JOURNAL REVIEW: Students learning through service learning Hebert A and Hauf P: “Students learning through service learning” Effects on academic development, civic responsibility, interpersonal skills and practical skills. Active Learning in Higher Education Vol.16, 2015, 37-49

1. Faculty of Education and Distance Learning
Department of Education
Module Name: Learning, Teaching and Assessment
Module Code: D8-LTA-10
Student ID: 1716447
Email:tsholofelozig@gmail.com
By Tsholofelo Zigwa
JOURNAL REVIEW
Hebert A and Hauf P: “Students learning through service learning” Effects on academic
development, civic responsibility, interpersonal skills and practical skills. Active Learning
in Higher Education Vol.16, 2015, 37-49

2. 1. Summary
The integration of community service to enrich learning has since proved to have its
shortcomings and breakthroughs in the cycle of students learning. Research has been
carried out by different professors to find out how service learning affect academics,
practice, social and personal development skills of students. Despite all the explorations
gathered, supplementary and Hebert and Gauf (2015) states that profound testing is a
necessity to decide its effective point of reference to participants. The study has used test
and retest methodology to deal with the complications of course marks, self report
improvement, and assignments that directly test understanding on the course. The findings
outline that they was no difference in academic marks between students who participated
and those who did not participate in service learning however it has shown improvement in
academic development, civic responsibility, and interpersonal skills respectively. For
example service learning improve academic development, aid more skills to the learners,
improve their thinking abilities, personal skills, writing skills and Billing et al (2005) and
Mpofu (2007) cited in Hebert and Hauf (2015) states that it has been found that students
who participate in Service learning is more likely to have a positive effect on creative
academics, it improve student`s grades especially with case studies and essays rather than
objective academic task such as multiple choice. The goal of the research was to examine
the benefits of service learning on academic development which found out that though
there is no difference in academic marks there is at least improvement in academic
development in that sense. In addition there is difference between what teachers view as
academic development and the type of academic development the students wish to pursue
through service learning. Therefore, there is still a need for further research on the topic
since it’s not yet clear on how benefits of service learning are educed.
2. Did you find this journal article interesting? If so state your reasons.
Yes, I found the journal article interesting and worth reading. What I found interesting in
this journal is that though service learning has not made much difference on academic
marks of students who participated it has proved to have positive effect on civic
responsibilities such as helping students develop interest on community involvement, desire
to make a difference in the life of those around them, their future plans to participate in
service and so forth. It has also proved to have higher levels of improvement in
interpersonal skills such a verbal communication, leadership skills and teamwork. After
graduation it’s a goal and wish for every student to find a job and to apply what they have
learnt during their years of study in the industry and to develop their career. It is also the
goal of a teacher to produce skilful graduates who are ready to work after the University.
Also, in any employment leadership skills, communication skills and other interpersonal

