The effects of a service learning program on student academic performance and attendance
Abstract
This study examined the historical perspective, components, and current research regarding the benefits of service-learning to students, the school, and the community. Specifically, the effects of one service-learning program on student grade point average and attendance were examined. This study utilized eight years of archival data from an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group was comprised of high school students who completed both years of a two-year course. The second year of this course was a service-learning class. A randomly selected equivalent control group was comprised of students who completed both years of a two-year course which had no service-learning class. An unpaired t-test and a Mann-Whitney U test were used. Because of the large number of subjects (698), a .01 level of significance was used. The data analysis showed that both the experimental group and the control group experienced increases in grade point average from one year to the next. However, the service-learning group had significantly greater increases in grade point average than the control group. Data analysis also revealed that both the experimental group and the control group had increases in absences from one year to the next. The experimental (service-learning) group had a significantly greater number of absences than the control group.
Subject Area
Secondary education|Curricula|Teaching
Recommended Citation
Jane McGee Allison,
"The effects of a service learning program on student academic performance and attendance"
(2003).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI3107454.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3107454