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Article
Peer-Review Record

Empowering Cooperative Teamwork for Community Service Sustainability: Insights from Service Learning

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4551; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054551
by Ahmad Zainuri 1 and Miftachul Huda 2,*
Reviewer 1:
Reviewer 2:
Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4551; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054551
Submission received: 8 November 2022 / Revised: 28 February 2023 / Accepted: 28 February 2023 / Published: 3 March 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Education for Sustainable Development)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report


Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

REVIEWER 1 Thank you for your contribution. I have read it with great interest. The objective of this study was to examine the significance of cooperative-based teamwork to give insights into community service sustainability to with designing the key role engaged into the students’ activism. That will be helpful for communities and students. My biggest issue with this piece is methodology. I suggest that authors provide more information about literature process. For example: 1. How many papers author found using keywords of cooperative teamwork, community service and service leaning? How to select these papers? How long is the literature review period? 2. How to examining and organizing these papers? 3. How many researchers review these papers? And make sure this model is full interpreting? In other word, how authors build each figure base on these papers? Authors’ response: Many thanks for the constructive comments. The additional improvement has been made on providing the literature review process. The design of systematic literature was adopted into through the selection process, the period process, the examination and organization process and interpretation process. Moreover, the figure was developed through the substantive approach on the main point of each built theme in the main discussion.

Reviewer 2 Report

The importance of the study is very insufficient. The inadequacy of the importance of the study was unfortunately reflected in the last section. 

Author Response

REVIEWER 2

The importance of the study is very insufficient. The inadequacy of the importance of the study was unfortunately reflected in the last section. 

Authors’ response:

Thank you for the comment. The additional improvement has been made with developing the importance of study being conducted. In particular, the research problem has been developed, methodology was improved, results were redeveloped by summarizing these into contributing the implication to the sustainable development agenda in education sector through service learning in contributing to the cooperative teamwork for community service sustainability.

Reviewer 3 Report

The topic of the article is very interesting, current, and its solution is beneficial for society. If the article was well-written and it was a scientific article, it would be very interesting for the readers of Sustainability journal.

However, the article has several fundamental flaws, as I state below.

Regarding the abstract, it is necessary to specify the research problem, precisely define the methodology, summarize the results and specify the implications.

Regarding the introduction, the research gap needs to be identified in the context of the work of other authors. Furthermore, the goal of the authors must be precisely defined.

Regarding the "Literature Review" section, the literature review is based on only 16 sources. In addition, these are very outdated sources (the most recent is from 2018). This part is not well proceeded.

Regarding the "Methodology" section, this part contains major flaws. The methodology needs to be precisely specified. It is necessary to state which methodology the authors use (with references to the works of other authors). The advantages of the applied methods must be evaluated. It would be appropriate to express the methodology used graphically.

Regarding the "Results" section, considering that this is a review article, I would have expected this section to contain a deeper analysis, to be based on the study of an adequate number of current sources, unfortunately it is not.

The article does not contain a precise specification of the implications. No limiting factors are specified. Future research directions are not identified.

The article is based on a limited number of sources (32), although it is a review article. Of these, 7 sources are the work of the author. The sources used are out of date (latest is from 2018).

The authors did not respect the formal requirements of the Sustainability journal.

Author Response

REVIEWER 3

Comment 1

The topic of the article is very interesting, current, and its solution is beneficial for society. If the article was well-written and it was a scientific article, it would be very interesting for the readers of Sustainability journal.

However, the article has several fundamental flaws, as I state below.

Regarding the abstract, it is necessary to specify the research problem, precisely define the methodology, summarize the results and specify the implications.

Authors’ response:

Many thanks for the positive comment. Research problem has been developed, methodology was improved, results were redeveloped by summarizing these into contributing the implication to the sustainable development agenda in education sector.

 

Comment 2

Regarding the introduction, the research gap needs to be identified in the context of the work of other authors. Furthermore, the goal of the authors must be precisely defined.

Authors’ response:

Thank you for the constructive feedback. The improvement has been made in addressing the particular point of research gap by identifying the context of study and followed by a precise direction on looking into the goal orientation.

 

Comment 3

Regarding the "Literature Review" section, the literature review is based on only 16 sources. In addition, these are very outdated sources (the most recent is from 2018). This part is not well proceeded.

Authors’ response:

Many thanks for the positive review. The additional development for literature review was made by adding the recently published works as the references. This is to ensure the relevance of current study compared to the previously conducted research.

 

Comment 4

Regarding the "Methodology" section, this part contains major flaws. The methodology needs to be precisely specified. It is necessary to state which methodology the authors use (with references to the works of other authors). The advantages of the applied methods must be evaluated. It would be appropriate to express the methodology used graphically.

