Narratives of Experiential Learning: Students’ Engagement in a Physical Activity-Based Service-Learning Course

Abstract

Purpose:Three undergraduate students’ experiences in a physical activity-based service learning course are chronicled using narrative inquiry.Method:Data collection included demographics questionnaires, pre- and postservice interviews, reflection journals, postservice written reflections, and participant observations. The data were analyzed with comprehensive deductive and inductive analysis procedures, along with the creation of detailed narratives summarizing students’ individual experiences and outcomes.Results:Results revealed student growth and development, including leadership development, improved interpersonal skills, increased knowledge of social justice issues, and enhanced self-understanding. However, the number, depth, and complexity of these outcomes varied significantly, which was largely explained by individual variables (e.g., interest in learning, level of effort, degree of adaptability).Discussion:These findings highlight the opportunity for course instructors to lead reflective activities before and during the service-learning experience, along with providing individualized guidance and feedback on students’ learning, effort, and adaptability throughout the service-learning course.

Learning with Older Adults through Intergenerational Service Learning in Physical Education Teacher Education

“…In the category 'desire for social justice' expressed by PETEs, the results indicate that SL contributed to making students aware of the fact that social justice still represents an unmet goal. These results show the possibilities of intergenerational SL as an educational initiative capable of raising social consciousness, being consistent with recent studies that report effects related to the development of a social conscience and the comprehension of community problems after the application of SL in the Physical Education area [57]. In this case, the reflection processes implemented might have played a crucial role, as suggested in previous research [45].…”

“…In the same vein, the category 'satisfaction and personal growth', emerged from PETEs, looks closely related to that of 'satisfaction and desire of continuity', of older adults, since both represent the satisfaction and positive experience of each group. The results related to the satisfaction and personal growth in PETEs reveal that there was a reformulation of values and beliefs about their way of relating to others, coinciding with previous analysis of narratives about experiential learning in Physical Education [57]. Moreover, we also found coincidences in relation to the change in attitudes about oneself [58], and about increasing self-confidence through SL [59,60].…”

Innovative Analysis of Service-Learning Effects in Physical Education: A Mixed-Methods Approach

“…Following a similar approach to previous works, we analyzed the effects of SL in PE (Domangue & Carson, 2008;Galvan & Parker, 2011;Galvan et al, 2018;Miller, 2012;Pechak & Thompson, 2011;Ward, Pellett, & Perez, 2017;Webster, Nesbitt, Lee, & Egan, 2017;Whitley, Walsh, Hayden, & Gould, 2017;Wilkinson et al, 2013). However, while other research focused on the personal, civic, or social effects of this methodology (Domangue & Carson, 2008;Meaney, Bohler, Kopf, Hernandez, & Scott, 2008;Miller, 2012;Ward et al, 2017;Whitley et al, 2017), the main emphasis of this research is the analysis of the academic progress of PTs. Specifically, we assessed the teaching competency (TC) when designing and applying motor skills and body language games.…”

Aprendizaje-servicio en la formación inicial docente: desarrollo de la inclusión en el área de didáctica de la expresión corporal

“…Por último, los análisis efectuados permiten asumir que aunque la perspectiva posestructural no tuvo el mismo influjo que las anteriores en el alumnado universitario, todo apunta a que sí llegaron a satisfacerse varios resultados de aprendizaje relacionados con la misma. Algunos estudiantes aluden a la reformulación de determinados valores y creencias sobre su forma de relacionarse con los demás, coincidiendo con lo descrito por Whitley et al (2017). Asimismo, también encontramos coincidencias con Celio et al (2011) en relación con el cambio de actitudes sobre uno o una misma a través del ApS, así como al poder que ostenta a la hora de hacer que el alumnado se replantee sus propias creencias y prejuicios (Peralta et al, 2016).…”