Author name: Mrs.

Roxanne Greenidge-Waithe

Professional position: Adjunct Lecturer, Barbados Community College Hospitality

Institute

Academic status: PhD Candidate, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill

Campus, School of Education

Address: #94 Hibiscus House, 4th Avenue Woodbourne Park

St. Philip, Barbados. BB18047

Telephone: 246-420-4019 (h) 246-230-2691 (m)

Email: workmates@caribsurf.com

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 Lessons in Community Service Learning: Implications for Tourism Educators

The tourism and travel curriculum needs to be as dynamic as the industry it serves hence

tutors are expected to use innovative ways to enhance students‟ learning. This research

reports the efforts of a tourism instructor who used action research to introduce

community service learning into a core course at the Barbados Community College

Hospitality Institute. The paper makes a case for four key factors that can lead to a

sustainable community service learning tourism with specific emphasis on implications

for the educator. In particular, action research has significantly transformed the context

for my teaching practice and cultivated an appreciation for the value of teacher and

student reflection.

Keywords: community service learning, curriculum, tourism, action research

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 LESSONS IN COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING: IMPLICATIONS FOR

TOURISM EDUCATORS

There is no easy way to evaluate the extent to which a teacher or a course is boring but

students have their own way of communicating boredom; glazed over eyes, incessant

chatter, absenteeism, and nowadays they send text messages during class. The fact is that

for taught modules, classroom attendance is an unavoidable requirement. However,

educators have options for modifying their teaching practice and creating exciting

learning experiences for their students during teaching time.

I propose that community service learning, also referred to as service-learning (Kinsley

1997 and Furco 1996), is a viable alternative for enlivening academic courses and

engaging students to gain knowledge through action instead of typical lecture sessions.

This paper considers how community service learning experiences can be developed

using lessons learnt from an action research project executed in Barbados.

The Tourism Education Context in Barbados

The two main institutions responsible for tourism education in Barbados are the Barbados

Community College Hospitality Institute and the University of the West Indies Cave Hill

where students can read for an Associate Degree or Bachelor of Science in Tourism

respectively. Although the national curriculum as posited by the Barbados Ministry of

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Education (Curriculum 2000) advocates the materialization of active learners schooled

using continuous assessment, authentic experiences and flexible learning supported by

community involvement, the reality is that the curriculum in these tertiary-level schools

is still principally exam driven. Furthermore, curricular activities at The Hospitality

Institute that give tourism students experience in practical tasks which are not taught in

the classroom setting are often expensive to run and difficult to administer considering

transportation costs, student permits, teacher preparation and corporate backing. In

addition to financial resources, there are usually concerns regarding local access to target

communities and student safety.

As a tutor for the Tourism and Travel at the Barbados Community College Hospitality

Institute, in 2004 I embarked on an action research project and introduced community

service learning in one of my courses to see whether it would enhance my students‟

learning experience.

Lesson Outline

The ensuing discussion will involve talking about the findings of the study. However, the

purpose here is not to report results. Instead, I will use the project to explain the four key

factors that have so far sustained the community service learning programme at the

Hospitality Institute: a dynamic syllabus, a culture of teamwork within the faculty,

continuous reflection, and strategic partnerships with community members.

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I discuss these factors within the context of four lessons learned since introducing

community service learning into a Tourism and Travel course. The first lesson explains

what community service learning means to me as a course instructor. The second lesson

demonstrates the influence of action research in promoting a dynamic syllabus.

In the third lesson, I refer to the challenges of implementing community service learning.

The final lesson considers the power of reflection as a tool for course feedback,

evaluation and change. I conclude my discussion with some thoughts on the implications

these lessons have for my future teaching practice and for those who might be

considering community service learning for their courses.

Lesson #1 – On What is Community Service Learning

My interest in community service learning was propelled by a need to address some

significant trends that were happening in my classes:

 The first year students, new entrants to the Hospitality Institute, were resistant to

alternative forms of assessment other than pencil and paper tests. They disliked

group work and in-class discussions, preferring instead to write copious notes in

preparation for an end of term exam.

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  Despite the fact that they had chosen a career in hospitality and tourism, some

students were intimidated by the prospect of interacting with the public or even

delivering oral in-class presentations. Moreover, when they were assigned

simple projects they generally had difficulty in using critical analysis and problem

solving skills to achieve project goals.

Preliminary investigations highlighted Community Service Learning as a feasible

teaching method which can potentially enrich teaching and learning. Furco (1996)

explains that community service learning is a method of teaching which connects

classroom content to the community in a way that is helpful to others.

