Examining the Effectiveness of Community-Based Learning in Promoting Student "Civic-Mindedness" at Universities

Abstract

This study focuses on Community-Based Learning (CBL, also known as service learning), which is recognized as a transformative pedagogy that promotes student engagement and develops civic responsibilities. In turn, it improves educational outcomes and job opportunities. Focusing on a private university in Egypt as a case study, this research assesses the extent to which a) CBL promotes student development as civic-minded graduates (CMG) and b) provides educational alternatives that enable students to gain the necessary knowledge, skills and dispositions for engaged community advancement. This was achieved after adapting and employing quantitative tools, developed by the Center for Service & Learning at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) upon their permission. A total of 114 students completed the CMG surveys in two rounds of data collection. The findings of this study reveal the level of students' civicmindedness at the selected university and show how various student experiences on campus contribute to the student CMG overall average score.