• Implementing service learning in higher education

  This article discusses the implementation of service learning by delineating a set of activities for four constituencies: institution, faculty, students, and community.

  Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (1996). Implementing service learning in higher education. The Journal of Higher Education, 67(2), 221-239.https://www.jstor.org/stable/2943981

• Why we use service-learning: A report outlining a typology of three approaches to this form of communication pedagogy

  This report introduces a framework recognizing that various service-learning approaches have different goals for student development and community engagement. It outlines three key approaches: (a) skill-set practice and reflexivity, (b) civic values and critical citizenship, and (c) social justice activism. The typology aims to expand the understanding of service-learning pedagogy, emphasizing its complexity and the diverse ways in which service and learning can be linked.

  Britt, L. L. (2012). Why we use service-learning: A report outlining a typology of three approaches to this form of communication pedagogy. Communication Education, 61(1), 80-88. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03634523.2011.632017

• Where’s the community in service-learning research

  This article introduces a four-dimensional model for conducting research with community partners on the process and outcomes of community service learning, advocating for a focus on the community-university partnership as the primary unit of analysis and recommending the use of a participatory action research approach.

  Cruz, N. I., & Giles, D. E. (2000). Where’s the community in service-learning research. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 7(1), 28-34. https://engagement.uiowa.edu/sites/engagement.uiowa.edu/files/2020-11/Cruz,%20Giles%20-%202000%20-%20Where's%20the%20Community%20in%20Service-Learning%20Research.pdf

• The effectiveness of service-learning: It's not always what you think

  This study, grounded in a theoretical model of academic motivation, evaluated the effectiveness of service-learning in enhancing the learning climate across diverse academic disciplines. Involving over 600 students from more than 30 disciplines, the results demonstrated that service-learning, when positively influencing the learning climate, led to significant increases in positive motivation, civic skills, problem-solving abilities, and appreciation of diversity throughout the semester. The study also highlighted the importance of involvement type, in-class discussion, and reflections in contributing to the effectiveness of the service-learning environment.

  Levesque-Bristol, C., Knapp, T. D., & Fisher, B. J. (2011). The effectiveness of service-learning: It's not always what you think. Journal of Experiential Education, 33(3), 208-224.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/105382590113300302?

• Traditional vs. critical service-learning: Engaging the literature to differentiate two models

  There is an emerging body of literature advocating a "critical" approach to community service learning with an explicit social justice aim. A social change orientation, working to redistribute power, and developing authentic relationships are most often cited in the literature as points of departure from traditional service-learning. This literature review unpacks these distinguishing elements.

  Mitchell, T. D. (2008). Traditional vs. critical service-learning: Engaging the literature to differentiate two models. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 14(2), 50-65. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ831374

• Does service-learning increase student learning?: A meta-analysis

  This study aims to reconcile previous findings by expanding on a meta-analysis conducted by Novak, Markey, and Allen (2007), which investigated the relationship between service-learning and student learning outcomes. Moderator analyses further suggest that the positive impact of service-learning on student learning outcomes remains consistent regardless of the method used to measure learning.

  Warren, J. L. (2012). Does service-learning increase student learning?: A meta-analysis. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 18(2), 56-61. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ988320

There are many books on CSL available, below are ones that are easy to access since they can be found in MRU’s library in an electronic format.

• Service learning: a guide to planning, implementing, and assessing student projects

  This invaluable guide not only outlines the advantages of service learning but also offers a detailed, step-by-step manual for implementing this instructional model. It includes nine service-learning projects categorized into basic, intermediate, and advanced levels.

  Each project provides:

  • Strategies for aligning service and curricular goals
  • Suggestions for involving students in decision-making
  • Guidelines for managing various project phases
  • Activities that encourage reflection and self-evaluation
  • Tips for differentiation by tapping into multiple intelligences

  Berman, S., & Paular, A. (2006). Service learning: a guide to planning, implementing, and assessing student projects (Second edition.). Corwin Press. https://librarysearch.mtroyal.ca/permalink/01MTROYAL_INST/
  o62j6r/alma9923309062004656

• Service learning in the community: the cultural implications of positive change

  Designed for students this book encourages students to explore the world beyond their classrooms. The book begins with an exploration of service learning, delving into its origins and defining essential terms and emphasizes the how-to of the discipline, providing students with a clear roadmap for involvement in service fields.

