Assessments by Community Agencies: How "the Other Side" Sees Service-Learning.

The importance of experiential activities in the education of students has been discussed for nearly 70 years (Dewey, 1938), and has been expanded through experiential learning theories (e.g., Kinsley & McPherson, 1995; Kolb, 1984). Current advocates of experiential learning methodologies believe community service work and education may be reciprocal, enriching experiences for students and agency sites in what has emerged as community-based service learning (CbSL) initiatives (Boyer, 1995; Ferrari & Chapman, 1999; Giles & Eyler, 1994; Keith, 1998; Waterman, 1997). Students in CbSL classes learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully-organized community service experiences that meet actual social or civic needs. Further, the service provider (in this case, a student) may build a sense of connectedness to their larger society, gain skills to succeed in life, establish a connection to lifelong learning, and increase the likelihood of lifelong community service and civic altruism (Blyth, Saito, & Berkas, 1997; Eberly, 1988; Ferrari, DeFiloppo, & Richmond, 2000; Morris, 1992; Rhoads, 1997). Students who complete CbSL classes have reduced problem behaviors, perform better in school, report enhanced social, identity, psychological, and intellectual development (Conrad & Hedlin, 1987; Ferrari & Chapman, 1999; Limerick & Burgess-Limerick, 1992; Rutter & Newmann, 1989; Moore & Allen, 1996; Raskoff & Sundeen, 1994; Waterman, 1997; Youniss & Yates, 1997), and claim broadened perceptions of service and future commitments to community service (Gibboney, 1996). A reciprocal view of benefits between student, school, and agency site emphasizes gains for all parties, as opposed to compensatory or at-risk views of one side or the other (Eyler & Giles, 1999; Ferrari & Chapman, 1999). In well-designed CbSL classes, the student, school, and community site are integrated into the educational process: students learn to create, plan, and prepare a course of action in real-life situations with a sense of care for others (e.g., Ferrari & Geller, 1994; Ferrari & Jason, 1996; Keith, 1994; Markus, Howard, & King, 1993; Schine, 1997); schools build stronger links with their local communities (e.g., Kinsley & McPherson, 1995; Sander, 1999; Weil, 1996); and, agencies have active citizens better prepared to tackle future problems as well as address current dilemmas (e.g., Eisen, 1994; Greene, 1998; Miller, 1997; Noley, 1977). Little research exists that focuses on the agency's views of the student service provider or the college-partner institution. In rural communities, the collaboration between school and agencies, or community-based organizations (CBOs), takes on an extra level of significance, given the limited resources often available in such locations. Miller (1997) discussed the importance of "social capital" in rural settings; that is, the ability of a community to act collectively toward improving community well-being. Students who are given a substantive role in CbSL projects through direct involvement in the planning and solving of community dilemmas provide a major advantage to the social capital of rural communities. Community service providers, or "para-professionals," may fulfill the needs that public agencies cannot address with their limited resources. In contrast, urban settings have different needs than rural communities (Keith, 1997). In urban environments, the large number of clients and their diversity of backgrounds and resources may pose multi-dimensional difficulties for university-agency collaborations (Groark & McCall, 1996; Weil, 1996). In a general statement about urban university-CBO collaborations, Noley (1977) stated that CBO officials feel that students come ill-prepared to perform service by not having appropriate skills or unrealistic expectations about their duties. Furthermore, CBO officials believe students spend too little time actually working to make meaningful differences in the lives of clients served at their site (usually, students spend one semester, and at best, one academic [9 month] year). …