Dissertation Dish- Cultivating Changemakers: The Impact of Leadership Integration in Service-Learning Pedagogy
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LEAD California, IARSLCE and GivePulse are proud to announce our next speaker:
Dr. Mitra Baghdadi, Associate Director, Center for Community Engagement, California State University, Long Beach
Moderator: TBD
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Dissertation Topic: Cultivating Changemakers: The Impact of Leadership Integration in Service-Learning Pedagogy
Abstract:
This dissertation examines how leadership development can be intentionally integrated into service-learning (SL) pedagogy in higher education to enhance civic, academic, and professional outcomes, particularly for historically underserved students. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study analyzed student exit survey data from 179 students enrolled in SL courses at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), reviewed 55 SL course syllabi, surveyed approximately 200 faculty members across the California State University (CSU) system, and conducted 19 faculty interviews. Guided by the Triadic Theoretical Framework for Engaged Teaching and Learning and the Social Change Model of Leadership Development, the findings revealed that although leadership development was rarely articulated as an explicit learning outcome, students consistently reported growth in communication, collaboration, confidence, and problem-solving skills. Faculty recognized leadership development as important but identified institutional barriers that constrained intentional integration.