Abstract
Faculty at the University of Connecticut introduced an advanced service-learning course in community nutrition with the goal of delivering nutrition education and enhancing students’ leadership skills, cultural competence, and understanding of contributing factors for childhood overweight in minority, low-income populations. Prior to enrollment, students completed a prerequisite community nutrition service-learning course. A mixed-methods design was used to evaluate perceptions of self-growth in leadership and cultural competence. Students demonstrated statistically significant improvement from pre-to-post semester on the overall score and several measures from the Student Leadership Practices Inventory (SLPI) and the CrossCultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI). The significant changes to SLPI suggest improvements in teamwork, inspiring support, recognizing others’ contributions, and collaboration. Analysis of reflections and discussion group transcripts suggest the students’ opportunity to overcome obstacles and find affirmation in their growing capability played an important role building confidence. Students’ noted self-growth in flexibility, adaptability, teamwork, risk-taking, self-confidence and the importance of being openminded. They became aware of lifestyle differences
and similarities with the multicultural children they served. Students made new connections about family food choices and childhood obesity. They realized sometimes their assumptions about the lives of the children were correct and other times they were not. Findings informed curriculum modifications.
Keywords
community nutrition, service-learning course, leadership skills, cultural competence, childhood obesity, minority, low-income populations, collaboration
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