Service-Learning and the Economics Course: Theory and Practice

Abstract

Service-learning has grown in popularity as a pedagogical alternative in many liberal arts based educational settings. While many disciplines have embraced this new approach, the economics discipline seems slow to respond to this educational trend. This paper overviews the recent reexamination of the economics classroom including a discussion of the links between active, experiential, and service-learning. The authors then provide a detailed application of one form of service-learning, student-based instruction, for a managerial economics course.