An Action Research in EMU: Integrating Community Based Service-Learning Projects

ABSTRACT: For an educational institution to be defined as excellent, personal development of the students should be facilitated in a holistic manner and this is possible through building better bridges to the real world outside campus borders. It is important for teachers to grow both academic and productive citizens for the future. Eastern Mediterranean University‘s mission involves the commitment to create a stimulating intellectual environment that fosters values of respect, empathy, and ethical responsibility. The main problem is that the affective goals of higher education such as growing helpful and caring citizens are not emphasized as much as cognitive goals. The purpose of this study is to examine the contributions of community based service-learning (Cbsl) projects on university students mainly in affective domain of learning. This study consists of an action research project and is carried out in the mode of case study method attempting to explore a unique phenomenon (community based service-learning project) in Eastern Mediterranean University. 80 students from 3 different classes were involved in this study. Triangulation, which involves different methods to gather information, was preferred and the desired data were collected through pre-test, post-test, reflective papers and semi-structured interviews. Project participants found Cbsl project to be an empowering and worthwhile experience. The major findings of the study showed that Cbsl projects challenged students to examine, formulate and articulate their values as well as building several skills like collaboration and problem solving crucial for their personal, vocational and cognitive growth. As a result of the projects, not only cognitive growth of students‘ but affective and behavioral development embracing personal growth, found within the frame of higher education, are also nourished. Therefore, the effective findings derived from this study encourage school administrations to adopt Cbsl projects and accept them as a doctrinal part of education. Keywords: Community based service-learning project (Cbsl), affective domain, building skills, values development, cognitive growth.