Compulsory service-learning programs in secondary schools: The lasting impact beyond the classroom

Linda Cranley
Edith Cowan University, Australia
Gregory Hine
The University of Notre Dame Australia, Australia

The purpose of this research project was to investigate the extent to which a compulsory service-learning program (SLP) offered in one secondary school inspired students to extend their service to the community beyond their schooling and make the connection between real-life social inequities and the SLP. The project involved interviewing current staff and past students from a co-educational Catholic secondary school in Perth, Western Australia, about their experiences of participating in the school's SLP. Staff and student participants highlighted key elements of the SLP, including the types of community involvement encouraged within the program, and provided insight into how the SLP was taught. In addition, student participants shared their perceptions of the SLP and their involvement within the program. Specifically, staff and students outlined how a SLP can lead to students becoming active citizens in their communities and their participation extends to global citizenship.
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Authors: Ms Linda Cranley is a Senior Lecturer at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. She coordinates the Master of Teaching and Graduate Diploma (Primary) degrees. Her research explores curriculum across all education disciplines, with a particular focus on civics and citizenship. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0008-4542 Email: l.cranley@ecu.edu.au Associate Professor Gregory Hine holds a teaching and research position in the School of Education at the University of Notre Dame Australia. He works primarily with pre-service, secondary teachers as a Program Coordinator. Greg's scholarly interests lie predominantly in secondary mathematics education. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4589-3159 Email: gregory.hine@nd.edu.au Please cite as: Cranley, L. & Hine, G. (2025). Compulsory service-learning programs in secondary schools: The lasting impact beyond the classroom. Issues in Educational Research, 35(4), 1410-1427. http://www.iier.org.au/iier35/cranley.pdf