Framing+a+research+agenda+-+student+outcomes

Download a PDF of this page ** Framing a theory-grounded research agenda related to student outcomes ** Patti Clayton, Consultant and Practitioner-Scholar, PHC Ventures; Senior Scholar, Center for Service and Learning, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis; Visiting Scholar, University of North Carolina at Greensboro [patti.clayton@curricularengagement.com]

Jay Brandenberger, Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame [Jay.W.Brandenberger.1@nd.edu]

Peggy Fitch, Professor, Central College [fitchp@central.edu]

**Keywords:** Research agenda, theory, student outcomes, intellectual development, cognition, academic learning, personal development **Conference track:** Higher education student outcomes

**Format:** Symposium

This symposium is one of five sessions in a series on framing a research agenda in multiple arenas: students, faculty, institutions, communities, and partnerships. Drawing on //Research on Service Learning: Conceptual Frameworks and Assessment// (Clayton, Bringle, & Hatcher, in press), we will discuss theories relevant to research related to student outcomes (specifically, cognition, academic learning, and personal development), critique previous research in this arena, and collaboratively generate recommendations for practice and future research.
 * Summary **

We will open the session by inviting collaborative critique of research related to students. We will share a model for conceptualizing research in terms of the convergence of theory, design, practice, and measurement (Bringle, Clayton, & Hatcher, in press) and use it to frame the discussion

Peggy Fitch will focus on theory and research related to the application of intellectual development (Steinke & Fitch, 2003) and critical thinking (Fascione, 1990: Paul & Elder, 2008) to service-learning course design focused on enhancing cognitive outcomes (Novak, Markey, and Allen, 2007). Intellectual development, critical thinking, metacognition, problem solving, and transfer are all essential components of self-regulated learning that lasts beyond college and that undergirds effective engagement with communities. A research agenda related to cognitive outcomes will be outlined.

Patti Clayton will share a conceptual framework for articulating, assessing, and investigating academic learning outcomes of service learning. This framework is distilled from a set of related theoretical perspectives that speak to the nature of experiential learning and of cognitive processes more generally (e.g., Bloom, 1956; Paul & Elder, 2006). The discussion will emphasize the particular utility of service-learning in facilitating learning beyond basic foundational knowledge and skills and at the curricular level. A research agenda related to academic learning will be outlined.

Jay Brandenberger suggests that personal development is more often assumed to occur than explicitly targeted within curriculum development and that we need to ask whether the student growth we expect to occur through service learning is consistent with what is known about human development. He will bring theories related to positive psychology, psychosocial and identity development, and moral development to bear in discussion of inquiry into the personal development outcomes of service learning. A research agenda related to students’ personal development will be outlined.

Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009). Generating, deepening, and documenting learning: The power of critical reflection in applied learning. //Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 1//(1), 25-48.
 * References **

Bloom, B. S. (Ed.). (1956). //Taxonomy of educational objectives book 1: Cognitive domain//. White plains, NY: Longman.

