The Impact of a Sport-Based Service Learning Course on Participants’ Attitudes, Intentions and Actions Toward Social Change

Abstract

Framed in the context of a sport-based service learning program that engages in interdepartmental university partnerships (including athletics), the current study focused on addressing the need to analyze the long-term impacts of service learning on students' intentions and actions toward social change. Service learning courses have been shown to facilitate positive outcomes such as increased cultural competency and future intentions toward civic engagement (Bruening et al., 2010, 2014). Building on this knowledge, the current study used in-depth interviews to investigate the social justice-related attitudes, intentions, and behaviors of alumni of a college service learning through sport course. Individual interviews (n = 22) with participants who had completed at least one semester in the course indicated that the course was influential in developing their ability to recognize social inequities. Furthermore, participants indicated future intentions and current involvement in initiatives that address social inequities in their given areas of life. Theoretical and managerial implications for effective academic and intercollegiate Service learning and Social change

Creating Social Change in and through Intercollegiate Sport

“…Specifically, in their study examining the impact of a community-based social marking intervention on recycling behaviors among college football fans, Martin and his colleagues (2015) observed that tailgaters were more receptive to recycling educators who were from their peer group. In addition, in their study on the influence of a sport-based service learning course, Fuller et al (2015) observed how peers provided needed support when some students experienced negative feedback after advocating for social justice. Peer support may be particularly relevant in the intercollegiate sport context, as Taylor (2015) noted how persistent nonsupportive actions displayed by teammates led many athletes to conform to noninclusive athlete archetypes.…”

“…There is less understanding though, on how to instill the importance of social change in individuals who have not encountered or are not aware of social injustices. However, Fuller et al (2015) provides evidence that participating in perspective-altering experiences, such as a sport-based service learning class, can improve attitudes and increase behaviors related to social justice for all persons-irrespective of one's social status or past experiences. Importantly, the success of the perspective-altering experience is dependent on key factors.…”

“…The papers included here accomplish this objective. Specifically, the authors demonstrate that participating in sport-based service learning courses can empower and motivate students to work toward social justice in their communities (Fuller et al, 2015); describe how displaying small acts of inclusion and respect can challenge gendered norms in intercollegiate sport (Taylor, 2015); develop a conceptual model for how athletic departments can be agents of change (Cunningham, 2015); show how community-based social marketing plays a vital role in promoting proenvironmental behaviors at sporting events (Martin, Ross, & Irwin, 2015); explore how academic and industry partnerships provide opportunities for social change in women's sport (Walker & Melton, 2015); and outline challenges and opportunities for future research . In the following space, I diverge from the traditional introduction to the special issue format and instead, present the work within a broader, multilevel conceptual framework.…”

Creating Social Change in and through Intercollegiate Sport: State of the Field, Challenges, and Future Directions

“…These scholars investigated social capital development among alumni of a sport-based inner city service learning engagement, and found that the intentional design, management and structure of the program, in line with Sport for Development Theory (Lyras & Welty Peachey, 2011), aided in this development over time. This same group of scholars has a contribution in this special issue (Fuller et al, 2015) as a follow-up to the above referenced work, finding importantly that alumni indicated the service learning experience was critical to helping them recognize social injustices in the world, and that it fostered civic engagement, stimulating future intentions and current involvement in social justice related initiatives. Together, these works are showing that service learning experiences and environments are an important vehicle for creating social change through intercollegiate sport.…”

“…In this special issue, contributors build upon the previous work highlighted above and move the study of social change in collegiate sport in intriguing new directions. In addition to Fuller et al (2015) and Cunningham (2015) mentioned above, Taylor provides a personal narrative of his experiences as a college wrestler in a homophobic environment discriminating, more covertly than overtly, against LBGT individuals, and how this motivated and activated him to work for social change by founding Athlete Ally (Taylor, 2015b). Importantly, Taylor calls for leveraging activist activities for LGBT issues to address other aspects of discrimination in sport, such as racism, classism, and sexism.…”