Chapter 3: An Eastern Perspective on Western Education: The Experiences of International Students Engaged in Service-Learning

Thousands of international students currently study in the United States and many struggle to understand the new culture in which they are immersed. Service-learning, a pedagogy that integrates community service and academic coursework in mutually beneficial ways, provides an opportunity for international students to learn more about American culture, yet few studies document the experiences of international service-learning students. This chapter explores the experiences of 41 Taiwanese and South Korean international graduate students enrolled in teaching English as a foreign/second language program who were engaged in service-learning in urban schools in the United States. Participants gained insight into American culture and the differences between Asian and American approaches to education in ways that traditional classroom instruction would not have allowed. The lessons learned through their experiences offer suggestions to service-learning practitioners who may develop programs for international students at their own institutions.