Affect of Previous Service Activities on Student Experiences in a Service-Learning Course, (The)

This study sought to further explore Serow's (1991) findings about motivation for participation in service. In order to do so, this study focused on the affect of previous service for students enrolled in service-learning courses. The rationale for this study was that further exploration of the affect of previous service among higher education students could enable service-learning practitioners and faculty at higher education institutions to develop an understanding of what prompts students to enroll in service-learning courses. This study included two objectives which focused on the affect of previous service experiences among students in higher education. The first objective of this study was to investigate the affect of previous involvement in community service, philanthropy, or volunteer projects on student current experiences in service-learning classes. The second objective of the study was to investigate the affect of previous enrollment in a service-learning course on student current experiences in service-learning classes. The results of this study indicated that the affect of previous involvement in community service, philanthropy, or volunteer projects differed from the affect of previous enrollment in a service-learning course on student current experiences in service-learning classes. Analysis of data in this study indicated that students who had previously participated in community service, philanthropy, or volunteer projects were different from students who had not. However, data from this study suggested that there was no difference between students who had and who had not previously completed a service-learning course.