Abstract: Service-learning projects are becoming more prevalent in Information Systems education. This study explores the use of community-based research, a special kind of a service-learning strategy, in an Information Systems web development course. The paper presents a case study of a service-learning project to develop an educational web portal for a second-grade class by an Information Systems student and an elementary school teacher. The study’s findings demonstrate the reciprocal benefits of community-based research to the IS student and the community partner. In spite of these benefits, there are pedagogical challenges to using community-based research as a service-learning strategy in an Information Systems course. The study’s findings have implications for structuring effective service-learning experiences to promote student learning and to secure community gains from technology projects.

Keywords: community-based research, Case Studies, educational web portal, IS Education, service learning, primary education, Web Development

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Recommended Citation: Preiser-Houy, L., Navarrete, C. (2011). A Community-Based Research Approach to Develop an Educational Web Portal . Information Systems Education Journal, 9(1) pp 4-13. http://isedj.org/2011-9/ ISSN: 1545-679X. (A preliminary version appears in The Proceedings of ISECON 2010)