Authors’ response:

We are very thankful for the constructive feedback. The further improvement has been made in methodology section with the additional point on the precisely specified statement, through citing the proper references. The detailed explanation was made on the reasonable decision to select applied methods, namely systematic literature review, with its critical evaluation. Moreover, the graphic was adopted in enabling the easiness to grab the main point of each phase being conducted in the methodology process.

 

Comment 5

Regarding the "Results" section, considering that this is a review article, I would have expected this section to contain a deeper analysis, to be based on the study of an adequate number of current sources, unfortunately it is not.

Authors’ response:

Many thanks for the constructive feedback. The additional analysis has been developed further with upgrading the more updated references to support the argument in the discussion section. 

 

Comment 6

The article does not contain a precise specification of the implications. No limiting factors are specified. Future research directions are not identified.

Authors’ response:

We thank you for the positive comment. The additional part of implication and further direction has been developed in enabling the current reflection to give insight into the knowledge development process and also the potential gap to fulfill for the future research. 

 

Comment 7

The article is based on a limited number of sources (32), although it is a review article. Of these, 7 sources are the work of the author. The sources used are out of date (latest is from 2018). The authors did not respect the formal requirements of the Sustainability journal.

Authors’ response:

Many thanks for the positive feedback. The reconstruction of references has been made in following the sustainability journal guideline. This is followed by upgrading the latest works related to cooperative teamwork, community service and service leaning.

 

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The importance of the work is lacking.

For this, at least the following questions must be answered:

1. Why is research necessary and what are the reasons for it?

2. What is the lack of information about the research topic?

3. If so, what are the differences over time between previous research or studies and new research?

4. How can the gaps in the information obtained by other research be filled with this new research?

5. How will the results obtain from this research contribute to solving a theoretical or practical problem in the field?

 

The results are not enough!!!!

For this, at least the following questions must be answered:

Does this result really matter? Why is that?

Is the result consistent with previous research? If not consistent why?

Can the result be expressed from different perspectives?

Are there any alternative forms of expression that have priority?

Is the result important for further research in different settings?

If the result leads to further research, what might these studies be?

Author Response

Reviewer 2

The importance of the work is lacking.

For this, at least the following questions must be answered:

  1. Why is research necessary and what are the reasons for it?

The urgent need to help enhancing the students’ learning capabilities and skills in ac-celebrating the country transformation agenda has become the priority attention. This had gradually come because the raising number of challenging issues raised in the teamwork imbalance as this might consequently face in disturbing the standard allocation of work commitment and performance. The potential of such an imbalance can arise due to the lack of integrity among the team members reflected through the mutual practice in all the work. This study was to examine the significance and approach of empowering the cooperative teamwork for community service sustainability through the service learning enhancement. This rational came in order to responding the current situation by exploring the extensive contributions of service learning with its significant contribution into cooperative-based teamwork. The main orientation was solely given to the main orientation towards the feedback in enhancing the learners’ cooperative skills.

  1. What is the lack of information about the research topic?

This study is an attempt to examine the significance of cooperative-based teamwork to give insights into community service together with designing their key engagement role on the students ‘activism. However, at this point, the limitation was indicated when the current study only focused on the literature review. Moreover, the main orientation was dealing with strategic approach on cooperative teamwork to support the community service as the sustainability to enhance the society through service learning. With this regard, the theoretical basis was created from the current study so that the need to further research with the empirical basis should be taken into reconsideration.

  1. If so, what are the differences over time between previous research or studies and new research?

The number of studies has been conducted in terms of key leadership management skills (Redondo-Sama et al., 2020), workplace initiative strength (Piwowar-Sulej, 2021), industrial context of experiential learning (Cheng et al., 2020), and also voluntary inclusion for community engagement (Kumar, Meena, & Difrancesco, 2021). Another study was trying to elaborate the way of technological, societal, and institutional dimensions which can be expanded amidst the students involved into the community engagement (Mach et al., 2020). There is a need to sustain the sense of having togetherness in attempting to support their potential value assigned in getting actively engaged with cooperative-based teamwork should be taken into consideration in the sense that can guide the appropriate way amidst the team member to achieve the goal towards the community attainment.

  1. How can the gaps in the information obtained by other research be filled with this new research?

This study attempts to examine the significance of cooperative-based teamwork to give insights into community service together with designing their key engagement role on the students ‘activism. In order to achieve the potential value of cooperative-based teamwork to give insights into community service, this study is dealt with elaborating the entire attempts to enhance in fostering citizenship empowerment to be paid attention to address the stages with teamwork responsibility. The following section will be subsequently presented as follows: enhancing discipline with actively getting involved in service activities; building positive beliefs with sustainable commitment in community service; embodying civic responsibility-based community service through balancing learning and serving; nurturing cooperation-based teamwork with creative and innovative thinking as key performance skills.

