Teaching Critical Thinking in Psychology: A Handbook of Best Practices

When considering learning objectives, most psychology faculty want their students to

develop critical thinking skills and see the relevance of course material in addition to

learning basic concepts and theories of the field. With these goals in mind, service learning

(i.e., learning course concepts through active service in the community) is an excellent

pedagogical tool that encourages students to construct knowledge as opposed to simply

receiving it, and in doing so fosters both motivation to learn and critical thinking skills

(Beckman, 1997; Klinger, 1999). By providing powerful, real-world opportunities to dis-

cuss and analyze course material, service learning not only enhances students’ understand-

ing of course material, but also increases awareness of and involvement with the community,

self-awareness, and sensitivity to diversity (Gelmon, Holland, Driscoll, Spring, & Kerrigan,

2001). Unlike many other tools, service learning has multiple benefits to the institution

and the community as well, including building positive, reciprocal partnerships between

the two (Roschelle, Turpin, & Elias, 2000; Valerius & Hamilton, 2001).

For service learning to be successful in developing critical thinking skills and fostering

student learning, it must include community activity that (a) addresses specific learning

objectives for the course, (b) targets a community need, and (c) is seamlessly and consist-

ently integrated into the course (Ozorak, 2004). These characteristics are what distinguish

service learning from volunteerism (another worthwhile endeavor), where students engage

in the community without a direct link back to academic content. It is the academic

objective of service learning that makes it distinct.

Heffernan (2001) described several ways that service learning is typically integrated into

the college curriculum, including discipline-based service-learning courses, capstone courses,

and service internships. This chapter focuses on discipline-based service learning where stu-

dents engage in community service throughout the semester and integrate their experiences

into the coverage of course content. Further, I present some of the service- learning assign-

ments that I have used in psychology courses to promote critical thinking and provide some

tips for getting started and maximizing the effectiveness of service learning.

Chapter 15

Using Service Learning to Promote Critical

Thinking in the Psychology Curriculum

Elizabeth Yost Hammer

Teaching Critical Thinking in Psychology: A Handbook of Best Practices Edited by D. S. Dunn, J. S. Halonen, and R. A. Smith