Reflections on Service-learning in Tax During a Pandemic Period

Abstract

Completing service-learning in a tax-related environment is often an experience that provides opportunities for individuals to gain practical work experience and work through anxiety and stress in any time period.  Add the unknowns of going through the COVID pandemic and the impacts it has on the experience and this can take the stress and anxiety experiences to even higher levels.  However, the service-learning aspect is still one that provides students with the practical work experience that will prepare them for entering the professional workforce, yet still having the ability to reach out to academic leadership for assistance.  The purpose of this qualitative research study was to collect and analyze data related to the service-learning experience of participants during a pandemic period.  Nine individuals agreed to participate in the study and in the data collection during their service-learning experience.  These individuals made weekly journal recordings and periodic reflections on their experience.  In addition, interviews were conducted (through both weekly group check-in meetings and individual follow-up meetings with the instructor) in order to gain additional insights from the students’ experiences.  The collected data was analyzed for both similarities and differences in student experiences.  Results of the analysis were interpreted and summarized for documentation purposes.  Finally, recommendations for future research and future tax-related service-learning experiences were provided.