Critical Thinking in a Higher Education Service-Learning Program

The presence of the critical thinking process in a service-learning program was researched with a qualitative study. Service-learning in higher education is presented as an experiential learning program that promotes socially responsible education committed to improving quality of life for everybody, everywhere. Four students were monitored during a l-semester service-learning experience and the Critical Thinking Case (Pacheco, 2005) was applied to the entire student population of the School of Psychology running the service-learning program. Results indicate the presence of the critical thinking process in the reflection stage of the service-learning experience (i.e., reflection journals and group reflection) and via the Critical Thinking Case. Overall student performances on the Critical Thinking Case differed by the semester the students were in, with more advanced students having higher critical thinking levels on the case. The results may impact service-learning programs, their reflective processes and also impact higher education institutions by highlighting the importance of service and critical thinking as primary objectives in higher education. Being able to prove the presence of critical thinking in the reflection processes of the service-learning program facilitates experience and instrument design (e.g., Critical Thinking Case) that will allow firm advances in the research and in design of the overall education experience. [authors]