  1. How will the results obtain from this research contribute to solving a theoretical or practical problem in the field?

Moreover, the main orientation was dealing with strategic approach on cooperative teamwork to support the community service as the sustainability to enhance the society through service learning. With this regard, the theoretical basis was created from the current study so that the need to further research with the empirical basis should be taken into reconsideration. In particular, the point of current study was solely constructed to enhancing the cooperative skills for the higher learners through literature study approach, where the deficit might come into the evident of empirical finding of the data. The point of current study was also elucidating the social community service sustainability together with learning basis within the academia. The extent of this approach was employed through examining the significance of cooperative-based teamwork to give insights into community service together with designing the key engagement role on the students’ activism. As such, the core point refers to the entire attempts to enhance in fostering citizenship empowerment with teamwork responsibility.

 

The results are not enough!!!!

For this, at least the following questions must be answered:

Does this result really matter? Why is that?

Yes. The critical point on dealing with the debate about the challenging issues on the teamwork needs to address the potentials of cooperative engagement starting from the learning practice, service learning. On this view, the process of elaborating the strategic way through adopting technological side in giving insights into both societal and institutional sector. Moreover, the main dimensions could determine the allocation of time and chance among the learners to expand their potential skills in order to support their active involvement into the community engagement.

Is the result consistent with previous research? If not consistent why?

Yes, it is. The consequence is that attempts to sustain the sense of having togetherness in at-tempting to support their potential value are required to consolidate in getting actively engaged with cooperative-based teamwork. At this point, the main point on considering way to guide with an appropriate approach would help team member achieving the targeted goal towards the community service as the sustainability empowerment. The applied instrument given as the initiative to examine the significance of cooperative-based teamwork would give the potential contribution into building the social awareness on staying concerned about the community service.

Can the result be expressed from different perspectives?

Yes. The design of principles on having an active engagement on driving the learners’ gateway to perform their practice and achieve the potential value of cooperative-based teamwork. In giving insights into community service, the main contribution as the implication of current study was elaborated as an attempt to help enhancing to foster the community empowerment. The outcome was also addressing the attention towards the stages in having the teamwork responsibility where the phase comes to enhance discipline with actively getting involved in service activity. The subsequent point refers to build the positive beliefs to enhance the commitment on maintaining the community service with sustainable development.

Are there any alternative forms of expression that have priority?

The strategic attempts are required to give a solution in managing the challenges through having the sufficient understanding on looking further into the teamwork cooperation. At this point, the challenges need to adopt the effective solution with its uniqueness in contributing to the teamwork commitment within the organization team. In the attempts to redirect the future orientation, both research and development approach should incorporate in acculturating the cooperative teamwork engagement in supporting the responsibility on the community service.

Is the result important for further research in different settings?

The further direction refers to have an active arrangement on building the cooperative teamwork through empirical finding. As the main achievement, the strategic way to begin with designing the active involvement to manage both skills and abilities in maintaining the community service agenda needs to together in improving the service learning initiative.

If the result leads to further research, what might these studies be?

Through making balance between learning and serving, the potential value to sustain the cooperation-based teamwork requires the stability of having both creative and innovative thinking rationality. With upgrading the key performance skills, the further elaboration on service learning initiative could potentially design the models on engaging an active voluntary activity. Moreover, the style of determining potential contribution on boosting the commitment to enlarge knowledge, skills and experience is supposedly generated in the attempts to re-empower the expertise in get-ting involved into the community service.

 

Reviewer 3 Report

The abstract and introduction section have been modified in the correct way.

The Literature review section has been supplemented with adequate sources and is now acceptable.

The Methodology section has been significantly revised. It is now well structured and argued.

The Results section has been supplemented with current resources.

The section Limitations, implications and future directions has been added.

I have only partial comments:

1) Each figure must be referenced in the text.

2) Consider the position of Figure 2 and add an explanatory comment to it.

Author Response

The abstract and introduction section have been modified in the correct way.

The Literature review section has been supplemented with adequate sources and is now acceptable.

The Methodology section has been significantly revised. It is now well structured and argued.

The Results section has been supplemented with current resources.

The section Limitations, implications and future directions has been added.

I have only partial comments:

  • Each figure must be referenced in the text.

Authors’ response:

Many thanks for the constructive feedback. All detailed explanation on the figure has been made in the text.

  • Consider the position of Figure 2 and add an explanatory comment to it.

Authors’ response:

Thank you very much for the positive comment. The additional development on figure 2 has been made.

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