ABSTRACT
Service learning, an educational experience that affords students the opportunity to apply experiences gained in helping others to their understanding of material learned in the classroom, is an increasingly popular mode of education in high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States. Surveys suggest that one quarter of all high school students are involved in service-learning courses (Independent Sector, 1990), and over one-half of all college students engage in some form of volunteer activity (Levine, 1994). Many institutions of higher education have adopted programs supporting service-learning as a direct reflection of their stated missions to raise awareness of, and bring resources to the solution of social problems. As funding of governmental service programs continues to decline, it becomes apparent that we will have to rely on our citizenry to meet the needs of underserved populations. Service-learning programs and courses are considered viable ways of promoting a strong sense of social responsibility in students (Boyer, 1994; Markus, Howard, & King, 1993).
