Using service learning in death education

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Political Science
• Education

Background:

• General education courses often lack real-world application.
• Death-related studies can benefit from experiential learning opportunities.
• Service learning provides a framework for connecting academic concepts to practical experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the integration of service learning into two upper-division, general education death-related courses.
• To explain the rationale and methods for incorporating service learning.
• To evaluate the impact of service learning on death education.

Main Methods:

• Integration of service learning into sociology and political science death-related courses.
• Structured approach involving preparation, action, reflection, and evaluation.
• Gathering feedback from students, on-site supervisors, and course instructors.

Main Results:

• Service learning was successfully integrated as a key component of the courses.
• The pedagogical strategy demonstrated potential for grounding death education in real-life experiences.
• Feedback indicated positive outcomes for students and supervisors.

Conclusions:

• Service learning is a valuable pedagogical strategy for death education.
• Experiential learning enhances the understanding of complex, death-related topics.
• This approach offers a robust method for connecting academic learning with practical application.