In a service learning course, this community expands even further beyond the boundaries of the class
I feel there's something profound, here. Grades are primarily about individual achievement in an environment which is deemed to be competitive. Even in teamwork, there's often a notion that each individual's grade is more important than the team's success (which is part of the challenge of teaching teamwork). Peer-assessment can be pretty powerful. ... and becomes quite impactful in a community context. Learners whose work is directly embedded in a community setting often receive deeper feedback than grades. In some cases (such as university-supported Community Service Learning), they may receive partial course credit for volunteering.