Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Research Articles

Vol. 23 No. 3: Special Issue: A Global Perspective on Service-Learning and Community Engagement in Higher Education

Specifics of Measuring Social and Personal Responsibility of University Students After Completion of a Service-Learning Course in Slovak Conditions

Submitted
December 19, 2019
Published
2019-12-19

Abstract

This study at a university in Slovakia asked two questions: (1) Does completion of a service-learning course lead to changes in students’ social and personal responsibility and their attitudes toward community service? (2) Are personal and social responsibility and attitudes toward community service correlated? Service-learning and the third mission of the university are almost unknown in Slovak higher education, and likewise no relevant test instruments adapted to Slovak conditions currently exist. Consequently, we adopted a scale from abroad—Conrad and Hedin’s (1981) Social and Personal Responsibility Scale (SPRS). We also used qualitative research methods. Compared to a control group, the service-learning students had statistically significant higher posttest scores in the Social Welfare, Duty, Performance of Responsible Acts, and Global Responsibility subscales. The research results revealed a need for new measuring tools that are sensitive to the specific context of service-learning implementation in Slovakia.