Cultivating Changemakers: The Impact of Leadership Integration in Service-Learning Pedagogy
Mitra Baghdadi (Author), Ashley Munger (Degree supervisor), California State University, Los Angeles Applied and Advanced Studies in Education (Degree granting institution)
Service-learning (SL) is increasingly recognized as a high-impact practice, but its connection to leadership development remains underexplored. This study investigated how leadership skills were integrated into SL courses in higher education and examined both student experiences and faculty perceptions. A mixed-methods approach was used, including surveys from 179 students and 39 faculty, along with 19 faculty interviews. Results show that over 90% of students rated SL courses higher than their other classes, citing improvements in communication, problem-solving, job-related skills, and understanding theoretical concepts through practical application.Although leadership development was not formally included in course outcomes, 90% of students felt confident leading projects. Faculty reported that although leadership development is generally valued (90%), only 30% currently incorporated it into their courses. Many expressed interest in doing so but highlighted challenges such as time constraints, limited opportunities within service placements, and the potential for leadership activities to overshadow collaboration and ethical communication. Institutional barriers, including insufficient support and heavy workloads, were also noted.The study emphasizes the importance of intentional leadership development in SL curricula and recommends reflective practices and collaboration with community partners to enhance these efforts. It identifies the need for more formal frameworks to align faculty intentions with student experiences, especially to support diverse and underrepresented students. Practical recommendations and future research directions are provided to address existing gaps and explore ways to integrate leadership more effectively into SL courses
Thesis, Dissertation, English, 2024
2024