Service-Learning Australia

Standard.
Service-learning promotes understanding of diversity and mutual respect among all participants – those serving and those being served.

Indicators.
Service-learning helps participants to:

• Identify and analyze different points of view to gain understanding of multiple perspectives. 
• Develop interpersonal skills in conflict resolution and group decision-making.
• Actively seek to understand and value the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of those offering and receiving service.
• Recognize and overcome stereotypes.

Sample supporting research.

Spring, Dietz, and Grimm (2006) found that youth from high-poverty communities were much less likely to volunteer than those from other backgrounds. When they did volunteer, the young people from high-poverty backgrounds tended to be motivated by the opportunity to acquire skills for work or school. As a result of their participation, these young people tended to have more positive civic dispositions and behaviors than their peers. Billig, Root, and Jesse (2005) demonstrated that diversity in service-learning programming was related to academic engagement, valuing school, enjoyment of subject matters, civic dispositions, and civic engagement. Simmons and Toole (2003), writing about the results of a diversity taskforce, reported a lack of consensus about the relationship between diversity and service-learning. Some service-learning practices led to reinforcing stereotypes and promoting the imbalance of power in the relationship between social groups. Simmons and Toole noted that a missionary ideology is less likely when service planning is based on an assets model, when participants directly address the issue of culture, and when reflection activities ask participants to think about the larger context of societal needs and cultural traditions of those being served and those providing the service. Hammond and Heredia (2002) showed that participation in service-learning helped individuals to become better “cultural brokers.”Service-learning was also found to have different meanings and challenges based on the racial or ethnic background of participants. Vang (2004–2005) found that service-learning is an unfamiliar concept in many cultures and that service activities need to be culturally sensitive. Keith (1997) noted that non-White students who participated in service-learning tended to learn more when knowledge was presented in context (“field sensitive”), when the learning process was collaborative, when they could see the relationships between their efforts and accomplishments, and when they engaged in activities that allowed repeated experiences with success and therefore promoted patterns of internal attribution.... Relationships were also important. More learning occurred when teachers were perceived as caring. (p. 137)  LaPointe (2004) gave similar recommendations in research about Native American practices. Native American tribes often have strong cultural traditions that promote service, but their beliefs may not be consistent with the beliefs currently driving service-learning in schools and out-of-school programs.