University Community Service (TCU) at Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT) and Social Responsibility (RS) ¿Is the TCU having an effect in the perception of RS in the students that carry it out?

Abstract

The relation between del fulfillment of the graduation requirement called Trabajo Comunal Universitario (TCU -University Community Service-) made through the methodology of Service Learning (ApS by its Spanish name Aprendizaje en Servicio) and the perception of Social Responsibility (RS for Responsabilidad Social) is analyzed here, with respect to aspects such as: general evaluation for the importance of RS, personal and professional relation with RS and essence of this concept. A study with a representative sample (N = 312) was held with students of Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología (ULACIT), in San José, Costa Rica, comparing between those who made their TCU and those who haven´t done it, so it would be possible to present some evidence of the effect of TCU in the perception of relevant aspects of RS. The main concepts are described: TCU, RS y AeS, and so is the literature review of similar studies.