The Reflective Learner: Perspectives of Engineering Faculty Engaged In Learning through Service

Abstract

Over the past decade, Learning through Service (LTS) has proliferated in higher education as an effective teaching and learning method.  LTS is an umbrella term that includes both curricular and extracurricular activities, recognizing that there are many models that exist currently for how faculty members use opportunities for students to learn while providing service to a community.  Reflection by the students on their service activity provides rich opportunities for students to add meaning to their learning through engagement with community.  While, many colleges and universities in the United States have increased the use of LTS in engineering programs, there has been limited study to evaluate engineering faculty perception of the purpose of reflection in support of facilitating and assessing the expected learning outcomes.  In this research, twenty-six interviews were conducted with engineering LTS practitioners to explore how and why engineering faculty incorporate reflection in LTS efforts.  The findings reveal that majority of engineering LTS faculty practitioners engage students in reflection to enhance the professional development skills of their students, with fewer of the faculty using reflection to develop students’ personal skills.