What Should Be Learned through Service Learning?

Part of a special section on service learning in political science. The writers contend that service learning offers opportunities and challenges for increasing the efficacy of both the teaching and practice of democratic politics. They argue that the challenge confronting instructors lies in clarifying the relationship between classroom and experiential learning. In addressing this issue, they explore the learning of factual knowledge about politics. They contend that including service as part of students' educational experience can raise their motivation and opportunity to learn about politics and thereby increase the likelihood of their ongoing engagement in public life. They conclude that the combination of experiential and classroom education can be an effective means of generating citizens who are both educated observers of the political scene and more active participants in public life.