Brandenberger, J. W. (2005). College, character, and social responsibility: Moral learning through experience. In D. Lapsley & F. C. Power (Eds.), //Character psychology and character education// (pp. 305-334). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Brandenberger, J. W. (in press). Investigating personal development outcomes in service learning. In P. H. Clayton, R. G. Bringle, & J. A. Hatcher (Eds.),) //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Research on service learning: Conceptual frameworks and assessment. (Vol. 2A) //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., Cocking, R. R., Donovan, M. S., & Pellegrino, J. W. (Eds.). (2000). //How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school (Expanded ed.)//. Washington, DC: National Academy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bringle, R. G. (2003). Enhancing theory-based research on service-learning. In S. H. Billig & J. Eyler (Eds.), //Deconstructing service-learning: Research exploring context, participation, and impacts// (pp. 3–21). Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bringle, R. G., Clayton, P. H., & Hatcher, J. A. (in press). Research on service learning: An introduction. In P. H. Clayton, R. G. Bringle, & J. A. Hatcher, (Eds). //Research on service learning: Conceptual frameworks and assessment. (Vol. 2A & 2B)//. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2000). Meaningful measurement of theory-based service-learning outcomes: Making the case with quantitative research [Special issue]. //Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, Fall//, 68-75.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2002). University-community partnerships: The terms of engagement. //Journal of Social Issues, 58//(3), 503–516.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Butin, D. W. (Ed.). (2008). //Service-learning and social justice education: Strengthening justice-oriented community based models of teaching and learning//. New York, NY: Routledge.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clayton, P. H., Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (Eds). (in press). Research on service learning: Conceptual frameworks and assessment (Vols. 2A & 2B). In R. G. Bringle & J. A. Hatcher (Series Eds.), //IUPUI Series on Service Learning Research//. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dewey, J. (1916). //Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education//. New York, NY: Macmillan.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eyler, J. S., & Giles, D. E., Jr. (1999). //Where’s the learning in service learning?// San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fascione, P. A. (1990). //Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction, Executive Summary. The Delphi Report//. Millbrae, CA: California Academic.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fitch, P., Steinke, P., & Hudson, T. D. (in press). Research and theoretical perspectives on cognitive outcomes of service learning. In P. H. Clayton, R. G. Bringle, & J. A. Hatcher (Eds.), //Research on service learning: Conceptual frameworks and assessment. (Vol. 2A)//. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Flanagan, C. (2004). Volunteerism, leadership, political socialization and civic engagement. In R. Lerner & L. Steinberg (Eds.), //Handbook of adolescent psychology (2nd ed.)// (pp. 721-746). New York, NY: Wiley.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Freire, P. (1998). //Pedagogy of freedom: Ethics, democracy, and civic courage//. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hodgkinson, V. A. (2004). Developing a research agenda on civic service. //Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 33//(4), 184S-197S.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jameson, J. K., Clayton, P. H., & Ash, S. L. (in press). Conceptualizing and assessing academic learning in service learning. In P. H. Clayton, R. G. Bringle, & J. A. Hatcher (Eds.), //Research on service learning: Conceptual frameworks and assessment. (Vol. 2A)//. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kolb, D. (1984). //Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development//. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mentkowski, M., & Associates (Eds.). (2000). //Learning that lasts: Integrating learning, development, and performance in college and beyond//. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Moore, W. S. (2000). Student and faculty epistemology in the college classroom: The Perry schema of intellectual and ethical development. In K. Prichard & R. M. Sawyer (Eds.), //Handbook of college teaching: Theory and applications// (pp. 45-67). Westport, CT: Greenwood.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Novak, J. M., Markey, V., & Allen, M. (2007). Evaluating cognitive outcomes of service learning in higher education: A meta-analysis. //Communication Research Reports, 24//(2), 149-157.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). //Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your learning and your life (2nd ed.)//. Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Paul, R. W., & Elder, L. (2008). //The miniature guide to critical thinking: Concepts and tools//. Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Perry, W. G. (1968/1970/1999). //Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years: A scheme//. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Schön, D. A. (1983). //The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action//. New York, NY: Basic Books.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Steinberg, K. S., Bringle, R. G., &Williams, M. J. (2010). //Service learning research primer//. Scotts Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Steinke, P., & Fitch, P. (2003). Using written protocols to measure service learning outcomes. In S. H. Billig & J. Eyler (Eds.), //Deconstructing service learning: Research exploring context, participation, and impacts// (pp. 171-194). Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Steinke, P., & Fitch, P. (2007). Assessing service-learning. //Research & Practice in Assessment, 1//(2), 1-8.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Warter, E. H., & Grossman, J. M. (2002). An application of developmental-contextualism to service-learning. In A. Furco & S. H. Billig (Eds.), //Service-learning: The essence of the pedagogy// (pp. 83-102). Greenwich, CT: Information Age.


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