A multiple-method evaluation mechanism is built-in to the service learning programme to assess student learning outcomes and the effectiveness and satisfactory operation of the programme.
Purpose
The purpose of this practice is to help the service-learning programme team to assess student learning outcomes in a comprehensive way as a means for ensuring the quality of the programme. An institution adopts a multi-method approach for collecting information and feedback from different stakeholders in order to evaluate student performance and learning outcomes.
The methods include asking students to complete pre and post-programme questionnaires, which measure their perceptions of changes in their knowledge, skills and attitudes across various domains. Students can also be invited to join focus group discussions, and reflective and consultation meetings, to provide deeper insights into their learning experiences. Through summative questionnaires and evaluation meetings, feedback can be collected from course instructors, agency supervisors and programme coordinators, to identify the problems that they have encountered during the programme implementation, and their suggestions for programme improvement.
Outcome
The outcome of employing this practice is a more comprehensive and reliable body of evidence about student learning processes and outcomes. This approach makes better-informed decisions about refinements to the programme curriculum, design, and implementation. Drawing on inputs from all key stakeholders, a comprehensive set of outcome measures and process indicators is obtained. This approach can also be applied as an evaluation tool for other learning programmes.