Chapter 7: Service-Learning Taken to a New Level Through Community-Based Research: A Win-Win for Campus and Community

A community-based research (CBR) project employed as service-learning pedagogy in a research methods course is first described and then evaluated against a well-defined theoretical model. CBR is a form of action research wherein course content is taught and practiced through conducting research for and with a community partner. The perspectives of faculty, students, and community partners are considered in this evaluation. The impact of this service-learning pedagogy on student learning is also assessed using feedback from course evaluations and project evaluations administered to both students and community partners. Findings suggest that the CBR project described in this chapter is a very powerful learning experience for students and produces important outcomes for community partners. This lends support for the assertion that CBR is the penultimate form of service-learning.