The value of service-learning: the student perspective

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the value of service-learning to students. There currently exists a gap in this understanding. We apply mixed-methods research using a sample of higher education students to develop this discussion. We found that students valued service-learning for the opportunity that it provides to increase their personal citizenship skills. We suggest this reflects Habermas’ framework of knowledge/interests, namely instrumental, hermeneutic and emancipatory. Our findings further highlight a significant difference between males and females in the value that students attached to service-learning. We suggest that these findings can inform us about the aspects we should consider when developing learning and teaching approaches in service-learning.

Keywords:

• service-learning
• Habermas
• mixed methods

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers and the editor for their useful suggestions that helped to improve the quality of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Doina Olaru http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8750-9656

Notes

1 The full questionnaire is available upon request.