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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Exploring the Integration of Service Learning in Curricula: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends and Core Contributions

Li Ting, Sanitah Binti Mohd Yusof, Hassan Abuhassna, Pan Qi

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i3/24681

Open access

Service learning is an effective and widely recognized pedagogical approach that integrates academic learning with community service to enhance students’ development and their sense of social responsibility. However, it still needs to be in-depth discussed about how to effectively integrate service learning into the curriculum. Objective: This review’s objective is to examine the overview and effective strategies of service learning and curriculum integration. Methods: The PRISMA framework was used to summarize studies linking service learning and curriculum integration, by searching the Scopus database in this bibliometric analysis. The complete keyword search results are 2407 papers in the database. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to narrow the findings to 791 relevant articles. Results: From 2005 to 2023, the development of the trajectory of service learning study from its rise, and maturity to new challenges. The involvement of multiple countries, academic institutions, and researchers highlights the multidisciplinary nature of the field. Conclusion: Service learning is becoming more significant in modern higher education, as demonstrated by the growing number of publications, researchers from different districts and institutions, and an emphasis on many subject areas and keywords. This indicates the diversity and collaboration of this field’s research. Recommendation: The paper recommends a greater study to deepen the integration of interdisciplinary courses and service learning. Design projects related to industry needs and conduct empirical research to quantify their impact on student growth.

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Ting, L., Yusof, S. B. M., Abuhassna, H., & Qi, P. (2025). Exploring the Integration of Service Learning in Curricula: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends and Core Contributions. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(3), 1223–1240.