Methods During Learner Evaluation - Article Example

The study’s objective is to ascertain whether there are “differences in preferences for participation in service-learning from the beginning to the end of the semester for service-learning students” (Hirschinger-Blank, Simons, & Kenyon, 2009, p. 63). Thirty-two university students participated in the study by carrying out their service-learning activities at a county juvenile detention center for a period of 10 to 15 weeks. To evaluate the differences in the service-learning outcomes, the triangulation mixed-methods design was used (Hirschinger-Blank, Simons, & Kenyon, 2009).

Under this method, both qualitative and quantitative data are collected to understand the problem being investigated. This method makes the qualitative results more reliable through the quantitative data gathered (Hirschinger-Blank, Simons, & Kenyon, 2009). The qualitative data were analyzed through the constant comparative method developed by Glaser and Strauss (Hirschinger-Blank, Simons, & Kenyon, 2009). On the other hand, the evaluation of the quantitative data, that is, the changes in the attitudes and skills before and after the service was done using the paired t-tests.

Pre- and post-tests surveys were conducted among the service-learning students.