![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to identify strengths of a service-learning focus in nursing education.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will understand that further research is necessary in order to correlate service-learning and critical thinking
Service-learning experiences are gaining popularity in nursing education. The foundation of this exponential growth is the assumption that service-learning offers students real life experiences to build on classroom learning. Inherent in discussing the value of service-learning is the assumption that these educational offerings increase students’ critical thinking abilities. This educational evidence based practice project asks in undergraduate nursing students, does a service-learning focus, when compared to traditional educational methods, improve critical thinking skills? Nursing education and general education research finds conflicting results. After an extensive search of the literature, only four research articles were located and only one demonstrated minor improvement in critical thinking skills after a service-learning experience. In that one instance, the researchers point not to the service-learning itself, but in the directed reflection that service-learning requires. Improvement of critical thinking within service-learning is an assumption with only anecdotal proof. This project concludes the current research is valuable in laying the groundwork with descriptive studies and pointing to the next step of experimentally designed studies. The cost of service-learning to stakeholders in time and resources is too high to rely on anecdotal evidence of its effects.