Exploring key service-learning experiences that promote students’ learning in higher education

Service-learning has gained popularity as a new effective pedagogical approach in higher education across Asian countries in recent years. Yet, there are relatively few qualitative studies on students’ service-learning experiences in the unique educational context of each Asian country. This study explored critical experiences in service-learning programs that promote undergraduate students’ learning and examined how students incorporate their learning into other learning contexts by conducting in-depth interviews with students who actively engaged in extracurricular service-learning programs at a Korean university. The qualitative findings of this study demonstrated that students’ learning process and reflection were promoted by seven critical experiences: (a) understanding and providing benefits that recipients really need, (b) designing and planning a project by themselves, (c) solving a real-world problem, (d) collaborating with diverse people, (e) undertaking a specific role of responsibility, (f) recognizing and managing uncomfortable feelings, and (g) reflecting on their interest and abilities. Additionally, this study revealed that students had expanded their learning and reflection of their service-learning experiences into multidimensional learning contexts by (a) connecting with formal academic courses and (b) engaging in new on- and off-campus activities. This study contributes to broadening the global knowledge base of the service-learning field and it furthermore provides practical implications for policymakers and educators in higher education to design and improve service-learning programs.