Reflecting on Why We Choose to Take the Path of Service-Learning

This essay will explore the various factors that influence faculty in choosing to teach service-learning courses. While colleges and universities continue to make strides toward institutionalizing service-learning and other forms of civic engagement, there is a pre-requisite step of becoming aware of what motivates faculty to participate in service-learning. Research has been conducted to identify demographic factors that may predict faculty members' predisposition to teach service-learning. Beyond demographic factors, there is a host of reasons that influence faculty. Some academicians focus on the pedagogy itself while others view service-learning as a form of social justice. Many of these factors reveal more about the person than the professional. Despite the challenges associated with achieving promotion and tenure, many instructors discover an inner calling or vocation to teach service-learning. Many are attracted to the sense of "community" it creates among and between colleagues, students, and the community. This essay will borrow salient theoretical constructs regarding adult learning and personal development to illustrate the inner geography of faculty that influence their decision to teach service-learning courses.[author]