Exploring Student Perceptions and Individual Factors Shaping Student Success in Virtual and In-Person Service-Learning Business Courses.

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Title: Exploring Student Perceptions and Individual Factors Shaping Student Success in Virtual and In-Person Service-Learning Business Courses.
Authors: Sahatjian, Zhanna1 (AUTHOR) zhannab@csufresno.edu, Olson-Buchanan, Julie B.1 (AUTHOR), Chu-Jacoby, Renee1 (AUTHOR), MacDougall, Alexandra E.2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Experiential Education. Mar2026, Vol. 49 Issue 1, p115-137. 23p.
Subject Terms: *Service learning, *Virtual classrooms, *Psychology of students, *Business education, *Educational attainment, *Individualized instruction, *Effective teaching, Social influence
Abstract: Background: With the arrival of virtual service-learning (vSL), educators have been able to expand service-learning (SL) opportunities beyond traditional in-person engagements. Although increasingly popular, limited research on vSL exists. Purpose: Given the overall positive impact of SL on various student learning and cognitive outcomes and the significant rise in online course offerings, it becomes essential to assess student perceptions and experiences in vSL courses. Method: We compared student responses to survey questions in the same business course offered in two different modalities taught by the same instructor. Specifically, students responded to Likert-style and open-ended questions assessing their perceptions, experiences, and individual traits. We examined three research questions: (1) How do students' evaluative perceptions of their SL experience differ based on course modality? (2) How do students' reports of experiential features differ based on course modality? (3) What individual factors contribute to perceived student learning in vSL courses? Findings: No significant differences were found between modalities with respect to perceived student learning and satisfaction with the course, likelihood to recommend the course to peers and friends, or motivation to help within one's community. Students in the virtual version of the SL course reported more frequent interactions with organization representatives to discuss goals for the projects and deliverables, and rated the course as more challenging than their traditional SL counterparts. Implications: These findings are meaningful in the context of enhancing the societal impact of higher education by exposing a more inclusive population of students to the opportunity to partner with nonprofit organizations to enhance their communities' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Experiential Education is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Exploring Student Perceptions and Individual Factors Shaping Student Success in Virtual and In-Person Service-Learning Business Courses.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sahatjian%2C+Zhanna%22">Sahatjian, Zhanna</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> zhannab@csufresno.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Olson-Buchanan%2C+Julie+B%2E%22">Olson-Buchanan, Julie B.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chu-Jacoby%2C+Renee%22">Chu-Jacoby, Renee</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22MacDougall%2C+Alexandra+E%2E%22">MacDougall, Alexandra E.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Experiential+Education%22">Journal of Experiential Education</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 49 Issue 1, p115-137. 23p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Service+learning%22">Service learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Virtual+classrooms%22">Virtual classrooms</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+students%22">Psychology of students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+education%22">Business education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+attainment%22">Educational attainment</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individualized+instruction%22">Individualized instruction</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Effective+teaching%22">Effective teaching</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+influence%22">Social influence</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Background: With the arrival of virtual service-learning (vSL), educators have been able to expand service-learning (SL) opportunities beyond traditional in-person engagements. Although increasingly popular, limited research on vSL exists. Purpose: Given the overall positive impact of SL on various student learning and cognitive outcomes and the significant rise in online course offerings, it becomes essential to assess student perceptions and experiences in vSL courses. Method: We compared student responses to survey questions in the same business course offered in two different modalities taught by the same instructor. Specifically, students responded to Likert-style and open-ended questions assessing their perceptions, experiences, and individual traits. We examined three research questions: (1) How do students' evaluative perceptions of their SL experience differ based on course modality? (2) How do students' reports of experiential features differ based on course modality? (3) What individual factors contribute to perceived student learning in vSL courses? Findings: No significant differences were found between modalities with respect to perceived student learning and satisfaction with the course, likelihood to recommend the course to peers and friends, or motivation to help within one's community. Students in the virtual version of the SL course reported more frequent interactions with organization representatives to discuss goals for the projects and deliverables, and rated the course as more challenging than their traditional SL counterparts. Implications: These findings are meaningful in the context of enhancing the societal impact of higher education by exposing a more inclusive population of students to the opportunity to partner with nonprofit organizations to enhance their communities' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Experiential Education is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1177/10538259251362149
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Service learning
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      – SubjectFull: Virtual classrooms
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      – SubjectFull: Psychology of students
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      – SubjectFull: Business education
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      – SubjectFull: Educational attainment
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      – SubjectFull: Individualized instruction
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      – SubjectFull: Effective teaching
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      – SubjectFull: Social influence
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      – TitleFull: Exploring Student Perceptions and Individual Factors Shaping Student Success in Virtual and In-Person Service-Learning Business Courses.
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              Text: Mar2026
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              Y: 2026
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