Service-learning research: Definitional challenges and complexities

This article highlights some of the challenges a researcher has to confront when conducting a study on the impacts of service-learning. A review of the literature has revealed that the term ‘service-learning ’ has been variously defined and is often misunderstood. This confusion is exacerbated by the inconsistencies in the way service-learning is interpreted and implemented. The aim of discussing the difficulties associated with the research is premised upon the belief that to gain deeper insights and understanding of a field as perplexing and multifaceted as service-learning, one is required not only to acknowledge its complexities but also be willing to deal with them. The article concludes by reiterating what many researchers of this field had suggested, that is, the importance of adopting a holistic approach and the necessity to address various mediating factors, if one is to capture a more accurate and complete picture of how service-learning impacts students. (Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 2014, 15(4), 347-358