Community service learning is also known as service-learning, community-based

learning, and experiential learning (Mass-Weigert, 1998). The requisite conditions are

that students engage in a wide range of activities that are of benefit to others, and they use

the experience generated to gain a deeper understanding of the course content, a broader

appreciation of their chosen discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility

(Waterman, 1997; Bringle & Hatcher, 2007).

Considering that I wanted my students to have more meaningful learning experiences, I

commenced an action research project to explore the possibility of successfully

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implementing Community Service Learning as an effective learning methodology for one

of the core modules in the Tourism and Travel Programme.

I launched the pilot project in 2004, the service-learning course was officially established

the following year, and is gaining new dimensions with execution of every . For

instance, the 2010 Tourism System curriculum includes a new module on climate change

which requires students to put on a puppet show for primary school students featuring

this topic as part of their service learning experience.

In my estimation, Community Service Learning is an academic initiative whereby

students collaborate with persons in the community to strengthen the lessons they learn in

class and improve their understanding of the curriculum.

Lesson #2 – Action Research Complements Community Service Learning

McCutcheon and Jung (1990:144) describe educational action-research as “any inquiry

teachers undertake to understand and improve their own practice.” This definition

encapsulates the rationale for my study because I wanted to find out if community service

learning can be integrated into an existing tourism course and make student learning

more meaningful.

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Closely related to the notion of action research is that of action learning, which according

to McGill and Beaty (2001:11) is “a continuous process of learning and reflection,

supported by colleagues, with an intention of getting things done. Through action

learning, individuals learn with and from each other by working on real problems and

reflecting on their own experiences.”

Plan, act, observe, and reflect (Kolb 1984; Kemmis & McTaggart, 2000; Cohen et al.,

2007). This simple learning cycle captures the main features of the action research and

action learning sequence. Each time I implement the community service learning course

it takes the students, and me the instructor, through simultaneous processes of inquiry and

learning.

However, when I first introduced community service learning into the Tourism and

Travel curriculum, I followed an action research cycle as illustrated in Figure 1.

Changing the Curriculum

I selected The Tourism System, a first year course for the Tourism and Travel

programme, for the introduction of service-learning because the course topics are

primarily concerned with people, places and enterprise; vital components of

„community‟. The overall objective of the course is to provide students with an

understanding of how the global tourism system operates.

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I used a Curriculum Development Form (Kinsley & McPherson, 1995; Exley, 2001) as a

framework to produce a revised module for the Tourism System course. The most

obvious difference between the original and modified course, are the service-learning

elements which requires students to complete a series of tasks during the term.

However the key service-learning „product‟ and evidence of their learning is the staging

of a Global Tourism Fair. This activity calls for students to build on the theoretical

concepts they learn in class, do research, and use organizational, networking and

negotiation skills. Students therefore initiate contact and interact directly with tourism

industry persons to gather information about the various global tourism destinations.

Their inquiries have so far included collaboration with various local embassies, the

Caribbean Tourism Organization, the European Union and other tourism agencies.

Student teams have also forged partnerships with community based organizations such as

The Barbados Sindhi Association and The Israel Lovell Foundation, a registered charity

institution in Barbados that offers outreach s to the underprivileged through academic,

skills-training and creative arts classes.

Research Participants

The research group consisted of 39 first-year Tourism and Travel students registered for

the academic year 2004-2005. Other participants in this study were the 65 tutorial and 75

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ancillary staff members at The Hospitality Institute plus community partners. For my

study I defined „community‟ as those persons or agencies with whom the students form

enterprising relationships and those who routinely interact with staff at the Hospitality

Institute.

Data Collection

I used several vehicles for data collection in order to understand what was happening at

each stage of the research. My approach was to gather information on two sets of

variables; students‟ service-learning experiences and curricular issues.

In terms of students‟ experiences I wanted to gage their reactions to service-learning, and

to examine how it would affect their performance. Figure 2 illustrates the techniques

used to gather this information.

Before instruction, I administered a Pre-service learning Survey to measure students‟

attitudes and perceptions prior to their engagement in community service learning, and at

the end of the course they filled out a Post-service Survey that rated their service-learning

experience and tested their level of interest in the community. Students‟ responses were

analyzed to see whether their views changed after having undergone the programme.

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During instruction, I used in-class presentations and reflection worksheets to measure

students‟ knowledge about the Tourism System and to test their ability to think critically.

The Global Tourism Fair was the most critical output for evaluating the students‟ service-

learning experience because it assessed the extent of their learning from community

partners, the knowledge gained through in-class instruction and their ability to synthesize

and communicate this information to others.

Since I essentially changed the curriculum, I started a learning log to document changes

and reflect on my own classroom practice. This strategy included recording notes from

notable tutor/student exchanges, meetings with staff and community partners, as well as

other related experiences.

