ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE ENGAGEMENT

ON STUDENT MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN

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A Dissertation
Presented to the
Faculty of Graduate Studies
HOLY NAME UNIVERSITY
Tagbilaran City

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In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Major in Educational Management

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GHLADES MAE M. GEMENTIZA

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Education is the first step for every human activity in this age of

globalization and technological revolution. It plays a crucial role in social capital

growth and connects to a person's welfare and chances for a better life (Battle

and Lewis, 2002). With this, the top priority of educators is the quality of students'

performance. Educators, trainers, and researchers are very eager to explore

variables that contribute effectively to the learners' quality of performance. These

variables affect students' academic success. These factors include student

factors, family factors, school factors, and peer factors. (Crosnoe, Johnson &

Elder, 2004)

Besides these factors, the most common problem among educational

institutions is students' lack of motivation for academic achievement and

engagement in community services. This happens especially when students

reach high school. Their attention is diverted and split between many issues,

such as peer groups, heterogeneous relations, fashion, and entertainment, that

may affect their academic performance. (Gupta and Mili, 2016) It plays a vital

role in a positive educational experience. Students who are motivated either

intrinsically or extrinsically tend to perform better academically. They engage in

academically and pursue excellence.

Whereas, the rapid deterioration of natural ecosystems due to

deforestation, pollution, and climate change presents a substantial threat to

global sustainability. Educators are increasingly tasked with preparing students

not only to understand these ecological issues but also to take proactive roles in

addressing them. One avenue for achieving this goal is through community

service programs that integrate environmental conservation efforts with

educational objectives. Community service in environmental conservation

provides students with hands-on experiences that connect academic content to

real-world ecological issues, fostering deeper learning and personal growth.

According to Berman and McConnell (2019), “educational approaches that

intertwine community engagement with real-world environmental issues have

been shown to deepen students’ understanding and motivation.” This

environmental conservation programs offer students the opportunity to apply

theoretical knowledge in practical settings, which is essential for meaningful

learning. Studies indicate that hands-on experience in community-based projects

can enhance student motivation, an intrinsic factor that significantly influences

academic performance and engagement.

When students participate in hands-on conservation efforts, their

environmental awareness extends beyond theory, connecting with real-world

applications that strengthen both academic outcomes and personal values.

stewardship fosters ecological literacy while supporting educational objectives.

One key reason for examining the impact of community service

engagement on academic outcomes is the need to address limitations in

traditional pedagogical methods, which may lack the depth needed to cultivate

genuine environmental awareness and responsibility. Standard teaching

approaches often present ecological concepts in a manner disconnected from

students’ lived experiences, which can hinder student engagement and

motivation. In contrast, community service in environmental conservation situates

learning within a real-world context, allowing students to witness firsthand the

importance of environmental stewardship. Dewey’s (1938) constructivist theory

supports this approach, asserting that “education must be grounded in real-life

experiences to foster critical thinking and genuine interest.” This theory

underscores how experiential learning can help students construct meaning from

their experiences, encouraging a personal investment in their studies and

heightening academic motivation.

Furthermore, participation in community service has been associated with

increased self-efficacy, resilience, and critical thinking skills traits closely related

to academic success. Knapp and Poff (2020) argue that “experiential learning

opportunities, especially in environmental contexts, are associated with an

increase in self-efficacy, critical thinking skills, and empathy.” Participating in

community service activities that address tangible environmental problems,

students develop a sense of agency, feeling empowered to make a difference in

which has a direct influence on students’ motivation to achieve academic

success. Students with high self-efficacy are more likely to persist through

academic challenges, set higher academic goals, and perform better overall.

In addition to enhancing self-efficacy, community service in environmental

conservation also promotes teamwork, responsibility, and social-emotional

learning (SEL), essential for both personal and academic growth. The

collaborative activities centered around environmental issues provide students

with a sense of purpose while encouraging the development of communication

and leadership skills (Bialystok & Bouchet 2022). In this way, environmental

community service supports SEL by helping students develop interpersonal

skills, emotional awareness, and empathy qualities that translate into better

classroom performance and engagement.

Moreover, this study draws on findings that link community service to

greater academic achievement by reinforcing knowledge retention and critical

thinking skills. Brophy (2021) found that “learning activities that combine

theoretical study with practical application tend to result in greater knowledge

retention and academic success.” Through engaging in community service

initiatives that include conservation activities, students are putting their classroom

knowledge into practice while enhancing their comprehension through hands-on

experiences This connection between theory and practice enhances students’

cognitive engagement, a critical factor in achieving academic success, as they

are more likely to remember and apply the concepts they have learned.
 Encouraging students’ to become motivated is one of the many

opportunities and difficulties of the 21st-century bridging the gap between

community service and academic achievement, examining how engagement in

environmental conservation can foster both ecological awareness and

educational outcomes. This is the reason that the researcher believes it essential

to find out the student's level of motivation towards academic achievement

and engagement in community services in public and private secondary schools

in the city of Tagbilaran.

The researcher, thus aims to provide empirical evidence for formulating

measures in assessing the impact of students’ motivation towards academic

achievement and engagement in community services, offering insights that can

guide the integration of such programs into mainstream curricula.