Abstract:

The aim of this work was to study the effects of learning-service methodology on students’ motivational strategies and academic competences, taking into account the students’ individual differences on temperamental self-regulation. With this aim, 121 university students from the Degree in Early Childhood Education were invited to participate. These students were enrolled in a subject applying the learning-service methodology as a part of the educational program. The initial sample was composed of 60 students (all women), aged between 18-42 years old (M = 21.46; SD = 3.57); whereas the final sample was composed of 28 students aged between 18-42 years old (M = 21.96; SD = 4.65).

Participants of the study reported their perceived self-efficacy in academic situations, their academic engagement, and academic competences through the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-S; UWES-S (Schaufeli et al., 2002), the Academic Situations Specific Perceived Self-efficacy Scale; EAPESA (Palenzuela 1983), and a subject’ competencies questionnaire developed ad hoc, respectively. In the case of on temperamental self-regulatory skills, the Inhibitory control, Activation control, and Attentional focusing scales from the Adult Temperament Questionnaire; ATQ (Derryberry y Rothbart, 1988) were administered.

Firstly, students completed online version of the UWES-S, EAPESA, ATQ, and subject’ competencies questionnaires (Time 1, at the beginning of the first semester 2021/22); secondly, learning-service methodology was explained to the students and they were required to design a project related to the specific subject following the rules of this methodology (Time 2). Finally, once the project was submitted, online version of the UWES-S, EAPESA, and subject’ competencies questionnaires were administered (Time 3, at the end of the first semester 2021/22).

The results showed that students’ academic competences tend to increase after the educational experience with the learning-service methodology, whereas no significant improvements were found in the other variables of the study. Moreover, the analyses revealed that the students who benefit more from the learning-service project were those with higher capacity to focus attention and to shift attention when desired, and also those with higher capacity to suppress inappropriate approach behavior compare to their peers with lower attention and inhibition. These findings suggest that learning-service methodology might have a positive impact on students’ academic competences, but those benefits depends on individual differences in attentional and inhibitory skills.

Keywords:

Learning-service, temperament, individual differences.