Chapter 8: An Exploration Of The Value Of Cultural-Based Service-Learning For Student And Community Participants

There has been a dramatic increase during the past decade in published research on the impact of cultural-based service-learning for college students and a modest increase in studies that focus on the impact of this pedagogical approach on service recipients (Boyle-Baise, 2002; Eyler & Giles, 2001). Cultural-based service-learning, also known as multicultural or diversity service-learning, is a pedagogical approach that intentionally integrates race- or diversity-related content with community service by providing students with opportunities to learn about social disparities associated with diverse communities (Boyle-Baise, 2005; Waldstein & Reiher, 2001). It also serves as a vehicle through which students examine their personal biases, gain a better understanding of diversity, and critically analyze the perceived realities of social injustices that affect the community (Baldwin, Buchanan, & Rudisill, 2007). Research in this area has been criticized for lacking rigorous evaluations of the influence of cultural-based service-learning on student development and the perceived impacts of students on community recipients (Eyler, 2002). The goals of the present study were threefold: First, to determine whether attitudes change for students in high and low diversity conditions from the beginning to the end of the semester; second, to explain the possible change of attitudes through multicultural theories; and third, to add to earlier studies by including a sample of community recipients (i.e., supervising teachers from participating schools).