MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD THROUGH SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF GRADUATE STUDENTS ENGAGING IN STEMBASED ACADEMIC SERVICE-LEARNING

This phenomenological study sought to understand the lived experiences of graduate students engaged in STEM-related Academic Service-Learning (AS-L). For the purposes of this study, Academic Service-Learning is a form of experiential learning whereby students complete a service project as a component of a specific course. This study looked at these student AS-L project experiences at the graduate level as a component of STEM-based courses. While the impact of Academic Service-Learning on the undergraduate experience is well documented, there is no research to date on the graduate experience, much less on graduate students in STEM fields. By understanding the lived experiences of graduate students in STEM-based Academic Service-Learning, this study attempts to fill that gap.
The research questions that guided my study were: (1) What types of project-based experiences are graduate students performing in their Academic-Service-Learning designated courses? (2) What are the lived experiences of graduate students who are conducting AS-L projects in the community as a component of a STEM-based AS-L course as perceived by students, faculty, and community partners. (3) What are the lived experiences of the community partners who are hosting the students for their AS-L projects.