Abstract
This investigation explores service learning as an experiential conduit for learning in context where real-world problems and emotions can be dynamically combined and where emotions and learning can be knitted together successfully. Service learning, as a kind of experiential education, provides a needed foil to the current overemphasis on standardized testing in education. This hyperfocus on testing ignores the development of the whole person in authentic learning contexts and overlooks the neuroscience of teaching and learning. A case study of a service learning intervention with teacher education students is reported in this chapter and grounds this work in practice, showcasing the possibilities for enlarging pedagogical learning opportunities in STEM fields. Research from cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience is cited to help build the case for emotions in learning. Through engagement and reflection on engagement through service learning contexts in STEM fields, optimal levels of engagement can be achieved and students can understand more deeply the broader impacts of the STEM disciplines.