Introduction to Role of Education and Pedagogical Approach in Service Learning

Abstract

Higher education goes beyond classroom teaching and emphasizes on community and democratic participation of students and teachers who are expected to practice inclusive education and support the needs of the community and a diverse group of stakeholders. In the 1990s a new form of experiential learning started evolving in higher education where students were given credits to become more empathetic and address the needs of humanity or their immediate community. Curriculum were improvised to include volunteering services, internships and integrating them to the existing teaching learning needs. However, a fine line does exist about how inclusive education should be and what dimensions of community services can be included in the curriculum. This book is a collection of case studies and interventions adopted by academics across the globe to explain and explore the concepts of social responsibility in education, social justice and civility. The current pandemic situation has made it increasingly difficult for students to explore gaps in society and work toward mitigating it. Academics have showcased that online learning doesn’t mean an end to service learning, but it can be enhanced, and students can continue to be agents of social change. The volume describes the concept of service learning as a model, as a pedagogical tool, a framework that can be inculcated in different areas higher education.

Citation

Sengupta, E. and Blessinger, P. (2022), "Introduction to Role of Education and Pedagogical Approach in Service Learning", Sengupta, E. and Blessinger, P. (Ed.) Role of Education and Pedagogical Approach in Service Learning (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 46), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120220000046001