Service-learning from the eyes of university teachers: A qualitative study based on focus groups

Under the New Undergraduate Curriculum at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), students are required to take a 3-credit subject to fulfill Service-Learning requirements. To understand the views of teachers on service-learning, five focus groups (N = 33) were conducted to examine the perceived characteristics and myths of servicelearning as well as colleagues’ views on the policy at PolyU. Results showed that most informants had heard about service-learning and they saw the benefits of service-learning to students and teachers. Most informants also had positive views about service-learning. Nevertheless, when service-learning at PolyU was focused upon, three different groups of views on service-learning were observed (positive views, negative views, and mixed views). Teachers’ views on the anticipated difficulties of service-learning implementation and ways to promote the subject in the PolyU context are discussed.