Assessing the Impact of Service-Learning on Preservice Teachers in an Afterschool Program

The study reported uses a qualitative design to investigate the benefits of service-learning through the eyes of the preservice teachers who participated in it. The study focuses on how preservice teachers compare and contrast teaching and learning in the formal classroom during student teaching and teaching and learning in service-learning. Based on the results of the analysis procedures, the authors present four differences between the regular classroom and the service-learning environment that preservice teachers consistently mentioned as having affected their professional development. These are: (1) working with a group of students from different grade levels; (2) having a low teacher-student ratio; (3) teaching in an after-school program; and (4) working with a team of teachers. In conclusion, this study supports the view that service-learning can provide preservice teachers a rich context to build and extend their knowledge of teaching. The voices within the reflections of preservice teachers engaged in service-learning provide insights into how a service-learning experience impacted their knowledge about teaching and student learning and development. [ERIC]