Include comparison groups and report means, standard deviations, and sample sizes in service-learning research¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 1 study (1 quant-synthesis), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article recommends specific reporting practices for future service-learning researchers so that findings can be meta-analyzed and attributed to the pedagogy itself. It advises that "researchers can include a compari- son group when examining service-learning out- comes" to ensure results are attributable to the pedagogy rather than other factors, and that researchers report means, standard deviations, and sample sizes for both treatment and comparison groups so effect sizes can be computed across studies. It also recommends continuing rigorously designed studies and extending research to elementary, middle, and high school populations.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Studies must include a comparison or control group and report group means, standard deviations, and sample sizes for meta-analytic synthesis

Constraints¶

• Many existing studies could not be included because they did not report data allowing meta-analysis; findings apply only to college populations

Target Learners¶

• undergraduate students
• k-12 students (proposed future research)

Target Learning Goals¶

• student learning outcomes in service-learning courses

Claims¶

• Service-learning has a statistically significant positive effect on student learning outcomes (d = .332) [+W]
• Both self-reported and concrete measures of learning show significant positive effects of service-learning, with no significant difference between measure types [+W]
• Significant heterogeneity exists among service-learning effect sizes across studies [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Report complete statistical data and use standardized success tests to enable future meta-analysis

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Jami L. Warren. (2012). Does Service-Learning Increase Student Learning?: A Meta-Analysis. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mjcsl