Chinese College Students' Knowledge Construction in Service-Learning: The Role of Task Complexity

• In Event: 28.083 - The Practices, Problems, Perspectives, and Potential of Service-Learning Partnerships

Abstract

Previous studies have examined the effects of service-learning on student outcomes, but the dynamic and mechanism of student learning have received little attention. The present study aimed to investigate how students construct their understanding of knowledge through service-learning. Eighty-four students were randomly assigned to two task conditions: the single task condition (n=36) in which students served one autistic child and the complex task condition (n=48) in which students served two children with autism successively. 483 reflective journals written by students in an 8-week timeframe were analyzed. The results indicated the overall change of student knowledge construction has fluctuated throughout the service-learning process. These changes have indicated that complexity of service task might interfere student knowledge construction instantaneously. .

Authors

• Meilin Yao, Beijing Normal University

• Wenfan Yan, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Yulan Li, Beijing Normal University

• fangfang guo, Beijing Normal University

• xiuping yao, Beijing Normal University