Benefits beyond service: The facilitative effects of service-learning pedagogy on nuanced reflection and ethical sensemaking

Benefits beyond service: The facilitative effects of service-learning pedagogy on nuanced reflection and ethical sensemaking

Using the sensemaking model of ethical decision-making (EDM) as the framework for this effort, we explored the effectiveness of service-learning (SL) pedagogy on how students approach EDM in terms of sensemaking and reflection in a matched sample of undergraduate business students. Participants were asked to read a relevant business ethics case, identify critical causes and constraints, forecast downstream consequences, and provide a final decision for the problem. Furthermore, participants reflected on various components of the case in a written format. All responses were content-coded by raters blind to the study’s hypotheses. Findings indicated that students with SL experience utilized many more ethical sensemaking strategies to aid in the EDM process than the control group, demonstrated increased consideration for the welfare of others, and their reflections considered community needs and discussed personal goals and values. Additionally, an exploratory analysis revealed the impact of reflection on EDM. Specifically, quality of participants’ reflections and their consideration of community needs within those reflections positively predicted EDM. The implications of these findings for understanding the impact of SL and reflective activities in teaching business ethics are discussed.

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