Cocurricular Assessment: Aligning Service-Learning With General Education Goals

Abstract

Background/purpose - Cocurricular offerings should appropriately align with academic learning goals to ensure undergraduate students' development of professional dispositions that lead to civic and career success. This study provides a framework for implementing high impact practices into cocurricular instruction, as well as steps on how to align this instruction to the general educational goals of institutions. Materials/methods - Case study methodology was used to examine university students' perceptions of the effect a course-embedded service-learning activity had on their development of professional dispositions. Results - University students reported a perceived positive impact of the service-learning activity on their attainment of general education goals. Specifically, they reported positive growth in collaboration skills, community connections, and an understanding of the relevance of these skills as professional dispositions. Conclusion - Leveraging high-impact practices such as service-learning and the first-year experience course to meet the general education goals of an institution is an effective use of cocurricular curriculum design.