Service-Learning in Dietetics Courses: A Benefit to the Community and an Opportunity for Students to Gain Dietetics-Related Experience

摘要

SERVICE-LEARNING (SL), OR learning through service, is a well-documented and practice-relevant teaching approach where students enrolled in a course apply what they are learning to real-life situations as they work to meet the needs of a community partner. In linking academic learning to community service, SL promotes students' civic engagement.1-2 In nutrition and dietetics education, this engagement in the community can systematically expose students to important public health issues, such as person-centered care, evidence-based practice, advocacy, cultural competence, insurance and reimbursement, and community policies, aspects that differentiate SL from other forms of volunteer experience.3"9 When implemented effectively, SL provides the experiential, reflective, and problem-based inquiries that have been shown to facilitate students' sustained learning.1011 Furthermore, SL meets the public's expectation for increased accountability from institutions of higher education to document that students are actively learning and being prepared for their chosen career.