Summary and discussion of service-learning pilot schemes in mainland China

The pilot schemes were successfully implemented through the combined eff orts of Lingnan University and other participating institutions. Being the first of their kind, the schemes achieved observable results within the pilot year. To better understand the impact of the pilot schemes on teaching, Lingnan University requested that the teachers involved in the schemes (from all six institutions) complete questionnaires both before and after they finished the schemes (See Appendix 2 for the full version of the questionnaire). Teachers were self-assessed on four aspects in the questionnaire: (1) Teaching and Learning: teaching effectiveness on the subject and students’ learning outcomes; (2) Community Engagement: teachers’ willingness and capability to understand, serve, and collaborate with the community; (3) Personal and Professional Development: teachers’ awareness of their own abilities and academic professional knowledge; (4) Understanding of Service-Learning: teachers’ knowledge about the concept, principle, practices, and process of service-learning.