Service-Learning: An Educational Model for Sport and Community Development

The purpose of this study is to provide an educational model that addresses local community needs using sport-based service-learning.

Drawing from the experiences of a Sport and Community Development (SCD) class at the University of Tennessee, this chapter will detail the structure, philosophy, and framework of the course, while emphasizing the ways former students, community members, and community partners experienced cross-cultural community development through sport-based service-learning.

The findings of this study demonstrate that if implemented with careful consideration and reflexivity, sport-based service-learning can positively address the needs of the community while promoting analytical student learning through practical application.

This study is limited in that the SCD course has only been in existence for three years. Long-term implications of our efforts are only beginning to surface.

As recognized by the United Nations in the declaration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), there are serious challenges facing today’s global population. Whether it is extreme poverty and hunger, child mortality, disease, maternal health, obesity, or environmental sustainability, individuals are looking for answers as they relate to nutrition, health, and well-being (United Nations, 2008). The goal of this chapter is to introduce an educational model, philosophy, and framework that promotes the use of sport and physical activity, as a way to address the health needs of local communities, while simultaneously fostering community development and cross-cultural understanding.