Bridging Generation Gaps Through Service-Learning in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Advances in health care have led to an increased life expectancy for the older populations. An increasing body of research warns of the need to provide opportunities for older people to develop their potential for physical, mental, and social well-being during the aging process. In this context, universities have incorporated the service-learning (SL) methodology into their curricular and extracurricular programs. They attempt to offer their students experiences that allow them, from their experience and reflection, to advance in knowledge, skills and attitudes toward the older population group. Therefore, this methodology allows linking academic activities with social commitment, involving young people, as genuine agents of social change, in constructing a fairer, more inclusive, and supportive society. Despite the large body of research on the definition and benefits that students generally derive from SL, there are no systematic reviews of the full range of benefits that SL experiences, specifically with older people, provide to all participants. In this context, a rigorous systematic review was conducted by referring to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and based on Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) databases, to answer one research question: What benefits do SL experiences that engage university students with older people, provide to the groups of participants? The analysis of the 28 selected research papers provides insights into the academic literature on the benefits of such experiences. On the one hand, they refer to the integral development of the student. On the other hand, they refer to the intergenerational relationships that promote the well-being of the elderly. Finally, the ethical commitment of the university, residences, agencies, and other organizations is mentioned. As a result, the positive impact on the community is highlighted.

A Keyword Co-Occurrence Analysis of Research on Service Learning: Conceptual Foci and Emerging Research Trends

“…More specifically, this review of the full literature on service learning concludes that the knowledge base is large, has accumulated over a significant period of time, is informed by theory, and has been tested through empirical research. These findings, based on bibliometric analysis of the full literature, reinforce and extend findings reported in prior research syntheses of different segments of the literature on service learning using meta-analytic [78,91,98], systematic [54][55][56], and narrative [49] review methods.…”

“…This enabled the review to illuminate broad trends in the research foci of scholars across the full spectrum of service learning research and practice. This contrasts with prior reviews, which employed relatively small document samples [46,54], focused on research at a single educational level [24,55,56], or limited the review to a single discipline [47,57]. Thus, the findings from this review offer a broader perspective on the accumulated knowledge base, provide benchmarks that can be compared empirically in future decades, and outline key foci for future research on this pedagogical approach.…”

Purpose in Life in Higher Education: Is There a Role for Service-Learning?

“…SL has been increasingly studied, in an international context, particularly at the level of the impact of SL on students [5,7,9]. However, the literature relating SL to purpose in life and analyzing how purpose in life changes during and after a SL course is still scarce.…”

“…SL serves as an effective educational approach that enhances academic learning, civic engagement, and personal development [3]. Extensive research has documented its positive outcomes, encompassing increased emotional growth, motivation, self-efficacy, and commitment to learning [5][6][7][8][9]. SL also fosters a greater awareness of personal values and global issues, inspiring students to contribute to positive change [9].…”

Promoting Tsunami Risk Awareness through Service Learning and the Application of the Disaster Imagination Game (DIG) in Ocean Engineering: an Analysis of Students’ Perceptions Years Later

“…Service learning is an educational method that impacts students' development beyond the classical understanding of disciplinary learning objectives [9]. According to Bringle and Hatcher, service learning can be defined as:…”