This study examined the extent to which a mandatory service-learning experience impacted Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students’ attitudes and interest in working in gerontological social work and identified factors that influence a student’s desire to work with aging populations. Using a convenience sample of 51 BSW students, participants either conducted a structured life review or a friendly visitor assignment with an older adult. Participants were a diverse group of primarily female students, ranging in age from 20-57 years old. Pre- and post-survey results suggest that intergenerational service-learning in social work can be a valuable instructional technique, helping students to maintain or increase interest in working with elder populations, alleviating concerns of working in gerontological settings, and giving insights into both the challenges and rewards of this field of work.Keywords aging/gerontology; practice learning; service learning; experiential teaching methods; social work education
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.