Theory and Practice in Service Learning Curriculum Design: The Experience of Participants in an Instructional Development Seminar

This dissertation examines the experience of twelve postsecondary education faculty and administrators during and after a faculty development seminar on service learning pedagogy. The seminar, entitled "Connecting Service Experience with Classroom Instruction: Theory and Practice in Service Learning Curriculum Design", was developed to (1) stimulate faculty interest in connecting student public service with academic study; and (2) to provide participants with the knowledge and resources necessary to design courses that implement this pedagogy. Data were gathered from participants with the knowledge and resources necessary to design courses that implement this pedagogy. Data were gathered from participants' seminar learning plans and assessments, through interviews conducted more than one year following the seminar, and through follow-up reports. The study is intended both to build upon and elaborate research on instructional improvement efforts related to service learning pedagogy, and faculty development initiatives generally.