Women Educational Leaders' Narratives: The Dynamics of Service Learning on Training and Transformation

Abstract

Service learning strengthens all involved: Students, faculty members, the community, and higher education institutions. Benefits of service learning for students include gaining real world experiences, personal and transformative outcomes (Conway, Amel, & Gerwien’s, 2009), as well as higher order thinking from reflection on the experience (Molee, Henry, Sessa, & McKinney-Prupis, 2010). To understand the dynamics of service learning upon students' learning and transformation, this narrative case study chronicles women educational leaders' service learning and transformative experiences during doctoral study. These personal narratives are contextualized by the faculty member’s service learning pedagogy and the types of service learning projects chosen. Data collection and analysis are achieved through reflective writing and journaling (Richardson & St. Pierre, 2005). A summary of results reveal the importance of service learning for students’ academic and professional growth at the doctoral level, as well as the possibility of long-term benefits of service for the community and the transformation of leaders. Results also give faculty members and higher education support services insight into the design and delivery of service learning courses

Keywords

• service learning, reflection, transformative learning, personal narrative, higher education, women, leadership, teaching