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Open research questions in Service-Learning and Community Engagement

482 gap statements mined from Service-Learning and Community Engagement papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 8,224 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • The lack of empirical studies on the impact of authentic contexts on student engagement in project-based learning. The scarcity of research on project-based learning in higher education settings. The need for investigation on the effect of real-world contexts on student engagement in technology integration courses.

    Undergraduate Students’ Engagement in Project-Based Learning with an Authentic Context · 2024 · DOI

  • Experiences with the PBSL methodology have been carried out in homogeneous groups, usually within the same subject or degree. There is a lack of systematization concerning the difficulties of institutionalizing such methodologies. The paper aims to address the gap by describing an interdisciplinary experience based on the application of the PBSL methodology.

    Enhancing Employability Skills of Biology Graduates through an Interdisciplinary Project-Based Service Learning Experience with Engineering and Translation Undergraduate Students · 2024 · DOI

  • It highlights the need for a guided and structured format for students to reflect on their service-learning experiences.

    Beyond the Classroom: Integrating the ORID Model for In-Depth Reflection and Assessment in Service-Learning · 2024 · DOI

  • Addressing the lack of standardization in service-learning assessment instruments.

    Validation and Standardization of a Questionnaire for the Self-Assessment of Service-Learning Experiences in Higher Education (QaSLu-27) · 2024 · DOI

  • The preparation of the ageing population, especially in Malaysia, needs to be examined in many ways, including the engagement and empowerment levels of local communities. The evidence on community empowerment regarding older people’s needs remains insufficient in Malaysia.

    Sustainable Health Promotion Participation Through Service Learning and Community Engagement In Higher Education: Lessons Learnt from the UKM DrPH Program · 2026 · DOI

  • One challenge was finding non-profit organizations to serve as clients. Another challenge was adapting the course to meet the needs of students from different academic disciplines.

    A Different Take on Data: Assessment as a Service-Learning Focus · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research could explore the long-term impact of the course on students' careers. Future research could investigate the effectiveness of the course in different institutional settings.

    A Different Take on Data: Assessment as a Service-Learning Focus · 2026 · DOI

  • From a methodological perspective, this study responds to calls for more robust designs in SL research by employing a quasi-experimental approach with control groups in a Latin American context, where such evidence remains limited.

    Service-learning and civic competencies development: a quasi-experimental study between private higher education institutions in Ecuador and Chile · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to understand how health profession education institutions can effectively instill the values, attitudes, and competencies needed for graduates to fulfill the mission of social accountability. The use of arts integrated methods in health professions education is a relatively new area of research.

    Integrating the Arts in Socially Accountable Health Professional Education With a Case Study at James Cook University · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies can incorporate qualitative and mixed methods to understand how the various mechanisms uncovered in this study impact the development of graduates’ civic and political selves in a way that quantitative studies cannot.

    The Value of Higher Education in Cultivating Engaged Citizens: Longitudinal Evidence from the Liberal Arts Model · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a systematic process for tracking HIP participation. The need for a comprehensive model to capture HIP experiences.

    Tracking High-Impact Practices: A Systematic Process for Campuswide Engagement · 2026 · DOI

  • Community engagement initiatives may face challenges in addressing local needs and fostering community development. Universities may struggle to establish effective community partnerships. The initiatives may have limitations in terms of their impact and sustainability.

    Community perceptions of university social engagement initiatives in Shandong Province, China · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies can investigate the long-term impact of university social engagement initiatives on community development. Research can explore the role of universities in promoting social innovation and mutual development. Studies can examine the effectiveness of different types of university-community partnerships.

    Community perceptions of university social engagement initiatives in Shandong Province, China · 2026 · DOI

  • Sub-wardens need better training and support to provide holistic pastoral care. Colleges face challenges in providing effective pastoral care programs.

    Sub-warden and Student Perspectives of Pastoral Care in University Colleges · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on pastoral care in colleges. The study aims to address this gap by exploring sub-warden and student perspectives of pastoral care.

    Sub-warden and Student Perspectives of Pastoral Care in University Colleges · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to understand the perceived benefits of interdisciplinary learning communities. There is a gap in the literature on the impact of learning communities on the development and practice of behavioral health students.

    One Community, Many Lenses: Comparing Behavioral Health Students’ Perceptions of an HBCU Learning Community · 2026 · DOI

  • Lack of longitudinal quantitative studies to capture long-term effects.

    Evolving Frameworks in Global Service-Learning and Community Engagement: An Introduction to Issue 13 · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on advancing SLCE scholarship and practice. There is a need for more participatory evaluation methods and sustained inquiry into how feminist frameworks can transform both educational practices and community engagement outcomes. Longitudinal quantitative studies are needed to capture long-term effects and expand our understanding of community-level outcomes.

    Evolving Frameworks in Global Service-Learning and Community Engagement: An Introduction to Issue 13 · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should investigate the effectiveness of service-learning for different student populations. Future research should explore the impact of service-learning on student outcomes, such as graduation rates and career success.

    Service-learning – an Effective Pedagogy for Communication Science · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for new learning models that foster global competence and professional capability in social work education. The service-learning model has not been fully evaluated in the context of social work practice with the community.

    COMMUNITY SERVICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EXAMINING SERVICE LEARNING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY- BASED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE · 2026 · DOI

  • The surveys used were not validated instruments and we did not account for potential confounders such as volunteer participation or responder bias. The scope of CARE is within institution, results may not be representative of other organizations, and we do not have a comparison group.

    Practical model for workforce development and community engagement in the public health laboratory · 2026 · DOI

  • Balancing the community partners' expectations with students' needs and goals.

    Service-learning – an Effective Pedagogy for Communication Science · 2026 · DOI

  • Further validation of the QaSLu-27, - Application of the QaSLu-27 in different…

    Validation and Standardization of a Questionnaire for the Self-Assessment of Service-Learning Experiences in Higher Education (QaSLu-27) · 2024 · DOI

  • Health fairs at local libraries provided a starting place for students to cover oral health care, an underreported topic in the media.

    Librarians, Dentists, Journalists, and Undergrads: A Case Study Implementing a Journalism Teaching Hospital Within Marginalized Communities · 2025 · DOI

  • Further examination of the relationship between quantitative professional identity formation measures and linguistic patterns within reflective narratives. Investigation of the long-term effects of experiential nutrition education on professional identity formation.

    Cultivating Professional Identity Formation in Medical Students: a Mixed-Methods Study of Nutrition-Focused Service Learning · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Service-Learning and Community Engagement

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) Future research could explore the long-term impact of the course on students' careers (“A Different Take on Data: Assessment as a Service-Learning Focus”, 2026); (2) There is a need to understand how health profession education institutions can effectively instill the values, attitudes, and competencies needed for graduates to fulfill the mission of social accountability (“Integrating the Arts in Socially Accountable Health Professional Education With…”, 2026); (3) The lack of a systematic process for tracking HIP participation (“Tracking High-Impact Practices: A Systematic Process for Campuswide Engagement”, 2026); (4) Future studies can investigate the long-term impact of university social engagement initiatives on community development (“Community perceptions of university social engagement initiatives in Shandong…”, 2026); (5) There is a need to understand the perceived benefits of interdisciplinary learning communities (“One Community, Many Lenses: Comparing Behavioral Health Students’ Perceptions…”, 2026). 482 gap statements have been mined from Service-Learning and Community Engagement papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 8,224 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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