Bridging the Gap between Service and Learning within Business Curriculum through Community Voice & Reciprocity

Abstract

Experiential learning pedagogies, including service-learning, can be used in the business classroom to connect theory and practice. An increasing body of literature demonstrates a trend toward service-learning integration into the business classroom and shows that service projects can potentially support learning outcomes for business students. For example, service-learning can help business students to develop and improve interpersonal skills, the ability to work with others, and openness to new ideas (Caseperz & Olaru, 2017; Carlisle et. al, 2017). Although this existing research suggests the potential benefit of service-learning for business students, the mechanism that connects service experiences to classroom learning in business has not yet been defined. Clarification on how service informs learning and how learning informs service is needed for meaningful integration of business curriculum and service. This study addresses this need by analyzing the connection between service and learning within the business classroom environment through three case studies: Long Term Care Management, Principles of Marketing and Sport Sales and Revenue Generation. Themes emerge from the systematic analysis of these case studies demonstrating how service and learning can be bridged within the business classroom environment through reciprocity and community voice.