Service Learning Students’ Perceptions of Citizenship

Abstract

This study examines the conceptions of citizenship held by students engaged in a service learning course.Open-ended responses to instructor-developed surveys were analyzed.Results indicated that students primarily viewed good citizenship in terms of community service; however, their ideas about service were limited to passive kinds of service such as helping others and volunteering rather than active kinds of service such as community organizing.Opportunities for broadening service learning students’ understanding of citizenship are discussed.