3. skills are major requirements for most jobs. The issue that captivated me most is that
service learning has the ability to help students apply course concepts in novel situations
which in that sense makes service learning unique. Service learning also develops a student
socially and personally as well as enhances understanding on the course concepts, which I
feel is fair and objective benefit to the overall performance of a student. In addition, the
combination of learning goals and community service gives student an added advantage on
deeper understand of the course. According to Fredericksen (2000) cited in Hebert and Huaf
(2015) found that even though students who participated in service learning did not shown
improvement with grade on first examination, they performed better on the second
examination than those who did not participate in service learning which stresses
improvement.
3. Significance of the article
Students should see service learning as “class away from classroom”. The significance of the
article to is scrutinizing how far service learning can impact on academics development, so
the findings are very crucial since they outline the benefits and limitations of the research.
Service learning is vital in the education system of the 21st century. When student apply
knowledge and skills in learning within the context of global community it deepens their
understanding and increases their thinking skills, leadership skills and interpersonal
communication skills of which is a necessity to the life at the end of their colleges or
university life. Service learning requires students to mingle with the outside community
within the area of their field of study hence an opportunity to address issues that overlap
with the ones they were taught in the classroom. Service-learning asks students to use their
skills to create sustainable change in the community they live in which enhances their
learning capabilities and deepens their skills and expertise of the course. Quality education
is one that interlaces individual achievement outcomes with educating for the common
good which improve the education system in today’s world.
5. My Argument
The aim of service learning is for participants to achieve specific learning goals as per
related to the course. This article failed to pinpoint the actual type of service that the
learners were engaged in per the results. In particular, this study highlights the need to
consider the possible impact of self-selection, and control when possible. This need is especially
great when the study will examine measures that the current results suggest vary among
students engaging or not engaging in service-learning. Though challenges exist with random
assignment within the service-learning literature, the most important finding of the current
study is that students who self-select into service-learning are mostly comparable to their peers
who do not. Limitations such as lack of control, comparison groups and absence of
unsystematic tasks make it hard to scrutinise the process that researchers used to reach
quantitative results. These particular limitations leave researchers unable to infer a causal
relationship between the measured outcome and participation in service-learning. Without

4. random assignments to conditions service-learning or any number of unmeasured variables
could account for improved outcomes. Service learning should reflect back the learning
outcome of the course to the type of community service that the students will undertake
and they should be able to overlap. Despite all the differences, complications and limitations
that the research suffered the important is that service learning has proved above all to
have a higher level of improvement on academics, civic responsibility, and interpersonal
skills. Students need to have an insight or broader picture of the course and it is through
service learning that they develop themselves academically in all; in academics, in social
factors and personal development. All these are what make a complete competent graduate
(with a insight combination of theory and practice). According to Madsen and Turnbul
(2006); Frederisksen (2006); Astin et al (2000); Gallini and Moely (2003); Miller (1994) cited
in Hebert and Hauf (2015)agrees that service learning results improved learning, improve
academic performance and increase their understanding the course concepts.
In addition, service learning has proved to have a positive effect on civic responsibility and
interpersonal skills; these are the skills that are vital to the development of a student.
According to Bandy (2017) benefits of service should be analyze of the basis of four
categories which are; Personal outcomes, social outcomes, career development and
relationship with the institution. Personal and social outcomes points out that service
learning help students to have greater sense of personal efficacy, personal identity, spiritual
growth, and moral development. They gain greater interpersonal development, particularly
the ability to work well with others, and build leadership and communication skills. Similarly
majority of the researchers, (Astin et al, 2000; Gallini and Moely, 2003; Markus et al, 1993;
Prentice and Robinson, 2010; Simon and Cleary, 2005) cited in Hebert and Hauf (2015)
confirmed that service learning impart students with others skill relevant to education such
improved social responsibility, greater involvement in community service, leadership skills,
verbal communication skills, appreciation of diversity, awareness on societal issues.
Furthermore Bandy (20917) emphasises that service learning will benefit student in career
development and relationship with the institution. Career wise Astin et al, (2000) cited in
Hebert and Hauf (2015) agrees that the student have an opportunity to meet and connect
with industry ambassadors, employers, recruiter, and community members who will impart
in them greater academic learning, leadership skills and team work. The relationship with
the institution will also be stiffened. Stronger relationships with the college, the university
the faculty will be improved and this might give even the school exposure, student retention
and good public relations.
Moreover, the author stresses the need to examine benefits of service learning on academic
development. The goal is to close the gap in the literature and determine how academic
benefits are occurring and whether they are being confounded. My argument is that what is
the author`s own definition of ‘academic development’. Hebert and Hauf (2015) emphasise
academic development in measures of grades or marks, objective academic tasks such as
multiple choice test and case studies and essays. But what constitute academic

