26 Implementing Service Learning in Higher STEM Education

This essay was composed in December 2024 and uses MLA documentation.

“Do you think water can move on its own?” I stood at the back of a classroom observing twenty elementary students excitedly huddled together around a desk. An eighth grader, standing tall in the center of the group, captivated the kids’ attention. His voice carried, “watch what happens when I place the edge of this paper towel in this bowl of colored water.” A brief moment of silence was followed with an eruption of energetic gasps and a clamor of voices. The crowd was blocking my view, but I knew the dyed water had climbed up the towel, leaving half of it soggy despite only the edge touching the liquid. “Isn’t that cool! The water moved all on its own! We just witnessed capillary action in action!” The kids listened intently as he explained the science behind water molecules I had taught him a few weeks earlier. I was serving as a Utah 4-H Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Ambassador. Through this role, I co-designed a state-wide service-learning STEM curriculum and was now working to implement it in my community.

Service-learning, as defined by The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, is a course based “teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience” (“Developing”). It encompasses a reciprocal partnership between students and community organizations where students apply course concepts while working with organizations to help meet community needs. As they participate, studies have shown that students not only reinforce their knowledge but also develop greater civic responsibility, community connections, inclusivity, interpersonal communication and leadership skills. Service-learning also allows community organizations access to an under-utilized volunteer base and an increased ability to address unmet needs (Benefits).

The service-learning curriculum I helped design addressed my community’s need to foster youth STEM identity. While working with an afterschool program, I was able to apply concepts about water molecules from my biology class and create an engaging workshop through near-peer mentoring. I taught an eighth grader STEM concepts and mentored him; in turn, he taught those STEM concepts to elementary students in the program. In doing so, the eighth grader’s understanding of water molecules, confidence in communicating, and desire to engage in the community was noticeably enhanced. The elementary students developed a greater STEM identity, meaning their positive exposure to STEM concepts helped them visualize themself working in STEM fields. As I advanced into higher education, this experience shaped my perspective on the transformative impact service-learning could have if institutionalized in universities. Although this strategy can be successfully implemented in any academic discipline, it is becoming ever more critical to implement service-learning in higher STEM education.

Within the 21st century, STEM fields have become foundational to every-day living. In the United States those fields have grown an unprecedented 79% since 1990 (Botelho). As the United State Department of Labor has shown through the graph, they are projected to grow another 5.9% by 203 (refer to the graph by Krutsch). They provide $2.3 trillion dollars in tax revenue and contribute to 69% of the United States Gross Domestic Product (“Cogent”). Since these fields are so heavily relied upon, it is imperative for higher education to produce college graduates who are adequately prepared to contribute to the STEM workforce. But, career readiness does not solely rely on conceptual academic knowledge. It encompasses real world application and social responsibility. To meet these objectives, STEM education needs to be refocused on a “whole person approach to learning… combining physical, mental, social-emotional, and cognitive development with traditional academics” (Botelho). This can be achieved through direct implementation of service-learning initiatives within the higher STEM education curriculum.

The concept of service-learning emerged from the concern that theory taught in academia was becoming disconnected from its application within real-world problems. Within the workforce, there has been a growing emphasis on providing students with real-world experience to apply theoretical knowledge. This can be seen as American policymakers on both sides of the political spectrum have worked to grow the national apprenticeship system. President Barack Obama issued a national initiative to double the number of apprentices in five years. Similarly, the Trump administration actively worked to help Americans access high-quality training through apprenticeship. The underlying motivation for this movement is that apprenticeships provide real world experience, which is found to be highly effective at equipping individuals with valuable knowledge and work experience (McCarthy).

However, in 2022 the number of apprenticeships was only 600,000 according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship (OA), while the number of undergraduate students enrolled in college was 15.4 million (McCarthy). In the same year, only 4.17 million undergraduate students participated in internships (Jendriks). These numbers show that 2 out of every 3 undergraduate students do not participate in opportunities to apply their knowledge within a real-world experience. Institutionalized service-learning would complement and expand the apprenticeships and internship opportunities. These programs are all similar as they focus on teaching specific skills, trades, or jobs, with mentees working under the tutelage of another to gain real-world experience. However, service-learning is uniquely different as its main focus is on partnering with community agencies and benefiting underserved groups. Implementing service-learning in higher STEM education would allow students to gain the same valuable knowledge and work experience the federal government is advocating for. As students work under community agencies, they are equipped with the career readiness necessary to perform tasks in real world situations.

Social responsibility, as defined by the United Way NCA, is the “societal expectation that people should engage in positive social behavior to contribute to the welfare of their community as a whole” (“The Social”). Studies have found that college freshmen intending to major in STEM disciplines have lower prioritization of social responsibility than their non-STEM peers, and this disparity still remains after graduation (Garibay). Higher STEM education is severely lacking in helping students develop altruistic, social and civic engagement dispositions. This is a failure to adequately prepare graduates because social responsibility is incredibly important to the workforce. In a AFLAC sponsored survey, 77% of consumers are more motivated to purchase items from companies committed to social responsibility and 73% of investors make investment decisions based on a company’s social responsibility history (AFLAC). America’s Charity survey concluded that “71% of employees… say it’s imperative or very important to work where culture is supportive of giving and volunteering” (Ford). These numbers show that for businesses to succeed they need employees to establish and participate in a culture of social responsibility. Implementing service-learning in higher education expands course objectives to help students develop this critical characteristic. This will provide students with the opportunity to witness the impact they can have within their community. Through service-learning engagement their disposition, connectedness, and desires for the success of their community will increase. Studies have come to this conclusion stating, “students in service-learning [course] sections had more positive beliefs and values toward service and community” (Bringle).

