A Blueprint for Promoting Academic and Social Competence in After-School Programs by Thomas P. Gullotta Martin Bloom Christianne F. Gullotta & Jennifer C. Messina

Author:Thomas P. Gullotta, Martin Bloom, Christianne F. Gullotta & Jennifer C. Messina
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer US, Boston, MA

6.2.4 Benefits to Schools and the Local Community

Whereas evaluations of SL programs often report to have a positive impact on students, they frequently neglect to indicate how schools and communities benefit. However, Billig (2002) notes a few findings suggesting that SL programs can positively impact schools. In general, SL can lead to a more positive interpersonal climate in a school, improvement in teaching practices, and heightening of student bonding to school. For example, in her review, Billig (2002) cites Toole’s (2000) in-depth study of two schools, which revealed that teachers who included SL in their curriculum were likely to use more cooperative group work, more student self-assessment, more projects that required data collection, and more access to the Internet, all of which has the potential to lead to greater student engagement in learning. In addition, Billig and Conrad (1997) found schools that used SL were likely to be characterized as having more dialogue about teaching and learning among the staff and more mutual respect among teachers and students.

In another study, Hecht and Fusco (1996) found that students in a SL program reported feeling less bored, more grown up, and more important when doing service than when they were at school. These data suggest that SL programs can increase student engagement, feelings of self-efficacy, and respect for their school. In other words, implementing SL projects can have the associated benefit of improving teaching practices, cooperation, and both teacher and student morale, thus enhancing the overall educational environment.

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