Exploring Cultural Dynamics And Tensions Within Service Learning

Service-learning is an exciting pedagogy and field of study, offering insight into how academic study and community engagement blend to create social change. In its most traditional conceptualization, servicelearning activities typically manifest within communities where outside individuals address a need. Service learning is purported to have a transforming effect on individual student perspectives by providing students the opportunity to interact with people and enter into situations that allow students to test their predisposition towards others. However, the literature on the impact of service-learning on participants' acceptance of diversity and development of open-mindedness reports mixed outcomes. The purpose of this book is to explore cultural tensions and dynamics within the field of service-learning. It is not meant to be an exhaustive review of the interplay between culture and service learning, but rather a starting point for an ongoing conversation about how this complex topic impacts the field. In 18 chapters, educators, students, and administrators investigate the cultural values of service-learning itself and the tensions created when this is at odds with the values of others within K-12 and higher education in the United States and abroad. Authors include community organization representatives, researchers, directors of offices of community engagement, university administrators, junior and senior faculty, and former service-learning undergraduate students. Submissions reflect a range of genres, including theoretical / conceptual pieces, position papers, case studies, and other traditional academic essays, challenging how students and community members are affected by the cultural tensions within service-learning engagement.

This volume offers educators, higher education institutions, communities and organizations critical understandings and resources that can underpin respectful, reciprocal and transformative educative relationships with First Peoples internationally. With a focus on service learning, each chapter provides concrete examples of how arts-based, community-led projects can enhance and support the quality and sustainability of First Peoples’ cultural content in higher education. In partnership with communities across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Canada and the United States, contributors reflect on diverse projects and activities, offer rich and engaging first-hand accounts of student, community and staff experiences, share recommendations for arts-based service learning projects and outline future directions in the field.

A comprehensive guide to service-learning for social justice written by an international panel of experts The Wiley International Handbook of Service-Learning for Social Justice offers a review of recent trends in social justice that have been, until recently, marginalized in the field of service-learning. The authors offer a guide for establishing and nurturing social justice in a variety of service-learning programs, and show that incorporating the principles of social justice in service-learning can empower communities to resist and disrupt oppressive power structures, and work for solidarity with host and partner communities. With contributions from an international panel of experts, the Handbook contains a critique of the field’s roots in charity; a review of the problematization of Whitenormativity, paired with the bolstering of diverse voices and perspectives; and information on the embrace of emotional elements including tension, ambiguity, and discomfort. This important resource: Considers the role of the community in service-learning and other community‑engaged models of education and practice Explores the necessity of disruption and dissonance in service-learning Discusses a number of targeted issues that often arise in service-learning contexts Offers a practical guide to establishing and nurturing social justice at the heart of an international service-learning program Written for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, scholars, and educators, The Wiley International Handbook of Service-Learning for Social Justice highlights social justice as a conflict‑ridden struggle against inequality, xenophobia, and oppression, and offers practical suggestions for incorporating service-learning programs in various arenas.

Teacher education programs serve traditional and non-traditional students and develop teachers to enter a range of teaching environments. Approaching teacher education through community involvement and learning objectives helps to effectively prepare teachers to serve local and community needs. The Handbook of Research on Service-Learning Initiatives in Teacher Education Programs provides emerging research on the methods and techniques for educators to strengthen their knowledge regarding the intersection of service learning and field placements. While highlighting topics, such as cultural competency, teacher development, and multicultural education, this book explores the benefits, challenges, and opportunities for employing community service as the driving framework for field experiences. This publication is a vital resource for practitioners, educators, faculty, and administrators seeking current research on the opportunity of field involvement to enhance teacher candidates’ experiences and provide a channel for meaningful learning.

Language and Social Justice is the fourth volume of the Readings in Language Studies series published by the International Society for Language Studies, Inc. Edited by Miguel Mantero, John L. Watzke, and Paul Chamness Miller, volume four sustains the society's mission to organize and disseminate the work of its contributing members through peer-reviewed publications. The book presents international perspectives on language and social justice in three thematic sections: culture, teaching practices & pedagogy, and policy. A resource for scholars and students, Language and Social Justice represents the latest scholarship in new and emergent areas of inquiry.

Transforming Teacher Education through Service-Learning provides a fresh look at educational reform through the lens of teacher preparation. It poses the question “Why service-learning now?” as it discusses the meaningful ways service-learning pedagogy can transform the approaches used to prepare teachers to educate tomorrow’s children. The pedagogy of service-learning has significant implications for teacher education. Its transformative aspects have far reaching potential to address teacher candidate dispositions and provide deeper understanding of diversity. Knowledge of the pedagogy and how to implement it in candidates’ future classrooms could alter education to a more powerful experience of democracy in action and enhance the civic mission of schools. The current and ongoing research found within this volume is meant to continue support of the notion of educational reform. Because the vision we hold becomes the reality we experience, it is imperative to consider the question—Why service-learning now?—as we adjust teacher preparation programs to promote engaging opportunities for today’s youth.

The need for more empathetic and community-focused students must begin with educators, as service-learning has begun to grow in popularity throughout the years. By implementing service and community aspects into the classroom at an early age, educators have a greater chance of influencing students and creating a new generation of service-minded individuals who care about their communities. Teachers must have the necessary skills and current information available to them to provide students with quality service learning and community engagement curricula. The Research Anthology on Service Learning and Community Engagement Teaching Practices provides a thorough investigation of the current trends, best practices, and challenges of teaching practices for service learning and community engagement. Using innovative research, it outlines the struggles, frameworks, and recommendations necessary for educators to engage students and provide them with a comprehensive education in service learning. Covering topics such as lesson planning, teacher education, and cultural humility, it is a crucial reference for educators, administrators, universities, lesson planners, researchers, academicians, and students.

Teacher education programs and colleges of education face a multilayered task of preparing teachers to teach in increasingly divergent environments where children of color encompass a significant number of urban school populations. Yet the teaching force remains predominantly white, middle-income, monolingual, and female. Compounding this complex issue, the racial and the socio-economic makeup of many teacher education faculty mirrors the teacher candidate population. The goal of this handbook is to offer teacher educators a blue print for strengthening and extending traditional literacy field experiences to include service-learning components. As literacy teacher educators, Sulentic Dowell and Meidl demonstrate how teacher education can be transformed to include more authentic, meaningful, and preparatory field experiences. Adding service-learning components expands teacher education to more adequately prepare elementary education candidates to meet children’s needs in 21st century, urban elementary classrooms. This handbook considers the need to redefine and reconfigure teacher education in regards to literacy teaching and learning.