Academic Service Learning for Underprivileged Communities in Pakistan: Enhancing Development beyond Economics

This study focuses on development of disadvantaged communities via an Academic Service Learning project, incorporated in the PhD coursework of a private university. School teachers from an underprivileged community in a charitable village school of Baluchistan were given training by the students after doing interviews for needs analysis and developing and implementing a workshop based on their needs. As part of the workshop evaluation process, teachers’ perspectives were examined after teachers had incorporated the workshop strategies in their classrooms. Findings were highly positive, because teachers demonstrated enhancement in learning and constructive gain in scholarship which they could transfer to students and to other teachers in the community. Data from students who had carried out the project, accentuated improved learning and a keen desire for voluntary participation in service learning projects for helping underprivileged communities. This study not only contributes to the body of literature in academic and community service learning in the Pakistani educational context, but elaborates on the value of factors beyond economics for advancement of deprived segments of society.

Academic service-learning nursing partnerships in the Americas: a scoping review

Background Academic service-learning nursing partnerships (ASLNPs) integrate instruction, reflection, and scholarship with tailored service through enriched learning experiences that teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities, while meeting academic nursing outcomes. Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesize evidence of community focused ASLNPs that promote primary health care throughout the Americas region. Methods A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Google Scholar, and LILACS English-language databases was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Full-text articles published since 2010 were reviewed using an inductive thematic approach stemming from the “Advancing Healthcare Transformation: a New Era for Academic Nursing Report” and the Pan American Health Organization “Strategic Directions for Nursing.” Results A total of 51 articles were included with the vast majority 47 (92.1 %) representing North America. Structured, established relationships between an academic nursing institution or program and one or more community serving entities resulted in high levels of effectiveness and innovation across settings. Five themes emerged: (a) sustaining educational standards and processes - improving academic outcomes (25.5 %), (b) strengthening capacity for collaborative practice and interprofessional education (13.7 %), (c) preparing nurses of the future (11.8 %), (d) enhancing community services and outcomes (21.6 %), and (e) conceptualizing or implementing innovative academic nursing partnerships (27.4 %). A synthesis of conceptual frameworks and models revealed six focus areas: communities/populations (26.2 %), nursing (26.2 %), pedagogy (19 %), targeted outreach (14.3 %), interprofessional collaboration (11.9 %), and health determinants (9.5 %). A proliferation in US articles, triggered by nursing policy publications, was confirmed. Conclusions ASLNPs serve as mechanisms for nurses and faculty to develop and lead change across a wide variety of community settings and healthcare systems, develop scholarship, as well as for students to apply the knowledge and skills learned. Given the lack of geographically broad evidence, successes and challenges across U.S. partnerships should be viewed cautiously. Nevertheless, ASLNPs can play a critical role towards meeting the goal of universal health access and coverage through partnering with the education sector. Further investigation of grey literature as well as Spanish and Portuguese language literature from Latin American and Caribbean countries is highly recommended.

Academic Service-Learning as a Factor for the Development of Autonomous Learning Skills at Universities

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the issues of academic service-learning in the system of higher education which is particularly important for modern pedagogical theory and practice. The article outlines the peculiarities of academic service-learning integration into the system of university education as autonomous learning fostering factor. The concept of “academic service-learning” has been specified in the article. It has been determined that academic service-learning is based on the principles of different scientific and pedagogical theories, including pragmatism, experimental learning, critical pedagogy, constructivism, social constructivism, and postmodernism. We employed an empirical method of the experiment data analysis to verify our hypothesis that service-learning fosters the development of autonomous learning. Participants from three Ukrainian universities took part in the research performing different community-engaged activities. Students’ level of autonomous learning skills was measured and compared at pre and post stages of the experiment. In order to practice the skills of autonomous learning, students had to carry out a social activity planned and organized themselves with partial educators’ support. Considering the results of the research, we developed recommendations on the successful integration of academic service-learning into higher education with the focus on autonomous learning skills development.

Applying Rerum Novarum towards the Academic Service-Learning (ASL) Reflection Process for Promoting Ethical Leadership in Post-Secondary Students

Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum is considered one of the first major works to introduce Catholic social thought on a global level. A key message undergirding Rerum is the concept of supporting the needs of others, leading to empowerment and self-sufficiency. The purpose of this study was to create a list of reflection prompts informed by Rerum for post-secondary students to consider and apply towards their academic service-learning experiences. Through qualitative analysis, three main themes related to Rerum’s key message were identified: (a) opportunity to obtain resources; (b) intrinsic right to continual resources; and, (c) communal support of families and dependents. These themes were then used to develop eight distinct reflection prompts for each stage of the service-learning experience; here, the goal is to provide post-secondary students with a foundation for processing their thoughts and developing their leadership styles in an ethically-informed manner, grounded in Catholic social thought.

In Our Own Words: Baccalaureate Nursing Students Describe Academic Service Learning Experiences

Introduction Service learning integrates community service, didactic and student self-reflection while at the same time striving to identify and meet needs of the community partnership agencies involved. Project Descriptions. In this manuscript, two baccalaureate nursing students describe their service learning experiences while embedded in an integrated primary care community partner site for two years. In project one, students designed and conducted an educational group for mental health clients in a rural day treatment program. In project two, the student revised a diabetic clinic educational form to reduce client burden. Project management and outcomes: Projects were designed in collaboration with community partners and faculty. Project one resulted in increased knowledge of coping mechanisms in a majority of group participants. Three months after implementation of the revised form designed in project two, a majority of diabetic clients served in the clinic had A1c reductions. Discussion Lessons learned by students during the experiences include communication skills such as developing rapport with specific client groups, steps of change management, professional team interactions and increased civic engagement. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first manuscript wherein baccalaureate nursing students add their voice to the literature describing the benefits of academic service learning. Our next step is an online follow up 9 months post-graduation, to examine whether benefits and skills are maintained.

Student Perceptions of Academic Service Learning in the Online Public Health Classroom: A Pilot Study

Introduction: Online learning is increasingly common in university programmatic offerings, particularly in fields that often require human or social services such as public health. Academic Service Learning (ASL) is a strategy frequently implemented in traditional, face-to-face courses to promote community and civic engagement and to improve learning outcomes for students by connecting coursework to the related professional field. Given the ubiquity of online courses, however, more needs to be known about the role ASL can play in the web-based classroom. Methods: In 2016-2017, a pilot study was conducted to determine student perceptions toward ASL including civic engagement, course satisfaction, and satisfaction with ASL experiences using a mixed-methods design. Participants (n=32) were students enrolled in two health related undergraduate courses that required a service learning project. Results: The findings suggest that students’ ASL experience is generally positive and is expressed in a variety of ways. There are several challenges, to implementing ASL in the online course setting that should be considered. Conclusions: This paper presents student feedback and explores challenges and opportunities presented by offering ASL experiences in the online classroom, particularly in health and human services academic disciplines. Keywords: Academic Service Learning, Online Learning, Online Andragogy, Public Health Education