Involve Me and I Understand: Differentiating Service-Learning and Fieldwork

The goal of this chapter is to compare and contrast service-learning and fieldwork education in occupational therapy to differentiate their practical application and outcomes. However, this is not an easy task, and this chapter will most likely initiate further debate. Regardless, this review cannot be done outside the literature on engaged learning. Thus, a brief review of the major approaches to engaged learning from the broadest models moving to the two that are the specific thesis of this chapter will be provided. Overviews of a variety of engaged learning approaches are provided, including experiential education, community engagement, cooperative education, and service-learning, in order to understand external pressures or opportunities created by these for fieldwork education. The chapter will conclude with specific comparison of service-learning with fieldwork education and provide some guidelines for differentiating the two educational approaches. Note that specific instructional methods using engaged learning strategies in the classroom, such as mastery or competence-based, problem-based, case-based, and cooperative learning, are beyond the purview of this paper. This chapter focuses on engaged strategies that are useful in naturally occurring ("reality-based") service delivery or practice contexts. Appendix A offers an engaged learning resources list. [author]