Impacts of service learning on Irish healthcare students, educators, and communities

This study investigated the impact of service learning on healthcare students, educators, and community partners in Ireland. Using a qualitative approach with focus groups and interviews, 38 participants' perceptions of the impact of service learning were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The findings in relation to the students reflected previous research: service learning had the capacity to support personal development, enhance academic performance, and increase civic awareness. The primary impacts for the community partners involved accessing students and services. The educators appreciated the opportunities to link academic theory to practice and to engage with the community partners. The results identified that the evaluation of learning outcomes was challenging because of both the evolving nature and breadth of learning achieved by all the stakeholders. However, our findings suggested that some impacts of service learning are consistent between Ireland and the USA. Further research is needed to explore whether the impacts of service learning are comparable across other cultures and contexts.