Community Partners ’ Assessment of Service Learning in an Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Course

This assessment explored community partners ’ perceptions of service learning in a required communication course. Semi-structured interviews revealed that community partners believed that students were providing needed and valu-able service, students were learning about the community, and students were learning through their application of course skills in an applied context. How-ever, community partners also felt that students were unaware of or did not care what they should be learning, that faculty contact was rare or nonexis-tent, and that community feedback opportunities were rare and undervalued by faculty. Results suggest specific improvements necessary in service learn-ing assignment design. Rational