The Role of Service-Learning in Student Retention & Success

1. The Role of Service-Learning in Student Retention & Success

2. Service-Learning • Type of experiential education that combines and pursues both academic achievement and community service in a seamless weave • Requires the use of effective reflection activities as a part of the coursework

3. Why Service-Learning? Service-learning is shown to increase: • Student retention • GPA’s • Long-term commitment to civic engagement in communities

4. Retention Outcomes of Service-Learning More evidence is supporting service-learning as an innovative learning strategy which facilitates the creation of meaningful connections to people and academics – thus improving integration and student retention (Campus Compact, 2008)

5. Retention Outcomes of Service-Learning • Service-learning students reported greater academic challenge and had a greater intention to persist in relationship with academic challenges and engaging course content (Gallini & Moely, 2003) • Service-learning students were more likely to report greater intention to persist and reenrolled the following fall at a higher rate than nonservice-learning students (Hatcher, Bringle & Muthiah, 2002)

6. Retention Outcomes of Service-Learning • Studies indicate that service-learning has an impact upon student’s intention to persist through its ability to create faculty interactions and encourage positive academic experiences (Keup, 2005) • Service, including service-learning, was positively associated with persistence, student satisfaction, and a sense of personal success (Vogelgesang, Ikeda, Gilmartin, & Keup, 2002)

7. Improving Retention with Service-Learning Service-learning has an optimal impact upon retention when it is high quality, collaborative, well-placed, directly tied to course content, structured and employs reflection (Eyler & Giles, 1999). Quality service-learning should provide students with opportunities to engage in community-based, problem-solving and address social justice issues.

8. Improving Retention with Service-Learning Service-learning should be designed to: • Maximize the number of meaningful interactions amongst individuals from diverse backgrounds • Incorporate reflection that promotes both cognitive and personal development and employs reflection • Integrate into the freshman year to quickly establish community connections

9. Improving Retention with Service-Learning • Utilize Chickering and Gamson’s (1991, 1987) “seven principles of good practice in service-learning programs” • Employ activities to meet diverse student learning needs • Create a meaningful service-learning experience by explicitly focusing on quality in regard to placement, reflection, and application