Urban Studies, Students, and Communities: An Ideal Partnership A Case Study of Urban Studies Service Learning

Abstract

This article explores the implementation and results of a service learning based Urban Studies program course, the student expectations at the beginning of the course, and the student feedback at the end of the course. Through detailed explanation and examples of the live community needs, in multiple communities, addressed in this course and the resulting student projects, this article presents the case for service learning as a vibrant, efficient, and effective pedagogy for use within Urban Studies programs. Specifically, this article explores service learning pedagogy as, perhaps, a uniquely effective and satisfying tool that enhances the educative process for students and communities alike. Additionally, this article explores the enhanced project effectiveness and external outreach realized by partnering not only with communities, but also with multiple institutions of higher education, simultaneously, in order to achieve project(s) success. This article also includes, and explores, the results of the pre and post course student experience surveys, as well as community feedback, and presents comparative data in which multiple curriculum formats, including lecture and workshops, are weighed against service learning curriculum prepared and presented in the course examined in this article.

KEYWORDS

Service Learning, Higher Education, Urban Studies, Outreach