Additionally, I interviewed other instructors at The Institute to find out which

instructional methods or innovative techniques they employ to keep students motivated to

learn, and to investigate their level of interest in community service learning.

Results

Some key results from the study include:

(i) community service learning can be effectively integrated into core courses for

the Tourism and Travel Curriculum

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 (ii) Students responded positively to this method of teaching and learning but

encountered time management problems to complete the necessary work for

other courses

(iii) Students reported that the service-learning project impelled them to develop

interpersonal, communication, organization, creative, problem-solving and

time management skills.

(iv) Community members were interested in the development and education of

students and supported their service-learning project.

I have two points to make in this lesson. The first is that my study demonstrates the

possible power of action research and action learning to change an everyday course into

an extraordinary community service learning programme.

Secondly, action research never stops. It facilitates a dynamic syllabus because each time

I implement the community service learning course I draw on best practices from the

previous programme. I continuously question my teaching practice and at the same time

learn from this process. The learning is symbiotic; I learn from my students as much as

they learn from me.

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Lesson #3 – Expect Challenges

Holland (1997) contends that because community service learning is relatively new, the

main barrier to building greater academic legitimacy for this method of teaching is

skepticism on the part of educators who do not see the value of service-learning as

pedagogy.

When I first discussed my proposal with the director of The Institute, I received

immediate approval for the service-learning initiative. However, the response from other

faculty members was not so encouraging even though I distributed materials to explain

the programme and I delivered a presentation on my proposed plans.

The most frustrating moments were when I encountered resistance or indifference when I

asked for help. As the research progressed, I persisted and habitually sought faculty

advice and involvement in the service-learning activities. I invited them to assess

students‟ in-class presentations, to participate in the Global Tourism Fair, and used any

opportunity to sensitize faculty about the potential benefits of community service

learning programmes and also to solicit their support for the project.

Curry (1991) asserts that for a community college to successfully integrate service-

learning into the institutional culture, faculty, staff and administrators must be part of the

activities associated with the innovation. This has been my experience. I remained

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committed to the programme and eventually, faculty at The Institute endorsed service-

learning.

By the end of the first course in 2004, many fellow tutors, members of the administrative

staff, and individuals from the management team had participated in some aspect of the

programme. The implementation of the Global Tourism Fair, the most important

community service learning activity, succeeded because of their contributions.

Evidently, skeptics can be reached by demonstrating the value, efficacy and legitimacy of

community service learning (Ramaley, 2000). In 2008, I partnered with three fellow

tutors along with their first year students from the Culinary Arts Associate Degree

Programme to stage the Tourism Global Fair.

Those who attempt community service learning can expect other challenges along the

way. The obstacles I faced were consistent with findings of studies conducted by

Anderson and Pickeral (1999) and Holland (2001):

1. Implementing a community service learning project is extremely time-consuming.

However, I maintain that the action research cycle of „plan, act, observe, reflect’

provides structure for the process.

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 2. There is no training for teachers in my locale on „how to use service-learning‟.

For my project, I would have liked a mentor who had some knowledge about

service-learning to help me execute the first course.

3. Service-learning projects require a strong budget and I have had to omit or change

activities over the years depending on the school‟s financial constraints.

4. Service-learning absorbs large blocks of student time and sometimes encroaches

on their work for other courses. For this reason, I allocate time during class for

student groups to work on their service-learning project.

5. The instructor and institution are accountable for any issues associated with

incorporating community partners into the service-learning programme.

I provide my students with a Student Resource Kit which outlines strict guidelines

for engagement with community partners. Additionally, I eliminated the problem

of sending students offsite to conduct all their service-learning activities by

arranging for the community partners to participate in classroom presentations

during the semester and at the Global Tourism Fair which is held at the

Hospitality Institute.

At the heart of this lesson is the idea that community service learning can only be

sustained where there is a culture of teamwork within the institution, and partnership with

community groups.

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I also suggest here that while teachers can expect real challenges when introducing a

service-learning course, the action research cycle ensures a systematic approach to

execution and helps to surmount any problems.

Lesson #4 – On the Power of Reflection

Reflection is the use of creative and critical thinking skills to help prepare for, succeed in,

and gain knowledge from the service-learning experience (Follman et al., 1994). The

goal of reflection is to construct meaning from experience (Kraft & Kielsmeier, 1995;

Connor & Seifer, 2005 ).

Kinsley and McPherson (1995) explain that reflection provides instructors with the

means to assess the experiential learning that occurs when students participate in service-

learning activities outside the classroom. Reflection also allows students to connect the

new knowledge with the formal knowledge obtained from instructional sessions inside

the classroom.

