The role of small scale international service projects in engineering education: The students' perspective

Abstract

International service projects are increasingly recognized as a way to prepare students for the global marketplace. Project-based service learning is a valuable educational tool, and expands upon a traditional engineering education. Accordingly, increased opportunities for this have been provided to students through various national and university institutions. In the past three years, students from Tufts University have initiated projects in Ecuador, El Salvador and the Tibet Autonomous Region. These projects provide diverse perspectives, from which important lessons can be extracted. This paper will address lessons learned from student-run international service projects. Challenges and benefits experienced by the students during project formation, planning, and implementation will be considered. Attention will be paid to the viability of student perceptions on roles of students and faculty mentors. It is suggested that these projects are most effective as an educational tool when sufficient responsibility and accountability is placed on the students during all phases of the project. A detailed analysis of past projects is necessary in order to improve the potential benefits of international service projects to students. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2007.