  Duncan, J., & Taylor, T. B. (2015). Service learning in the community : the cultural implications of positive change. Momentum Press. https://librarysearch.mtroyal.ca/permalink/01MTROYAL_INST/o62j6r/
  alma9923101935804656

• Service learning as a political act in education: bicultural foundations for a decolonizing pedagogy

  Challenging presumptions and conventional ideologies surrounding "service,” this book delivers a precise and methodical analysis that exposes prevalent contradictions within the service learning domain. Through a decolonizing lens, it presents a radical political critique of the ideologies and practices associated with service learning.

  Hernandez, K. (2018). Service learning as a political act in education: bicultural foundations for a decolonizing pedagogy. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315184340 https://librarysearch.mtroyal.ca/permalink/01MTROYAL_INST/o62j6r/alma9923416407404656

• Service learning: enhancing inclusive education

  This book investigates the role of Service Learning in supporting inclusive practice. More precisely, it investigates the process of Service Learning and the intersection with inclusion in classroom and community.

  Lavery, S., Chambers, D., & Cain, G. (Eds.). (2018). Service learning: enhancing inclusive education (First edition.). Emerald Publishing Limited. https://librarysearch.mtroyal.ca/permalink/01MTROYAL_INST/o62j6r/alma9922774623404656

MRU has a rich history of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) associated with Community Service Learning. Some examples of the diverse scholarship produced by Faculty, organized by disciplinary topic, are presented below.

Chemistry

• The integration of a community service learning water project in a post-secondary chemistry labs

  Community Service Learning (CSL) integrates community service into student projects, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. A semester-long chemistry curriculum with CSL was implemented in a Canadian university, involving 14 post-secondary students and 400 K-12 student partners. Post-instructional surveys revealed favourable engagement, positive attitudes toward learning chemistry, increased self-confidence in lab skills, and mutual interest in future projects, emphasizing the positive impact of CSL on both groups. This study is relevant to those involved in teaching chemistry at higher education and K-12 levels, and to those interested in service learning, community engagement, and experiential learning.

  Ho, K., Svidinskiy, B. S., Smith, S. R., Lovallo, C. C., & Clark, D. B. (2021). The integration of a community service learning water project in a post-secondary chemistry lab. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 22(3), 602-615. https://arcabc.ca/islandora/object/mru%3A770/datastream/PDF/view

• Different strategies to facilitate meaningful reflections among post-secondary students in a community service learning water project

  This study investigates the impact of continuous diverse reflective exercises integrated into a Community Service Learning chemistry lab on the meaningful learning of science students. Intended for those teaching natural science in higher education and individuals interested in Community Service Learning, self-directed learning, and reflective strategies, the research involved 14 students in a second-year Analytical Chemistry II lab. The qualitative analysis of data from various reflective exercises revealed students' ability to articulate self-directed learning in terms of academic enhancement, personal growth, and civic engagement, indicating a high level of satisfaction and a desire to continue these practices in other science laboratory courses.

  Ho, K., Smith, S. R., & Clark, D. B. (2024). Different strategies to facilitate meaningful reflections among post-secondary students in a community service learning water project. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 25(1), 212-224. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2023/rp/d3rp00184a

Education

• Learning to teach responsively through tutoring

  This article outlines a community service learning collaboration between a teacher education program and a nonprofit literacy society, involving 17 teacher candidates tutoring young readers weekly for seven months. Through reflective assignments, the study showcases how the tutoring experience contributed to the pedagogical competence of teacher candidates, emphasizing key skills such as kidwatching, assessment, instruction, responsiveness, professional conversations, and affirmation of impact. The findings align with current research in literacy teacher preparation, highlighting the effectiveness of combining coursework with tutoring to enhance teacher candidates' knowledge and confidence in supporting student reading.

