Impact of International Service-Learning on Students’ Global Citizenship and Intercultural Effectiveness Development

International service-learning (ISL) is
conceptualized as an intersection of three
educational components: service-learning, study
abroad, and international education. Its potential
benefits include increases in students’
intercultural competence and sense of global
citizenship. Arguably, through immersion in a
cross-cultural context, students can learn to
appreciate diverse values and cultures while
enhancing their social responsibility and bringing
benefit to a community in need. However, most
existing empirical studies of the impact of ISL
utilize small samples drawn from a single
program, which restricts the generalizability of the
findings. This study, using a large sample from
multiple courses, aims to bridge the gap by
examining the relationship between an ISL
experience and university students’ global
citizenship and intercultural effectiveness. The
findings suggest that skills such as intercultural
effectiveness and global competencies are more
easily enhanced than attitudinal values such as
social responsibility and global civic engagement.
Implications for practice and future research are
discussed.