5. development? Likewise Fayetteville State University (2017) emphasise that the course
learning objectives of service learning are linked to meaningful human, safety, educational,
and environmental needs that are co-determined with community partners and service
recipients. Course materials such as lectures, readings, discussions, and reflection activities
supplement the student service. As a result, the service experienced during service learning
is brought back to the classroom to enhance the academic dialogue and student
comprehension. Giles and Eyler (1999) cited in Hauf and Hebert (2015) emphasises that the
type of learning that service learning should be able to improve is greater understanding of
the course and the ability to apply course concepts in novel situations. Students work on
real problems that make academic learning relevant while simultaneously enhancing their
social skills, analytical ability, civic and ethical responsibility, self-efficacy, and career
development. To emphasise more on what constitutes ‘academic development’ students
who participated in service learning were able to improve on tasks such as case studies and
essays and gave more detailed examples which proved understanding of the course
concepts was instilled.
Moreover, this article has pinpointed on an important limitation factor to the study which
highlights that the less number of participants and the majority of them being females
which made the finding difficult to generalise. As a result it calls for researchers to further
scrutinizing service learning outcomes using factors of demographic, psychographic and
behavioural characteristics of participants and see how each segment may affect the results
of service learning. For example, there is need to group students into groups of gender, sex,
preferences, behaviour towards studies, lifestyle and cultural backgrounds to mention a
few. The method of self selection imitated the study. Steinberg et al, (2010) emphasises
that the issue of self selection is bias, perhaps, the most pervasive methodological issue in
the service learning literature. If service learning is not compulsory some student may opt
out of the service or do it for fun and excitement as stated by Hebert and Hauf (2015).
Consequently, students enrolled in service learning courses may be different in many ways
from students who are not enrolled in service learning courses. Interestingly students who
have participated in service learning may be different in many ways compared those who
didn’t respectively. The differences may be due to diverse segmentations that need to be
demographic factors, geographic factors, psychographics factors, behavioural patterns or
variables such as goal orientated, preferences, level of competency and others of which the
article failed to identify. Gallini and Moely (2003) found differences between services may
have had pre existing differences on measured and unmeasured variables could account for
improved outcomes, and researchers cannot be confident that it was the service learning
experience itself that resulted in change in improvement of academic development, civil
responsibility, practical skills and interpersonal skills or the character of participants
themselves towards the programme.

6. 6. Significance of this article to you
I wish service learning would have been mandatory and not voluntary even if it’s by
volunteering it could be mandatory for all students to participate especially in higher
institution at their final semester. Instead of grading students who participated in a different
way I believe institutions should put service learning among the list of modules or subjects
mandatory. Service learning is meant to help students achieve specific learning goal related
to their course of study. All participants in service learning should benefit, learn and grow
from the experience. As event management lecturer I believe service learning would
provide my student with opportunities to demonstrate the theory into practice. This gives
students experiential opportunities to learn in real world contexts and develop skills of
community engagement, while affording community partners opportunities to address
significant needs. For example event management student are taught to organise events of
all types and standard. They plan, organize and implement event for charity as a way of
giving back to the community. Hence doing that they cultivate the practice of doing the
actually event, experiencing the challenges that are often faced by event managers when
organising events of which most of those they have only learnt during lectures in a
classroom or on books. Event Management course itself is a practical course, it the practice
of applying project management in development of large and small events such as social,
corporate, sport, leisure, personal cultural, charity and political events. Service learning can
be a very good programme for students to go and volunteer in planning and organizing
events that will raise funds to support the underprivileged and vulnerable in the community
and some local NGOs. By volunteering they will be exposed to different stakeholders from
the community, government departments and other support structures of event
management. They will develop skills of writing winning proposals, budgeting, logistics,
acquiring sponsorships, building creating public relations measures and other related course
concepts. This article is very important as it guide on benefits that comes along with service
planning as a package. At the other hand it highlights the limitations that it carries which
may hinder progress of the result which need to be further evaluated and looked at.
Furthermore, the article has indicated that service-learning is associated to a number of
social, academic, citizenship and personal outcomes that are beneficial to students Conway,
Amel, & Gerwien, 2009 and Eyler & Giles, 1999). For example, students engaged in service-
learning show increased civic engagement, cognitive development, leadership skills, and
work better in groups (Bringle, 2005; Wells & Grabert, 2004; Hollander & Meeropol, 2006).
Compared to students enrolled in traditional courses, students who took part in service-
learning classes showed increased grade point averages, gains in knowledge, and degree
aspirations (Conway et al., 2009). Perhaps most impressive, a common argument in the
literature is that the positive effects of service-learning are two way process; they flow from
the student to the community and back to the student (Kraft, 1997). Hence said, the
argument maybe that, what are the roles of a teacher in making sure that the learning
outcomes are achieved through service learning. I believe when a teacher is fully involved in

