Service Learning Courses IUPUI High-Impact Taxonomy

Abstract

The IUPUI Taxonomy for Service Learning Courses has the potential to contribute to the campus and to research on service learning because the taxonomy: 1) Creates a common approach in working with instructors to support the fidelity and quality of high impact teaching practices, including service learning courses. 2. Supports institutional assessment and research on high impact practices by asking instructors to report on selected course attributes (dimensions of the course design that may vary from low intensity to high intensity), and then explore the relationship between these course variables and student outcomes. 3. Informs and advances a research agenda for service learning by identifying those course attributes (i.e., variables) that may relate to student outcomes, (e.g., civic learning, academic learning, personal growth), as well as other outcomes (e.g., faculty development, community impact, community partner collaboration and satisfaction). 4.Supports institutional and multi-campus research on service learning courses through the use of a common taxonomy that describes variations in course attributes. 5. Provides a framework and approach for other institutions to either adapt or adopt the taxonomy, depending upon how service learning is conceptualized within institutional mission and context.