Toward a Theory of Engagement: A Cognitive Mapping of Service-Learning Experiences‪.‬

Service-Learning and Cognitive Processing: Opening the 'Black Box' At most colleges and universities, service-learning has two pedagogical goals: increasing civic responsibility (Myers-Lipton, 1998; Parker-Gwin & Mabry, 1998) and facilitating academic objectives (Astin & Sax, 1998; Claus & Michel, 2000; Eyler & Giles, 1999). Current research on service-learning has focused on these two principle outcomes, using quantitative analysis to measure students' attitudes and substantive knowledge before and after engaging in service-learning (Astin & Sax, 1998; Astin, Sax, & Avalos, in press; Astin, Vogelgesang, Ikeda, & Yee, 2000; Batchelder & Root, 1994; Eyler & Giles, 1999; Eyler, Giles & Braxton, 1997). From these studies, we have learned that service-learning is, in fact, an effective pedagogical technique for meeting these goals. However, little is known about the actual cognitive processes that students undergo during the community learning experience. Students' pre-service and post-service attitudes provide important documentation that learning has occurred over time, yet we are left to wonder what happens to students during this time period. As researchers and educators, we must ask how the learning occurs and how that process is unique to the service-learning experience.