  Nickel, J., & Hughes, S. (2020). Learning to teach responsively through tutoring. Reading horizons, 59(3), 22-40. https://arcabc.ca/islandora/object/mru%3A797

• Tutoring to build teacher candidates’ competence as reading teachers

  In a literacy development course and a language arts methods course, teacher candidates engaged in a twenty-week community service learning partnership to tutor elementary students in reading. The study, based on case study assignments, survey data, and a focus group interview, analyzes the growth of teacher candidates, highlighting improvements in their understanding of reading concepts, responsive teaching, and teaching values. The findings offer specific evidence of the tutoring experiences' value in preparing reading teachers by enhancing knowledge, responsiveness, reflective capacity, and awareness of literacy instruction issues.

  Nickel, J., & Chadwick, J. (2022). Tutoring to build teacher candidates’ competence as reading teachers. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 30(3), 312-332. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/
  13611267.2022.2070990?casa_token=ykrUyrD6kvwAAAAA:md1DpuJv0nWWWGZrLLKcjicjWS2xE9uiZ0
  vpljVpJ0GmNAnBeuqcSRj4oMg68r5KrVmnyg9cHqgIDGQ

General CSL investigations

• Service learning to social entrepreneurship: A continuum of action learning

  Service-Learning (SL) pedagogy is acknowledged for providing a comprehensive education, while Social Entrepreneurship serves as a valuable learning outcome, fostering community sustainability and ethical values. This article proposes a continuum that integrates SL exposure with well-structured teaching contextual variables, ultimately leading to the development of social entrepreneurial behaviours. The model examines various contextual variables influencing students, such as the nature of the service experience, community client expectations, and academic parameters guiding the overall experience.

  Calvert, V. (2011). Service learning to social entrepreneurship: A continuum of action learning. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 11(2), 118-129. http://www.na-businesspress.com/JHETP/CalvertWeb.pdf

• Decoding ourselves: An inquiry into faculty learning about reciprocity in service-learning

  Understanding faculty learning in service-learning is crucial for enhancing student outcomes and community relationships. Reciprocity poses challenges for faculty, requiring them to develop courses and partnerships in unconventional ways. This article explores faculty learning, specifically regarding the threshold concept of reciprocity, through a group self-study using a new interview method. The self-study yielded varied perspectives and awareness, emphasizing the value of examining reciprocity and the role of group dialogue in generating learning. The collaborative approach suggests potential insights for faculty professional development and research in service-learning and community engagement contexts.

  Miller-Young, J., Dean, Y., Rathburn, M., Pettit, J., Underwood, M., Gleeson, a Lexier, R., & Calvert, V., (2015). Decoding ourselves: An inquiry into faculty learning about reciprocity in service-learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 22(1), 32-47. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1137414.pdf

Indigenous Studies

• Relational learning with Indigenous communities: Elders’ and students’ perspectives on reconciling Indigenous service-learning

  This study, employing Indigenous research methodology, presents Indigenous perspectives on service-learning, drawing from Elders and students in a Canadian university. Following an Indigenous service-learning forum, three Indigenous elders and five students participated. Elders emphasized replacing the term "service-learning," re-rooting "Indigenous," and respecting Elders' roles and knowledge, calling for a shift to relational learning. Both Elders and students highlighted the importance of maintaining good relations through humility, respect, honesty, and reciprocity, signalling opportunities for decolonizing relational learning with Indigenous communities.

  Kennedy, A., McGowan, K., Lindstrom, G., Cook, C., Dean, Y., Stauch, JBarnabe, C. & Price, S. (2020). Relational learning with Indigenous communities: Elders’ and students’ perspectives on reconciling Indigenous service-learning. International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, 8(1). https://ijrslce.scholasticahq.com/article/18585-relational-learning-with-indigenous-communities-elders-and-students-perspectives-on-reconciling-indigenous-service-learning

International

• Community service-learning: Why can’t Canada be more like Mexico?

  In Mexico, undergraduate students are required to complete a minimum of 480 hours of community service, mandated by the Mexican Constitution and documented at departmental and institutional levels. In contrast, Canadian universities exhibit varying levels of community service involvement, with documentation practices dependent on institutional mandates. This research paper compares community engagement practices in both countries and proposes recommendations for Canada based on the systematic approach observed in Mexico.