I devised reflection worksheets for use throughout the course to provide feedback about

student learning. Each student submitted individual reflection worksheets at four critical

stages in the service-learning programme. The sheets consisted of 4 or 5 questions that

asked students to reflect on what they were learning from project, to account for their

specific contributions and to evaluate their interaction with persons in the community.

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Reflection was an invaluable tool for my research because it was a way of looking back

to see how to proceed onwards. I reviewed past events from my learning log and from

the students‟ reflection worksheets, rationalized what was happening with the service-

learning course and then took the necessary steps to ensure that loopholes were

addressed.

Now, reflection is a permanent feature in all of my courses because by encouraging

students to reflect I acquire continuous feedback on instruction and it impels them (and

me) to think about what they are learning. The power of reflection is that it presents an

opportunity for us to learn from past experiences and change our actions for a better

future.

Conclusion

Admittedly, there were limitations in my research that have implications for potential

practitioners of community service learning. In the first instance, my study, which

involved a course for credit, was scheduled during a regular semester period.

According to Blyth et al., (1997) service-learning is likely to be more effective when

students are repeatedly involved with community partners and they have a chance to

grow and engage in problem solving through progression in learning. This means that

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ideally, students who do my community service learning course in their first year should

follow on with this method in other subjects they take during their academic tenure.

Secondly, my study was also limited by the characteristics of the students in the sample.

The students in the sample consisted only of those enrolled in year one of the Tourism

and Travel elective at the Hospitality Institute. Some of the applications in service-

learning may not be appropriate for students undertaking conventional courses.

Nevertheless, since I introduced community service learning six years ago, it has had a

transformative effect that extends beyond my classroom walls:

 Service-learning has changed the way I teach. My syllabus evolves to suit student

needs and industry trends.

 It changes the way students are accustomed to learning

 For the academic board it meant changing the way the course is administered

 For community partners, they their roles have changed from passive to active

participants in the students‟ learning.

Given the tremendous pressure on teachers to complete their syllabi and prepare students

for exams, I understand that it is difficult to change educational practice. However, I

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submit that community service learning represents one way to offer tourism students an

exceptional learning experience while at the same time revitalizing teaching practice.

References

Anderson, J. & Pickeral, T. (1999). Challenges and Strategies for Success with Service-

Learning in Pre-service Teacher Education. Washington DC: Corporation for National

Service.

Barbados Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs & Culture. (2000). Curriculum 2000

Barbados. Rationale and Guidelines for Curricular Reform.

Blyth, D., Saito R., & Berkas, T. (1997). “A Quantitative Study of the Impact of Service-

Learning Programmes”. IN A. Waterman (Ed.), Service-learning: Applications from the

Research. New Jersey: Lawrence.

Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2007). Current trends in service learning and civic

engagement and their implications for higher education. Education as Change, 11(3), 79-

89.

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Cohen, L. , Manion, L and Morrison, K. (2007). Research Methods in Education. 6th

ed. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Connor, K., & Seifer, S. (2005). Reflection in Higher Education Service-Learning. Scotts

Valley, CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse. Retrieved from

http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he_facts/he_reflection/

Curry, B. K. (1991). Institutionalization: The Final Phase of the Organizational Change

Process. Administrator‟s Notebook 35(1): 1-5.

Exley, R. J. (2001). Getting Started with Service learning, Teachers at all Levels

Integrating Service into the Curriculum. Western Community College: IA.

Follman, J., Watkins, J. & Wilkes, D. (1994). Learning by Serving: 2,000 Ideas for

Service-learning Projects. Greensboro, NC: University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

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Furco, A. (1996). Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education, in

B. Taylor, ed., Expanding Boundaries: Serving and Learning, Washington, DC:

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Commnity Service Learning, 4(Fall), pp 30-41.

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Lincoln (Eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research (2nd Ed.), pp 567-605. Beverley Hills

CA: Sage.

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School Principals Bulletin, 1-7.

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Kinsley, C., & McPherson, K. (1995). Enriching the Curriculum through Service-

Learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential Learning. Experience as the Source of Learning and

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Reflection. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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Ramaley, J. A. (2000). Embracing Civic Responsibility. AAHE Bulletin, 52(7), pp 9-

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 - Action Research Cycle for Introducing Service-Learning

PLAN
Ask questions
about practice.
Do research.
Revise
REFLECT ACT
course.
Review Design (data)
experiences. instruments.
Make Teach revised
decisions for course.
change. OBSERVE
Collect and
analyze data
while course is
in progress.

Modified from Kemmis & McTaggart (1981)

Figure 2 – Data Gathering for Student Service-Learning Experiences

Student Service-Learning Experience Data Collection Method

Attitudes and Values Pre and Post Service learning

survey

Knowledge and subject matter In-class presentations

competence

Cognitive and critical thinking skills Reflection worksheets

Educational Attainment Service Learning Project

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