Alan D. Bond, Associate Professor
California State University, Chico
Chico, California
The benefits of utilizing service-learning projects to facilitate student professional growth and personal development, in addition to supplementing traditional lecture and activity-based classroom education, has created a variety of new pedagogy. Typically, service-learning in Higher Education has been delivered by a capstone, senior project, or elective course providing a formalized structure for faculty to carry out their version of pedagogy. However, not all learning institutions possess the resources or have the support to offer service-learning in their curriculum. For those institutions, there appears to be a void in the available higher education literature suggesting alternative service-learning delivery systems. The purpose of the study was to determine if an all-volunteer campus-based student club managed construction project, utilizing an informal classroom setting, could be an effective alternative delivery method for providing a successful service-learning experience. A post-project student refection’s survey was conducted with an emphasis on the results of the students’ participation goals and perceived development of critical soft skills. The survey findings indicate positive student experiences with data-supported perceptions of enhanced learning and development in teamwork, communications, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These results suggest that an informal classroom system is a viable methodology for delivering service-learning experiences.
Key Words: Construction Education, Community Experience, Project Management, Service-Learning, Student Development
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