Student Perceptions of Open Pedagogy and Community-Engaged Learning: A Comparative Analysis in the Higher Education Classroom

• In Event: Open Education: Empirical Evidence on Innovations Across Disciplines

Abstract

Background: In the face of shifting educational and societal terrains, it has become increasingly important to evaluate teaching and learning approaches to maximize student learning, engagement, and performance outcomes. This includes the implementation of active and experiential learning models that are increasingly being employed as a replacement for lecture based pedagogical approaches, creating a shift in the learning environment that engages students as co-constructors of the learning experience alongside their instructors and peers. One form of experiential learning is community service learning (CSL) which connects theoretical course content to practice by facilitating organized community service that meets an identified community need area (Brail, 2016; Deal et al., 2020). This approach couples well with the student-centered nature of open pedagogy that places the student as a partner in the learning process, moving beyond traditional instructional methods such as disposable assignments and educator-led classroom discussions to a co-created milieu that has lasting value beyond the course itself (DeRosa & Robinson, 2017; Wiley & Hilton, 2018). There is limited research on student’s perceptions of the intersection of open pedagogy and community engaged service learning approaches. This is particularly true for overall student satisfaction and willingness to engage in future community service.
Aims and Methods: This paper compares students’ perception of CSL projects with and without the use of open pedagogy. The purpose of the study was to explore how open pedagogy, particularly the use of non-disposable assignments, would influence students’ satisfaction with and perception of CSL projects and classroom assignments. This study compared two renditions of CSL projects one implemented with traditional instructional methods and one when the assignment was presented as disposable. It further explored the experience of open pedagogy by comparing the CSL implemented with open pedagogy to a renewable assignment project via Wikipedia. The sample included students from a small, catholic, liberal arts institution who were enrolled in and completed courses that employed CSL projects as part of the pedagogical approach in the Fall of 2021 (n=33) and Spring of 2022 (n=16). Anonymous self-administered survey responses were collected from students at the end of each semester and data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Findings: No statistically significant differences were found in student responses between the traditional and open approaches to implementation of CSL. However, students reported a positive experience with the CSL project and open responses highlighted their enjoyment of the assignment and the value they placed in it. When exploring student experiences with open pedagogy, students identified renewable assignments as increasing the value that they placed in the course and the assignments.
Significance: While the present study did not find statistically significant differences in students’ perceptions, students also did not report less satisfaction and therefore we can assume that this approach was at least equal to that of traditional CSL assignments which is in line with previous research that has found open pedagogy to be as effective as traditional instructional methods. This is encouraging for educators who seek to increase the use of experiential learning opportunities.

Author

• Christian Williams, Assumption University
  Presenting Author