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Research Articles

Vol. 19 No. 4

Students’ Emotions in Academic Service-Learning

Submitted
December 24, 2015
Published
2015-12-24

Abstract

Research has demonstrated the importance of emotions in learning, and academic service-learning (AS-L) has become an increasingly popular pedagogy. However, few studies have investigated emotional experiences specific to AS-L. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine students’ emotions related to their AS-L class. Results from the quantitative component revealed that students have emotional experiences both on site and in class that are specific to AS-L. The qualitative interview results supported the quantitative finding that excitement/enjoyment is the most frequently experienced emotion and that the majority of emotional experiences occurred on site. The findings demonstrate the importance of emotions in facilitating the intellectual and personal development of students in AS-L and emphasize the need for faculty to be mindful and intentional in helping students navigate these experiences and integrate them with the course content.