Faculty Use and Perceptions of Service-Learning in Radiologic Science Education

To investigate faculty integration of service-learning into radiologic science curricula and its effects on faculty and students.

An online survey was distributed to radiologic science faculty to assess the status of service-learning in radiologic science education. Invitations were sent to 2351 faculty in diagnostic medical sonography, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy, and radiography programs. Quantitative analysis using descriptive statistics was performed on the raw data, and mind maps were created from responses to open-ended questions for qualitative analysis.

A total of 444 surveys were returned, for a 19% response rate. Faculty who incorporated service-learning into their courses reported outcomes of increased professionalism, leadership, career skills, empathy, and community awareness. Primary deterrents for integrating service-learning into curricula were lack of faculty and student time and logistical challenges.

The most profound professional benefits of service-learning reported were increased community awareness and relationships among faculty, community, and students. Faculty also indicated that service-learning improved professional effectiveness in terms of knowledge and application. Survey results indicated that service-learning provides students with experiences relevant to the environment they will encounter after graduation. Faculty who use service-learning reported additional benefits for themselves and their students, including having a richer understanding of the community and its members, which ultimately improves critical soft-skills of practice.

Faculty who use service-learning in their courses and those who plan to use it in the future reported that logistical management and institutional support in the form of release time (ie, counting course development time toward teaching load requirements) are of paramount importance. This type of support would help engage faculty in developing and maintaining service-learning coursework.