This article is titled “Integrating Community Service and Classroom Instruction Enhances Learning: Results From an Experiment” by Markus and Howard from the University of Michigan and King form Harvard University. This article contributes to the discussion of the  value  implementing service learning has in the classroom by reporting on an experiment that integrated service-learning into a political science undergraduate classroom. Their research question is: What are the educational “results of an experiment in complementing classroom learning in a large undergraduate political science course with learning gained through students’ experiences working with community service agencies”? (Markus, Howard, & King, 1993). The type of data required for this research is reports of acts, behaviors, and events. The authors of this article gathered their data through surveys administered before and after the experiment took place, collecting identification information pre-experiment, and collecting post-experiment questions asking students to report on the extent to they thought the service-learning had influenced their personal adaptation toward the community. The researchers collected answers from students participating in the service-learning course and a traditional course to compare the academic results of the two classrooms. The researchers also obtained course grades and information on class attendance (Markus, Howard, & King, 1993). The researchers analyzed the data by performing a t test, comparing the pre- and post- course scores from the survey (Markus, Howard, & King, 1993). The researchers of the article report finding that there are academic payoffs for students that engage in classrooms that integrate service-learning (Markus, Howard, & King, 1993). My proposal will be researching if service-learning can improve the academic success of struggling undergraduate students. This article will help contribute to my own research, as it provides me with a basis to understand the academic benefits service-learning has on college students.

Markus, G.B., Howard, J.P.F., & King, D.C. (1993). Integrating community service and classroom instruction enhances learning: Reports from an experiment. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 15(4), 410-419.