Community-Based Learning (CBL) is an educational approach that emphasizes the integration of meaningful community service with academic instruction, promoting civic engagement, and social responsibility. Because of the methodology of teaching and learning that provides context for building academic and work-readiness skills is community-based learning, also called service learning. Despite the diversity of definitions and theories related to CBL, some common criteria have been identified in the literature (Flecky, 2011):

• Service/community based projects are grounded in real and relevant community needs and challenges.
• Projects involve students in a constructive research process that addresses community issues.
• Students lead and carry out projects with guidance and support from educators and community partners.
• Projects take place over an extended period, typically weeks or months, allowing for meaningful engagement with community stakeholders.
• CBL promotes students' understanding of community issues, collaboration in working teams, responsibility in project design, implementation, and final product delivery, and reflection on project process and outcomes.