Serving Students through Service-Learning

A Digital Pandemic Histories Archive

Authors

  • Vivianna Goh University of California, Irvine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2811-4686
  • Susan Bibler Coutin University of California, Irvine
  • Kameryn Denaro University of California, Irvine
  • Michael Dennin University of California, Irvine
  • Richard Matthew University of California, Irvine
  • Dmitry Tsukerman University of California, Irvine

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a California public university launched the Pandemic Histories Archive Project (PHAP) in collaboration with the library. This online service-learning opportunity empowered undergraduates to describe and reflect on their pandemic experiences and represent their communities by contributing to the library’s digital archive. From 2020-2021, nearly 300 undergraduate students completed PHAP’s asynchronous online training modules and documented the COVID-19 pandemic and social justice issues by producing materials such as field notes, interviews, photographs, and reflections. According to open-ended surveys, students responded favorably to this novel project, valuing the creative freedom, knowledge, and skills gained through community archiving. This case study summarizes the literature on online and service-learning, presents the pros and cons of each, and offers recommendations for creating a student-centered learning environment. PHAP’s teaching approaches, which emphasized student wellness and strengths, can be applied beyond the pandemic in future online, hybrid, and in-person courses.

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Published

2024-08-05

Issue

Vol. 19 (2024): THE JOURNAL OF SERVICE-LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Section

Articles

License

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