Student Engagment in a Flexible Model of Service Learning in Information Systems Curricula
James Lawler, Zheng Li
Service-learning courses continue to be adopted by educators in the information systems discipline. This study analyzes characteristics of course design that contributed to faster and effective service engagement of college students in technologically empowering a non-profit organization in New York City that was disrupted by the September 11 disaster. Focused on an analysis of a Web Design for Non-Profit Organizations course, the study examines in case study, student survey and statistical interpretation the importance of customization of an information systems service-learning course. The findings indicate that a service-learning course in an information systems curriculum has higher student engagement and impact when the course is flexibly designed to account for diverse experiences and skills of students. The course also has higher community impact. The study is helpful to information systems educators considering specific service learning for their institutions.
Keywords: community service, information systems education, non-profit organization, service learning, world wide web
James P. Lawler is Associate Professor of Information Systems, at the Ivan G. Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, of Pace University, in New York City, and is partnered with the Center for Community Outreach at the university. He received his D.P.S. in Computing Studies from Pace University in 2002. His research is focused on empowerment of non-profit organizations through information systems technologies and the World Wide Web.
Zheng Li is Assistant Professor of Information Systems, also at the Ivan G. Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, of Pace University. She received her Ph.D in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2003, in Newark, New Jersey. Her interests in research are focused on information systems technologies.
Return to the Table of Contents