  Calvert, V., & Montemayor, H. V. (2018). Community service-learning: Why can’t Canada be more like Mexico? Engaged Scholar Journal: Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Learning, 4(1), 39-59. https://esj.usask.ca/index.php/esj/article/view/61582

Social Work

• The impact of experiential learning on professional identity: Comparing community service-learning to traditional practical pedagogy

  Community service-learning (CSL), recognized as a "pedagogy for citizenship," fosters ethical behaviour and social responsibility in students. This pedagogical approach integrates intentional course-based lessons with community service to promote experiential learning. While existing studies highlight CSL benefits, there is limited research on its impact on social work field education courses. The researchers found that incorporating a CSL practicum resulted in a significant shift in professional understanding, with participants transitioning from a focus on micro practice to a macro practice role, showcasing CSL's unique potential to enhance social work education.

  Gallop, C. J., Guthrie, B., & Asante, N. (2023). The impact of experiential learning on professional identity: Comparing community service-learning to traditional practical pedagogy. Journal of Experiential Education, 46(4), 474-490.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10538259231154888

There are various journals where work related to CSL, service-learning and experiential-learning can be presented and published. Some popular ones are outlined below.

• Engaged Scholar Journal: Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Learning

  Canada’s online, peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary journal committed to profiling best practices in 'engaged scholarship’ informed by community-academic partnerships in research, teaching and learning.

• Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

  An on-line, refereed journal concerned with exploring community engagement and community-based learning perspective, research, and practice.

• Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship

  A peer-reviewed international journal through which faculty, staff, students, and community partners disseminate scholarly works.

• Journal of Experiential Education

  An international, peer-reviewed journal which publishes refereed articles on experiential education in diverse contexts.

• Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement

  Premier peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal to advance theory and practice related to all forms of outreach and engagement between higher education institutions and communities.

• Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education

  An online, international, peer-reviewed journal for the dissemination of original research regarding effective institutional-community partnerships.

• Reflections

  Reflections, a peer-reviewed journal, provides a forum for scholarship on public rhetoric, civic writing, service-learning, and community literacy.

• The International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement

  A peer-reviewed online journal dedicated to disseminating high-quality research focused on service-learning, campus-community engagement, and the promotion of active and effective citizenship through education.

• Undergraduate Journal of Service-Learning and Community-Based Research

  A refereed, multidisciplinary, online undergraduate journal that will advance knowledge in new scholarly arenas by presenting intellectual and reflective work by undergraduate students.

There are various association that support CSL work and conferences where scholarship related to service-learning and experiential learning can be presented. Some popular ones are outlined below.

• Campus Connect

  An America national nonprofit organization they are the largest and oldest higher education association dedicated to higher education civic and community engagement.

• Engagement Scholarship Consortium

  The Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) is a non-profit educational organization composed of higher education member institutions that work collaboratively to promote strong university-community partnerships anchored in the rigor of scholarship, and designed to help build community capacity.

• IMPACT

  IMPACT’s mision is to create a reflective learning space that centers student voices while challenging their understanding of service, action, and advocacy in pursuit of social justice.

• International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement

  IARSLCE has as its mission to promote the development and dissemination of research on service-learning and community engagement internationally and across all levels of the education system.

• National Youth Leadership Council

  The NYLC offer the largest and most comprehensive global convening for service-learning educators, nonprofit leaders, administrators, students, and more.

• Society for Experiential Education

  SEE’s mission is to cultivate educators who effectively use experiential education as an integral part of personal, professional, civic and global learning.

The toolkits, linked below, are less academic and more practical. They provide useful material that can be used in the classroom when designing and delivering a CSL course.

• Service-Learning Toolkit

  This toolkit from SOURCE at Johns Hopkins University serves as a referential resource, providing sample activities and resources for applying service-learning to your own teaching.

• Faculty Toolkit for Service-Learning in Higher Education

  A toolkit from Vanderbilt University includes tips, reflection questions, case studies, worksheets and selected websites and readings.

• Toolkit for Preparing Students for Service-Learningn

  This toolkit from the Carolina Center for Public Service offers articles, activities and lesson plans to engage and prepare students for a meaningful service-learning experience.