“I Felt We Were Actually Learning Things, Then Applying Them”

Students’ Perceptions of a Service-Learning Course

Abstract

Academic journals continue to produce articles that highlight record levels of student disengagement and lack of motivation. Faculty have been encouraged to use high impact, active learning strategies to increase student engagement and success (Patrick et al., 2016). One technique, service learning, allows students to become active learners through applying learned skills and theory from the classroom to community settings (Connolly, et al., 2017). The purpose of this study was to highlight students’ perceptions and experiences through three semester-long service-learning courses where students provided a fitness and mindfulness program to local teachers to help them address stressors. Undergraduate sports management students enrolled in a service-learning course for sport development were tasked with planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating three 9-week long programs. Students were given increased responsibility and control over the semester which resulted in real-world experiences.  The students gave their perceptions and experiences in an end of semester paper.  Three independent coders reviewed the papers using thematic analysis. Emergent themes were consistent with the service-learning literature suggesting increased engagement, sense of purpose, and applying knowledge. The service-learning course proved to have a positive impact on the sport management students and produced high levels of engagement. Sport management faculty could implement service-learning courses to increase student engagement and opportunities to apply theories, skills, and knowledge in real-world settings. Sport management courses should further explore using high impact, active learning environments to increase student engagement and enhance student learning outcomes.