Differential effects of service experience and classroom reflection on service-learning outcomes: A study of university students in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study examines the ways in which service experience and classroom experience, as principal components of a service-learning program, interact to affect student outcomes in such areas as personal development, respect for diversity, social commitment, and overall gain from the program. The basic premise is that these two service-learning components may have main effects and an interaction effect on the outcomes. To test this, the present study employed survey data collected from 74 university students participating in a service-learning program in Hong Kong. The results support the hypothesis that service experience and classroom reflection work jointly in affecting outcomes, although the individual effects differ across variables. Specifically, satisfaction with service experience and classroom reflection are found to be the strongest predictors of the service-learning outcomes. On the other hand, no support is found for the possibility that classroom reflection might moderate the effect of service experience on the outcomes. © 2005 A B Academic Publishers.