title: Service-Learning in Undergraduate Nursing Education: Where is the Reflection?
abstract: Service-Learning is recognized as a valuable pedagogy that involves experiential learning, reflection, and reciprocal learning. Reflection is a critical component because it assists students to develop critical thinking and social awareness as they reflect upon their experiential learning with community partners. Although there is a proliferation of literature about service-learning, upon closer examination, it is apparent that some authors do not place emphasis on reflection when reporting on service-learning projects. This begs the question, "Where is the reflection?" The purpose of this article is to provide an overview and describe misrepresentations and exemplars of service-learning. After providing an overview of service-learning, examples of how service-learning is misrepresented in the literature are discussed. Exemplars of service-learning are also cited. Calling attention to how service-learning is reported in the literature will increase awareness about the need to critically evaluate articles for evidence of reflection.
authors.affiliation: Dr., Valparaiso University, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Valparaiso, IN 46383.. Electronic address: Janet.Brown@valpo.edu.
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Dr., Valparaiso University, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Valparaiso, IN 46383.
authors.forename: Nola A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D006801:Humans; D017145:Models, Educational; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Nursing education; Reflection; Service–Learning; Undergraduate