Jeffers, A. E., & Beata, P. A., & Strassmann, B. I. (2014, June), A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil Engineering Service-Learning Project in Bolivia  Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana. 10.18260/1-2--19986

\bibitem{asee_peer_19986}
  Jeffers, A. E., \& Beata, P. A., \& Strassmann, B. I. (2014, June), \emph{A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil Engineering Service-Learning Project in Bolivia}
  Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana.
  10.18260/1-2--19986

Ann E. Jeffers, Paul A. Beata, and Beverly Ilse Strassmann.  "A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil Engineering Service-Learning Project in Bolivia".  2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2014.  https://peer.asee.org/19986 Internet.  27 Apr, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_19986}
  Ann E. Jeffers, Paul A. Beata, and Beverly Ilse Strassmann.
  "A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil Engineering Service-Learning Project in Bolivia".
  \emph{2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2014.
  https://peer.asee.org/19986 Internet.  27 Apr, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_19986
author = "Ann E. Jeffers, Paul A. Beata, and Beverly Ilse Strassmann"
title = "A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil Engineering Service-Learning Project in Bolivia"
booktitle = "2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2014"
month = "June"
address = "Indianapolis, Indiana"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/19986}
number = {10.18260/1-2--19986}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -          A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil                Engineering Service Learning Project in BoliviaSeveral universities have recently implemented service learning programs in engineering toaddress shortcomings of traditional engineering classes [1]. By definition, service learning is apedagogical practice that emphasizes experiential learning through structured community service[2]. Service learning produces a symbiotic relationship between the academic institution and thecommunity by providing learning experiences for students while satisfying a real need within thecommunity. Reflection is a key component of service learning because it instills a deeperunderstanding and awareness of the global and social context in which the project is carried out[1]. Thus, service learning naturally addresses an existing gap in traditional engineeringpedagogies by requiring students to develop an awareness of the impact that engineering has onsociety and beyond. In addition, a well-formulated service learning project may also satisfyeducational objectives related to technical competency, creativity, communication, andteamwork.To better understand the learning outcomes of engineering service learning projects carried outin an international setting, we performed an exploratory study to assess the learning outcomes ofa student-led project involving the design and construction of a pedestrian bridge in a village inrural Bolivia. In 2013, a team of five university students traveled to Bolivia to complete theconstruction of the bridge. During their four-week stay in Bolivia, the students were asked tokeep reflective journals that were guided by a series of weekly writing prompts. We consideredthe following research questions in the study:   To what degree did the project advance the students’ mastery of technical concepts?   How did complexities (e.g., linguistics, local construction practices, diverse social and    cultural environment) related to the site affect students’ perceptions of engineering    design/construction, particularly within a global and social context?   How did the experience affect the students’ confidence in tackling unpredictable and ill-    posed engineering problems?   How did the project affect the students’ abilities to function in multidisciplinary teams?   What communication skills were strengthened as a result of the project?We analyzed the writing prompts within a phenomenological framework [3], allowing commonthemes to be identified from the students’ responses. The data suggests that the designexperience stretched the students’ abilities to communicate effectively across cultural andlinguistic barriers and also strengthened the students’ abilities to work effectively as a team.There were multiple issues that arose in the field that required deviations from the original bridgedesign, forcing the students to make important engineering decisions “on the fly.” The hands-onnature of the project gave students a newfound appreciation for scale as well as practicalexperience using surveying equipment, mixing and pouring concrete, working with power tools,and using safety harnesses. Additionally, students reported a fresh appreciation for civilinfrastructure and a meaningful understanding of the ways in which civil engineering can be usedto benefit society at a global scale. The paper will present a more detailed analysis of thequalitative data and will offer implications for others wishing to adapt our work.References[1]   Tsang, E. (Ed.). (2007). Projects that Matter: Concepts and Models for Service Learning in      Engineering. American Association for Higher Education’s Series on Service Learning in      the Disciplines, Stylus Publishing LLC, Sterling, VA.[2]   Jacoby, Barbara and Associates (1996). Service Learning in Higher Education Concepts      and Practices, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.[3]   Borrego, M., Douglas, E.P., and Amelink, C.T. (2009). “Quantitative, Qualitative, and      Mixed Research Methods in Engineering Education,” Journal of Engineering Education,      98, 53-66.
AU  - Ann E. Jeffers
AU  - Paul A. Beata
AU  - Beverly Ilse Strassmann
CY  - Indianapolis, Indiana
DA  - 2014/06/15
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - A Qualitative Study to Assess the Learning Outcomes of a Civil Engineering Service-Learning Project in Bolivia
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/19986
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--19986
ER  -