Peer-reviewed article
Subjective Outcome Evaluation of Service-Learning by the Service Recipients: Scale Development, Normative Profiles and Predictors
Daniel T. L. Shek, Zi Yang, C. M. S. Ma, Wenyu Chai ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study developed and validated a scale to measure how high school students perceived service-learning programs delivered by university students in Hong Kong. The scale assessed satisfaction with program content, implementers, and benefits across 1,854 high school participants over three years. The research found the scale was reliable and valid, and that most participants had positive views of the programs, with satisfaction varying by activity type and grade level.
Key points
- A three-factor model for measuring service recipient satisfaction was validated with good reliability and validity
- Most high school service recipients reported positive perceptions of program content, implementers and benefits
- All three aspects of satisfaction (content, implementers, benefits) predicted overall client satisfaction
- Satisfaction ratings differed significantly across different activities and grades
- Data were collected over three years from 1,854 high school students
Limitations
This is a measurement validation study focused on scale development rather than evaluating whether service-learning improves child outcomes. It does not assess actual impacts on children's well-being, learning, development or protection.
Abstract
Abstract This study validated a subjective outcome evaluation scale based on the perceptions of service recipients and examined the normative profiles as well as correlates of client satisfaction under a corporate-university-community Service-Learning (SL) programs, where university students conducted the SL programs with high school students as the service recipients. Based on data collected over three years from high school service recipients (N = 1854) who responded to a subjective outcome evaluation measure which assesses perceived program content, program implementers and benefits, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the three-factor model, and the three subscales showed good factorial validity, convergent validity, concurrent validity and internal consistency. Most of the service recipients had positive perceptions of the different aspects of the program. Regarding correlates of client satisfaction, the three aspects of satisfaction all had predictive effects on the overall client satisfaction. Client satisfaction ratings also differed significantly across different activities and grades.