from the 32 studies has been suggested in these pages, by means of grouping these benefits into four categories considering prior research on the academic, personal, social, and citizenship outcomes. Several quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies support the benefits of this methodology, focusing on the student’s profile development. We found that students enjoy plenty of outcomes after participating in the service-learning experience, thus, the most frequent outcome is greater social engagement. With more than 4,000 students involved in the total analyzed studies, we present a list of ranked outcomes that reflects and supports the strength of the methodology. Through this study, institutions as well as teachers may be aware of the potential present in this methodology. Our study also suggested a framework for university coordinators to act.


Author(s):  
Farah Bahrouni

This chapter reports on the findings of a contextual mixed-method study investigating the factors that influence how teachers at the Language Center (LC) of Sultan Qaboos University, Oman (SQU), assess students' academic writing and the features on which they focus. Results from the quantitative data analysis indicate that the influence of raters' first language (L1) is statistically significant, while the impact of their experience of teaching a particular course is effectively insignificant. Findings from the qualitative data analysis, however, reveal other influential factors, notably teaching experience in general terms, learning experience, educational background, culture, and personality. As for the features teachers focus on while assessing writing, both quantitative and qualitative data analyses show different patterns for the L1 groups involved. Findings from this study could be useful for informing decision makers on the various ways teachers from different L1 and experiential backgrounds assess writing and the constructs they follow.


2016 ◽  
pp. 454-473
Author(s):  
Denise Uehara ◽  
Vidalino Raatior

This article describes how service learning experiences reflected multiple purposes within a larger framework where heritage and English languages intersect. We share results of an inquiry-based program evaluation focused on language, identity formation and experiences related to academic, social and professional interactions. Through the UH Hilo service-learning experience, students enhanced their cultural, linguistic and interpersonal skills while also providing needed services to placement organizations. Pacific Islander heritage language speakers attending an American university provide a critical lens into the complexities of language, culture, and identity when navigating higher education in a “foreign” setting. The concept of “other” applied to the increasing numbers of ESL speakers across the nation serves as a reminder for institutions of higher education to offer students helpful and supportive spaces. We share the benefits of a paid internship for both employer and intern; the challenges of heritage language influences in an English language setting; and the impact of service learning.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Catherine S. Thomas ◽  
Leona Konieczny

Service learning (SL) is an educational strategy to develop intercultural sensitivity. Nursing students benefit from the opportunity to care for persons from diverse cultures. Social awareness and making significant social contributions is part of professional nursing. Nursing students are educated to provide culturally sensitive, person-centered care incorporating the values of social justice, diversity, and global awareness. The SL experience was independent from a specific nursing course and exclusive from a designated clinical practicum. This descriptive quantitative study examines the impact of a SL experience in Appalachia on intercultural sensitivity. Intercultural sensitivity is in the affective domain of intercultural communication. Appalachia has distinct cultural differenences related to both geographical and socioeconomic factors. Intercultural sensitivity is in the affective dimension of intercultural communication competence. The Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS), developed by Chen & Starosta, was the instrument used for measurement. Study findings demonstrate an impact on interaction engagement and interaction attentiveness for study participants.


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