The community voice on service-learning: A good practice guide for higher education

The growth of service-learning in higher education is attributed to its potential to enhance academic learning and contribute to the quality of life in communities. thus benefiting both the higher education institution and the community. Whilst acknowledging the importance of student outcomes, this article focuses on the community dimensions of service-learning in higher education. The article presents the community perspective on community needs, SL benefits, students' performance and areas of improvement in SL practice. It also highlights a gap in higher education in terms of the lack of research on the community dimension of service-learning. The article argues that SL practice could improve and its impact on communities could increase if the voice of the community is heard. The article calls for increased community involvement and partnerships in the evaluation process that relates to the planning and implementation of SL. The article therefore attempts to fill a gap that has been noted as a glaring omission in the literature.