Service-Learning and Educating in Challenging Contexts: International Perspectives

Description

Service-Learning and Educating in Challenging Contexts explores the potential of service-learning identified as a way to integrate community service with academic study to enrich the on-going professional development of educators, especially in schools that are located in challenging contexts. This collection offers a further refinement of what typically comes under the remit of service-learning, switching the focus from the learning experience of the learner, to the educator and the deep and enriching professional learning opportunities that service-learning can offer. This approach to service-learning promotes collaborative practices amongst professional and in-service educators, and encourages an integration of theory and practice. The international contributors use their own experiences as well as current research to provide a thorough exploration of service-learning from national and international perspectives.

Timothy Murphy is Lecturer in Educational Research and Policy at the University of Limerick, Ireland. He is on the Board of Advisors at the International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education (ICSLTE). Jon E. C. Tan is Senior Lecturer in the School of Education and Childhood at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK.

From the Foreword: '[The editors and authors] present the various struggles and some of the missteps that program leaders in various national contexts have faced in implementing service-learning. They share their uncertainties about the true purposes and intentions of service-learning. They bring to the fore important insights on why particular service-learning practices might work in some contexts and not in others. And they offer very interesting and thoughtful analyses of the implications of these issues and challenges for securing high quality practice...An important volume in the new genre of service-learning literature. To all who read it, this work will bring a greater and deeper understanding of the true character and essence of service-learning.' -- Andrew Furco, Vice President for Public Engagement and Associate Professor, University of Minnesota, USA International contributors in educational policy, educational psychology, service learning, and non-formal education demonstrate how service learning can be applied in diverse cultural and national contexts. International cases share successes, failures, and challenges. Throughout the book, contributors seek ways to connect learning to real issues and reflect on the role of the educator as an interpreter and facilitator of learning in the context of education for social justice. Part 1 presents cases from the US, touching onbuilding communities for social justice through service-learning, urban teaching, and online service learning. Part 2 presents cases from the UK, Europe, South Africa, and Australia. Some subjects include training educators in post-apartheid South Africa, and community-based learning in teacher education in Ireland. * Book News Inc *