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Facilitators and Barriers to Service Learning in China: Perspectives of Chinese Students

Facilitators and Barriers to Service Learning in China: Perspectives of Chinese Students. Felicia Wilczenski & Wenfan Yan University of Massachusetts Boston Meilin Yao Beijing Normal University China . Young People’s Civic Engagement in East Asia and the Pacific

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Facilitators and Barriers to Service Learning in China: Perspectives of Chinese Students

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  1. Facilitators and Barriers to Service Learning in China:Perspectives of Chinese Students Felicia Wilczenski & Wenfan YanUniversity of Massachusetts BostonMeilin YaoBeijing Normal University China

  2. Young People’s Civic Engagement in East Asia and the Pacific A regional study conducted by Innovations in Civic Participation February 2008; UNICEF EAPRO Schools and universities: In various countries included in this study (China, Philippines, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore and Thailand), primary and secondary schools as well as universities and technical colleges are increasingly incorporating service-learning, civic education and youth participation into classroom-based and extra-curricular activities. Universities are also conducting research on youth needs, attitudes, and forms of participation. In some cases, the impetus for these activities comes from teachers and administrators; in other cases, governments, international organizations or young people themselves are the driving forces.

  3. Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire (CASQ) Moely, B.E., Mercer, S.H., Ilustre, V., Miron, D., McFarland, M. (2002). Psychometric properties and correlates of the Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire (CASQ): A measure of students’ attitudes related to service learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 8, 15-26.

  4. Understanding of the World and Self Social Justice Attitudes & Diversity Scales Measures attitudes toward poverty, race, and public policy issues “People are poor because they choose to be poor.” “I find it difficult to relate to people from a different race or culture.” “It is important that equal opportunity be available to all people.”

  5. Value-Expression Civic Action Scale Assesses plans for future involvement in civic and community issues “I plan to help others who are in difficulty.”

  6. Sampling Purposive sampling strategy Schools from East and West China represented a wide range demographically Local education agencies helped to identify and recruit participating schools Beijing Normal University graduate students and staff at local education agencies collected data

  7. Response • 90% of surveys returned • 167 incomplete surveys (>10% missing data) excluded from analysis • N=3193

  8. Sample Demographics Area Rural 70.3% Urban 29.7% School Type Key 63.4% Ordinary 36.6% Gender Female 49.3% Male 50.7% Family Only child 50.3% With sibs 49.7%

  9. Grade Level Junior High 7th 9.5% 8th 17.7% 9th 27.6% High School 10th 23.6% 11th 10.8% 12th 10.8%

  10. Father’s Education No Schooling .6% Elementary 10.3% Junior High 34.3% High/Voc 31.4% College 21.2% Graduate 2.3% Mother’s Education No Schooling 2.3% Elementary 14.7% Junior High 34.5% High/Voc 31.2% College 16.3% Graduate 1.1%

  11. Family Income Low 19.0% Low Middle 35.5% Middle 22.1% High Middle 15.3% Upper 8.2%

  12. Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire Reliabilities Scale Cronbach’s Alpha Social Justice Attitudes .702 Diversity Attitudes .561 Civic Action Plan .899

  13. Summary of Regression Analysis for Variables Predicting Civic Action Plan Predictor B Std. Error Beta t Sig. Demographics Female gender .055 .021 .050 2.588 .010 Only child -.023 .026 -.021 -.900 .368 Father’s education -.011 .015 -.021 -.752 .452 Mother’s education .008 .016 .015 .515 .606 Family income .005 .010 .010 .453 .650 Rural area .012 .029 .010 .410 .682 Key schools .103 .029 .088 3.567 .000 Grade level .061 .011 .120 5.594 .000 Motivation & Attitudes *Achievement goals .054 .019 .067 2.899 .004 Social justice attitude .303 .020 .298 15.306 .000 *Achievement goal: M = 2.3; SD =.686 1 = Junior High; 2 = High School; 3 = College

  14. Results After taking demographic variables and achievement goals into account, social justice attitude was the best predictor of civic action planning. The model explained 13.9% of the variance in civic action planning.

  15. Implication To promote civic engagement, social justice education is a necessary first step. Service learning would be a meaningful social justice pedagogy.

  16. References Clark, J. (2008). Social justice and moral education in China. New Zealand Journal of Teachers’ Work, 5, 44-53. Goldman, M., & Perry, E.J. (2002). Changing meanings of citizenship in modern China. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

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