Development of an e-learning package on Service-Learning for university teachers: experience from Hong Kong

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Higher Education Pedagogy

Background:

• University teachers require support to understand and implement Service-Learning (SL).
• Existing professional development resources may not adequately address the specific needs of educators in developing SL subjects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an e-learning package for university teachers on Service-Learning (SL).
• To assess user satisfaction and knowledge acquisition regarding SL through the e-learning package.

Main Methods:

• Development of a 3-hour+ e-learning package with seven distinct units covering SL concepts, benefits, development, and reflection.
• Pilot testing of the e-learning package with university teachers through two offerings.
• Collection of user feedback via three focus group sessions after the first offering and general satisfaction assessment after the second.

Main Results:

• Users expressed satisfaction with the e-learning package's structural arrangement and perceived usefulness for understanding SL.
• The second offering indicated general user satisfaction and demonstrated a gain in participants' knowledge of Service-Learning.
• Specific suggestions for package improvement were gathered from user feedback.

Conclusions:

• The developed e-learning package is a valuable resource for university teachers seeking to understand and implement Service-Learning.
• The e-learning format effectively facilitates knowledge acquisition and professional development in Service-Learning.
• Iterative feedback incorporation is crucial for optimizing educational resources.