Supports and Barriers to Establishing and Sustaining Service Learning Partnerships to Facilitate Student Learning

PURPOSE: This study investigated the supports and barriers to establishing and sustaining community-based service learning projects. Occupational therapy education has embraced service learning as a way to apply didactic content to real, client-centered, community-based experiences (Horowitz, 2012). Though there is evidence that supports the service learning model as an instructional method, there is little evidence regarding the establishment and sustainability of service learning projects (Voss, Matthews, Fossen, Scott, & Schaefer, 2015).

DESIGN: A grounded theory approach was used in this study. Grounded theory is useful for areas of inquiry that lack foundational research (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). This approach will allow for interpretive explanations of the data that will aid in understanding the supports and barriers grounded in the experience of all stakeholders. Five hundred stakeholders who were previously involved in service learning projects, including faculty, public relations personnel, previous and current students, service recipients, and community partners, were invited to participate in this study.

METHOD: Data were obtained through either an online or phone survey consisting of open-ended questions after participation in community projects. This research was approved by the institutional review board, and anonymity was ensured for all participants. Survey questions focused on student learning, experience with the project, strengths and weaknesses of the project, supports and barriers of the project, and impact on the public good. Data analysis followed constant comparative and constructivist methods. NVivo qualitative data management software (QSR International, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia) was used. Categories were developed from the findings and driven by the data.

RESULTS: Key findings include a framework of how to build support and overcome barriers, as well as necessary elements for facilitating sustainability.

CONCLUSION: There are challenges to establishing and sustaining service learning projects in the community; however, there are ways to overcome the barriers. Sustainability requires ongoing efforts from all stakeholders.

IMPACT STATEMENT: This investigation establishes a foundational framework that explains how to overcome the barriers to establishing and sustaining community-based service learning projects, which promotes integration of best practices in occupational therapy education. The service learning projects investigated in this study relate to access to occupational therapy services, safety and injury prevention in home and community settings, health behaviors, emotional and physiological influences, and functional cognition, which align with American Occupational Therapy Foundation research priorities.

References

Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine.

Horowitz, B. P. (2012). Service learning and occupational therapy education: Preparing students for community practice. Education Special Interest Section Quarterly, 22(2), 1–4.

Voss, H. C., Matthews, L. R., Fossen, T., Scott, G., & Schaefer, M. (2015). Community–academic partnerships: Developing a service-learning framework. Journal of Professional Nursing, 35, 395–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.03.008