7. guiding, checking progress, supervising and controlling the arrangement of service learning
students would value its significance. Holz and and Pinnow (2015) stress that when there is
no control it would be impossible to honestly infer that the benefits reflected to the learning
outcomes of the course are accurate. In addition, I believe the article has a role to play in
terms of determining the learning outcomes of service learning. It should be made clear on
what are the intentions of service learning and this should be communicated to students,
professors and the community at large. The results of services learning had shown that most
students who participated stated that the programme was fun and exciting, so the idea of
service learning is not to have a break from classroom books and lectures.
7. Conclusion
In a nutshell, service learning is ‘class away from classroom’ and it should be controlled and
be compulsory for all students especially in higher institutions where we have students who
are ready to hit the industry. Further research should be carried out to come up will
objective and feasible results of service learning. In particular, this study highlights the
need to consider the possible impact of self-selection, and to control for it when possible.
This need is especially great when the study will examine measures that the current results
suggest vary among students engaging and those that are not engaging in service-learning.
Holz and Pinnow (2015) pinpoint that though challenges exist with random assignment
within the service-learning literature, the most important finding of the current study is that
students who self-select into service-learning are mostly similar to their peers who do not.
In particular, this study highlights the need to consider the possible impact of self-selection,
and for it to be controlled when possible. This need is especially great when the study will
examine measures that the current results suggest vary among students engaging and the
ones not engaging in service-learning. However, attitudes of students towards learning are
different. Learners are different and they experience learning in different way. It is
important for learners to engage with what they have learnt as a proof of understanding.
Some learners need motivation to engage and some bring experience into the learning
process. Therefore further research needs to be done to identify the attitudes of students
who participate in service learning and those who don’t. If negative attitudes are not
identified, the findings and outcome of the results of service learning may change or differ.

8. 8. Reference List
Astin, A.W., Vogelgesang, L.J., Ikeda, E.K., Yee, J.A. (2000). How Service Learning Affects
Students. Higher Education Research Institute: University of California, Los Angeles.
Available Online <from http://epic.cuir.uwm.edu/ISL/pdfs/asthow.pdf>[Accessed 16
September 2017]
Bandy, J (2017) what is Service Learning or Community Engagement? Center for Teaching,
Available Online https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-through-community-
engagement/#ways [Accessed 23 August 2017]
Fayetteville State University (2017) Office of Civic Engagement & Service Learning Available
Online http://www.uncfsu.edu/civic-engagement/service-learning/definition-of-service-
learning [Accessed 13 September 2017]
Hebert A and Hauf P (2015) “Students learning through service learning” Effects on
academic development, civic responsibility, interpersonal skills and practical skills. Active
Learning in Higher Education Vol.16, 2015, 37-49
Holz and and Pinnow (2015) Self-Selection Effects in Service-Learning-Indiana University
<Available Online https Wisconsin Superior,://josotl.indiana.edu/article/view/18912/26701
Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Vol. 15, No. 6, December 2015, pp.39-
47.doi: 10.14434/josotl.v15i6.189121University of Indiana[Accessed 12 September2018]