Incorporating Service-Learning into the Economics Curriculum

Abstract

Service-learning courses provide students the opportunity to apply and relate economic concepts and theories to real-world experiences within the community and to reflect on the relationship between theory and practice. One form of service-learning is student-based instruction, which involves college students teaching economics in the neighboring community, such as to high school students. The author provides a detailed application of the student-based instruction model of service-learning to an Economics of Race and Gender course at a liberal arts college. Upon completion of the project, students completed a survey about their service-learning experiences. The results indicated that the service-learning project enhanced student learning and created a more enriching course experience.