UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS' MOTIVATIONS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJMOE.832006Keywords:
Community Engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility, Learning Experiences, Undergraduate Students, Volunteer MotivationAbstract
This study aims to explore volunteer motivation among undergraduate students and explain how this motivation shapes learning experiences through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-based community engagement activities in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. This study uses a Basic Qualitative Inquiry approach involving 28 undergraduate students. Data was collected through written responses during program applications and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings identified six main themes that were then compiled into a Learning Trajectory Model, which explains how participation motivation develops into meaningful learning experiences through community engagement. This model demonstrates that volunteer motivation is a catalyst for learning that is reinforced through authentic experiences, social interaction, and self-reflection. This study contributes to the higher education literature by offering a new conceptual perspective on the relationship between volunteer motivation, community engagement, and learning experiences, and suggests that community engagement programs be designed as intentional learning experiences.
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