This project focuses on Learning Through Service (LTS), a pedagogical method that combines academic learning with service. Engaging investigators from five diverse institutions, the project are invoking a 4D Process (Discover, Distill, Design, Disseminate) to evaluate the impacts on faculty currently engaged in LTS efforts and to empower additional faculty to implement LTS. Major activities that are being undertaken include surveying and interviewing engaged faculty; convening a meeting of experts in LTS program/course designs, implementations, and assessments; conducting intensive faculty training workshops on LTS that lead to new LTS efforts at course and program levels; and sustaining faculty engagement via a continued dissemination of efforts. Assessment research methodologies (development and use) are being integrated throughout these activities. The project engages faculty through systemic implementation and support for LTS in engineering education. The projects expands the use of LTS in engineering education and highlight LTS as a viable research endeavor and scholarly activity. The project identifies challenges and facilitators to LTS for different faculty and institution types.
GOALS The project focuses on Learning Through Service (LTS), a pedagogical approach integrating academic learning with service. Involving investigators from five diverse institutions, the goals of the project are to: (1) Evaluate the impacts on faculty engaged in LTS efforts and to empower additional faculty to implement LTS design, management, and assessment methodologies in their LTS efforts. (2) Engage engineering faculty nationally in systemic implementation and support for LTS efforts in engineering education. (3) Identify research-grounded benefits and challenges to LTS efforts for faculty with varying backgrounds and institutions. MAJOR ACTIVITIES As a collaborative effort, there are several major activities that have been accomplished: (1) Development and administration of a faculty survey to understand the current state of LTS effort across engineering faculty, including LTS experts, LTS novices, and non-LTS users. (2) Interviewing faculty engaged in LTS efforts to gain in-depth insights into the benefits, challenges, design, management, and assessment activities of their efforts. (3) Conducting intensive faculty training workshops (over 150 faculty impacted) for LTS experts, LTS novices, and non-LTS users as a means of engaging to build a community of practice and share the knowledge base of LTS design, management, and assessment methods and strategies. (4) Sustaining LTS faculty engagement via a variety and continued dissemination effort. KEY PUBLICATIONS Pierrakos, O., Nagel, R., Pappas, E., Nagel, J., Moran, T., Barrella, E., & Panizo, M. (2014). A mixed-methodsstudy of cognitive and affective learning during a sophomore design problem-based service learning experience. International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship, 1-28. Paterson, K. G., Bielefeldt, A. R., Swan, C. W., Rulifson, G., Kazmer, D., & Pierrakos, O. (2014). Designing Value into Engineering Learning Through Service Activities Using a Blueprint Model. International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship, 64-83. Tucker, B. G., Kazmer, D. O., Bielefeldt, A. R., Paterson, K., Pierrakos, O., Soisson, A., & Swan, C. (2014). Principles of Sustaining Partnerships between Higher Education and their Larger Communities: Perspectives from Engineering Faculty Engaged in Learning through Service. International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship, 48-63. Tucker, B. G., Kazmer, D. O., Bielefeldt, A. R., Paterson, K., Pierrakos, O., Soisson, A., & Swan, C. (2014). The Reflective Learner: Perspectives of Engineering Faculty Engaged In Learning through Service. International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship, 9(2), 29-46. El-adaway, I., Pierrakos, O., & Truax, D. (2014). Sustainable Construction Education Using Problem-Based Learning and Service Learning Pedagogies. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education & Practice. Tucker, B., Kazmer, D., Pierrakos, O., Swan, C., Bielefeldt, A., Paterson, K., & Soisson, A. (2013). Faculty Perspectives on Service-Learning in Engineering Education: Chal-lenges and Opportunities. In 2013 Presented at the ASEE Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, June (pp. 23-26). Zilberberg A., Pierrakos O., Canney N., McVay S., October 2012, "Qualitative Inquiry of Best Practices and Challenges Faced by Faculty Engaged in Learning Through Service Efforts," 42nd Annual Frontiers in Education Conference, Seattle, WA. Pierrakos O., Zilberberg A., Swan C., Bielefeldt A.R., Patterson K., Duffy J., McVay S., June 2012, "Faculty Survey on Learning Through Service: Development and Initial Findings," ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, TX.
