Thesis Format
Integrated Article
Degree
Master of Science
Program
Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Supervisor
Kothari, Anita
Abstract
Ernest Boyer, the creator of “Engaged Scholarship,” defines it as a collaborative process between communities and academic institutions that allows students to apply classroom concepts to real-world community issues. Despite students being integral to this process, some research exists regarding students’ experiences and impacts they may encounter, the current literature lacks a comprehensive examination. This study explores the question: What are the experiences and impacts of engaged scholarship on the academic learning of post-secondary students? This scoping review consisting of a thematic analysis reveals that engaged scholarship positively influences academic learning and skill development and significantly shapes students' educational and career trajectories. However, participants also reported challenges related to time constraints, assessment, and mentorship. To address these barriers, the study presents policy, research, and practice-based strategies that aims to strengthen facilitators of positive academic learning experiences when conducting engaged scholarship.
Summary for Lay Audience
Engaged scholarship is a process that allows post-secondary students, academic faculty, and community members to work together. Although students play a major role in this practice, little is known about the impacts and experiences of engaged scholarship on post-secondary students. I conducted a scoping review (Chapter 2) to address the gaps in the literature as it was guided by the research question: What are the experiences and impacts of engaged scholarship on the academic learning of post-secondary students? Four themes were developed in this thematic analysis: 1) Engaged Scholarship Impact on Academic Learning and Skill Development; 2) The Influence Engaged Scholarship has on Long-Term Educational and Career Trajectories; 3) Student Motivation and Perspective after Engaged Scholarship; and 4: Challenges and Limitations in Engaged Scholarship. The findings demonstrate that engaged scholarship is beneficial to the academic learning of post-secondary students, changes the direction of their academic and professional pathways, aids in skill development, and improves their motivation to participate. However, some challenges and limitations faced by post-secondary students were also identified. There were expressed concerns about students lacking in time, resources, and support from faculty members. These barriers to achieving maximum gain from engaged scholarship call for a change in policy, research, and practice. To resolve these issues, support systems should be established and maintained to aid students in this demanding process. Paired with this, guidelines should be formed that allow for adequate time to be provided for students to contribute meaningful work, embrace the benefits that can arise from this process, and make significant connections between classroom concepts and their real-world experiences.
Recommended Citation
De Leon, Jacob S., "The Experiences and Impacts of Engaged Scholarship on the Academic Learning of Post-Secondary Students" (2025). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 10855.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/10855
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Included in
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