Higher education research has demonstrated the positive effects of service-learning on students, with particular attention to the increased attainment of institutional outcomes such as retention and graduation. However, traditional assessment models, focused on measuring
outcomes, offer few strategies for developing a holistic understanding of service learning environments. In response, this article outlines the process of heuristic tracing, a generative assessment strategy, which can be used to make visible the experiences that can not only support
students’ learning gains but also value the engagement of all service learning participants—including instructors and community partners. Heuristic tracing can help stakeholders better understand the habits, attitudes, and experiences of learning that are central to service learning
pedagogy.
A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric