The effects of integrating service learning into computer science: an inter-institutional longitudinal study

Abstract

This study is a follow-up to one published in computer science education in 2010 that reported preliminary results showing a positive impact of service learning on student attitudes associated with success and retention in computer science. That paper described how service learning was incorporated into a computer science course in the context of the Students & Technology in Academia, Research, and Service (STARS) Alliance, an NSF-supported broadening participation in computing initiative that aims to diversify the computer science pipeline through innovative pedagogy and inter-institutional partnerships. The current paper describes how the STARS Alliance has expanded to diverse institutions, all using service learning as a vehicle for broadening participation in computing and enhancing attitudes and behaviors associated with student success. Results supported the STARS model of service learning for enhancing computing efficacy and computing commitment and for providing diverse students with many personal and professional development benefits.

Keywords:

• service learning
• broadening participation in computing (BPC)
• computing efficacy
• computing commitment

Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by NSF- BPC-AE: Scaling the STARS Alliance: A National Community for Broadening the Participation in Computing (2001–2015); NSF-CNS 0739216 BPC-AE: The STARS Alliance: A Southeastern Partnership for Broadening Participation in Computing (2008–2011) and NSF-CNS 0540523 BPC-A: The STARS Alliance: A Southeastern Partnership for Diverse Participation in Computing (2006–2009).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Science Foundation [grant number 104246].