Teaching program development and evaluation through a service learning project in community-based adult day services

This paper examines an instructional methodology, service learning, as a method for teaching program development and evaluation in adult day service centers. Adult day service, an emerging practice area, provides an opportunity for students to learn program development while they explore and meet the occupational needs of elders living in the community. Students learn to design and implement day service activities to benefit both the agencies and people they are serving. In this study, 39 students were surveyed before and after a service learning experience to determine if they perceived service learning as effective in increasing knowledge and confidence to develop, implement, and evaluate an adult day services program module. In an evaluation of the service learning project, students reported that their knowledge and confidence increased significantly in assessing organizations and populations, designing and carrying out an activity with well elderly, and creating an evaluation measure. Furthermore, students reported a high level of comfort in working with elderly populations before and after the service learning experience.