To prepare students to become productive citizens, universities have to be more engaged with society. Shifting towards community service learning (CSL) enables students to participate in, and reflect on, services that both benefit the public and also contribute to their own learning. There has been considerable research conducted on the improved student competencies, both academic and personal, resulting from CSL. There is, however, no consensus on how to successfully integrate CSL into courses owing to the diverse contextual factors that influence implementation. This systematic review includes articles from various disciplines to elicit general design principles for the implementation of CSL. Three “steps” emerged: (1) align course objectives and format; (2) establish a relationship with the community partner; and (3) define a reflection and evaluation strategy. The steps, formats and techniques can be used to guide the development of future courses. There are different design principles to follow in each implementation step. This review revealed that the nature of these design principles and specific approaches should depend on the students’ capabilities, which include their pre-CSL experiences. Diverse approaches make it possible to construct an appropriate scaffolding, which is necessary for students to attain the improved academic and personal competencies envisaged through CSL and to become productive citizens.
Tijsma, G., Hilverda, F., Scheffelaar, A., Alders, S., Schoonmade, L., Blignaut, N., & Zweekhorst, M. (2020). Becoming productive 21st century citizens: A systematic review uncovering design principles for integrating community service learning into higher education courses. Educational Research, 62(4), 390-413.
https://doi-org.vu-nl.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/00131881.2020.1836987