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Service Learning with Individuals with Disabilities: Emerging Themes

Service Learning with Individuals with Disabilities: Emerging Themes. Purpose. Purpose 1. Identify student attitudes, beliefs, about people with disabilities (biases, stereotypes, terminology, ADA) Do volunteer hours change someone’s attitude toward people with disabilities? 

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Service Learning with Individuals with Disabilities: Emerging Themes

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  1. Service Learning with Individuals with Disabilities: Emerging Themes

  2. Purpose • Purpose • 1. Identify student attitudes, beliefs, about people with disabilities (biases, stereotypes, terminology, ADA) • Do volunteer hours change someone’s attitude toward people with disabilities?  • Does the intensity (time commitment) of the activity change or influence attitudes?  • Does group activity versus individual activity impact attitude differently?  • Does structured activity versus unstructured activity impact attitude differently?  • Does the severity of a disability affect attitude change differently?

  3. Purpose 2. Validate the positive effects service-learning has on student development • What is Service-learning? • A method of teaching, learning and reflecting that combines academic classroom curriculum with meaningful service • Some benefits of : • Enhanced problem-solving skills, critical thinking • Integration of theory and practice • Clarify career goals • Meet real community needs • Cultivate connections between the organization and the university 3. Two part study - Reporting on qualitative analysis

  4. Past Research • Several Researchers • Campbell, J., Gilmore, L., & Cuskelly, M., 2003; McDougall, J., DeWit, D. J., King, G., Millter, L. T. & Killip, S., 2004; Stavrianopoulous, K., 2008; Robinson, and McPheeSmith, Valerie., 2003; and Mayhew, J., 2000 • Summary of findings • Service Learning did make a difference-High school students had more positive attitudes toward people with disabilities • “foster students’ personal and moral growth, increased their empathy and responsibility toward other members of society” • Helped students form relationships and change their perceived notions about disabilities in society • Service learning can help students see more then the value of service in the community

  5. Method • Participants • Data Collection • Choose from 6 experiences & Complete 15 hours • AA • HHH • PEC Schools • Individual • PP • Camp • Instrument – MAS, 2007

  6. Data Collection • Journals • Guiding questions • How do you feel before, during, and after the experience • Open-ended Statements • Affective • Cognitive • Behavioral

  7. Triangulation Common broad themes. External audit A Research & Design Class coded major themes across the case studies. Pairs of researchers re-read student journals to find specific themes to each case study based upon the common broad themes. Our Study Researchers found major themes across the case studies

  8. Results • Five common themes • Negative feelings “I was really creeped out that I had to drive over to a stranger’s house at 8 in the morning to work with a kid I barely knew.” “I was scared that if I didn’t remember everything from the training session I might mess up in a lesson and it could be very dangerous to the client, the horse and even me.” • Individuals with disabilities are more than their disabilities “One thing that I learned about children with disabilities is that they are people also that just want to be able to do things and have fun like every other person in the world.” “No matter if someone has a disorder or not, these adults and children were extremely inspiring and proved that anything is possible.”

  9. Results • Adaptations and modifications to participate “…never knew that activities such as horseback riding could be altered for those with disabilities by using adaptive saddles”. “I always thought if you couldn’t walk on land you couldn’t walk in the water”. “Although Jeffrey can’t physically talk, he can still communicate to me by using a communicative device”.

  10. Results • Learning experiences “No classroom experience or assignment could have provided me with knowledge gained from the field experience.” “I learned that people with disabilities are the type of people I love to work with!” • Positive feelings “I really enjoyed working with Jeffrey. Seeing how much he has improved really gives me a great feeling of accomplishment”

  11. Summary • Original question • Do volunteer hours change someone’s attitude toward people with disabilities?  • Negative to Positive “I realized that I want to be that patient person in someone’s life who will listen and try to really help instead of just getting aggravated about the difficulty communicating.” “I can’t believe that I was so close minded to working with older adults. The participants of arthritis aquatics have taught me so much during my time participating in the class. I never knew I could learn in so little time.” • Service learning

  12. The Future…. • Will the common themes of the Qualitative be supported by the Quantitative? • Remaining Questions to be answered • Currently analyzing quantitative data

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