To be successful, service-learning requires a mutually beneficial experience between students and community organizations. Those against the institutionalization of service-learning reference studies showcasing academically-led service-learning projects are often misaligned with community needs and consequently do not significantly impact the community (Eby). However, these shortcomings of service-learning are not derived from the ineffectiveness of the strategy but rather the lack of community input and involvement when designing course objectives. In order to create greater community impact, service-learning projects must directly align course objectives with community needs. This crucial alignment requires developed relationships between faculty and community organizations. Director Kate Stephens of the Office of Community Engagement at Utah State University addressed the nature of these relationships in an interview about the implementation of service-learning stating, “Community engagement… is based on reciprocal partnerships… It seeks to see those partnerships as equal and balanced, serving as co-educators” (Kate). The characteristics of those partnerships are inherited by service-learning because it is a subclass of community engagement. The idea of a reciprocal co-educational relationship denotes that communities, faculty, and students all have their needs and expectations met. In order to do so, community organizations cannot dictate the learning objectives of students, and faculty cannot assume the needs of the community. Stephens asserted that faculty members should go to community organizations with the defined course learning objectives. After inquiry, these objectives can be integrated into the organization’s initiatives to fulfill a need within the community. These partnerships create a symbiotic relationship benefiting all parties involved.

By implementing service-learning in higher STEM education we can create a thriving community, fulfill unmet needs, and develop the professionals of the future. The adoption of service-learning is critical for students to develop employable skills including gaining real world experience and fostering a real sense of social responsibility. In support of the movement to institutionalize service-learning, faculty and students can contact their university’s Office of Community Engagement or Office of Service-Learning.

Works Cited

“AFLAC CSR Survey.” 2019, p. 1, https://www.aflac.com/docs/about-aflac/csr-survey-assets/2019-aflac-csr-infographic-and-survey.pdf. Accessed 12 December 2024.

Benefits and Challenges of Service Learning. Describes service-learnings effect on communities, faculty, and students. Tennessee State, https://www.tnstate.edu/servicelearning/documents/Benefits%20and%20Challenges%20of%20Service%20Learning.pdf. Accessed 10 December 2024.

Botelho, Judy, et al. “Uncovering the Quality of STEM Service-Learning Course Implementation and Essential Elements Across the California State University System.” Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 2020, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?cc=mjcsloa;c=mjcsl;c=mjcsloa;idno=3239521.0026.201;view=text;rgn=main;xc=1;g=mjcslg#:~:text=Annually%2C%203%2C500%20service%2Dlearning%20. Accessed 4 December 2024.

Bringle, Robert G., and Julie A. Hatcher. “Implementing Service Learning in Higher Education.” The Journal of Higher Education, vol. 67, no. 2, 1996, pp. 221-39. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2943981. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

“Cogent | Blog | Diversity in STEM: How does it impact the US economy?” Cogent Infotech, 3 January 2024, https://www.cogentinfo.com/resources/diversity-in-stem-how-does-it-impact-the-us-economy. Accessed 10 December 2024.

“Developing a Service-Learning Course.” Teaching and Learning Resource Center, Ohio State University, https://teaching.resources.osu.edu/teaching-topics/developing-service-learning-course. Accessed 14 November 2024.

Eby, John W. “Why Service-Learning Is Bad.” Duke Service-Learning, 1998, https://servicelearning.duke.edu/sites/servicelearning.duke.edu/files/documents/whyslbad.original.pdf. Accessed 13 November 2024.

Ford, Sarah. “The Business Case for Employee Volunteer & Skills Giving Programs.” America’s Charities, 2 September 2023, https://www.charities.org/news/business-case-employee-volunteer-skills-giving-programs. Accessed 12 December 2024.

Garibay, Juan C. “STEM Students’ Social Agency and Views onWorking for Social Change: Are STEM Disciplines Developing Socially and Civically Responsible Students?” University of Virginia, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 4 January 2015, https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/41141429/JRST_Garibay-tea.21203-libre.pdf?1452805753=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DSTEM_students_social_agency_and_views_on.pdf&Expires=1733866500&Signature=VZ80qDf0RKlMK2kkXsifZ9bTVYfC0-nzDvR2Nept. Accessed 12 December 2024.

Jendriks, Tom. “105 Internship Statistics: Pay, Intern Employment, and More.” Flair.hr, https://flair.hr/en/blog/internship-statistics/. Accessed 10 December 2024.

Krutsch, Emily, and Victoria Roderick. “STEM Day: Explore Growing Careers.” US Department of Labor Blog, United State Government, 4 November 2024, https://blog.dol.gov/2022/11/04/stem-day-explore-growing-careers. Accessed 12 December 2024.

McCarthy, Mary A., et al. “Connection Apprenticeship and Higher Education.” New America, 2017, p. 2, https://na-production.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Connecting-Apprenticeship-HigherEd.pdf. Accessed 11 December 2024.

Stephens, Kate. Personal interview. 4 December 2024.

“The Social Responsibility Norm and Community Impact.” United Way of National Capital Area, United Way, 15 October 2024, https://unitedwaynca.org/blog/social-responsibility-norm-guide/. Accessed 12 December 2024.