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1 – 10 of over 1000Suzanne Carrington and Megan Kimber
In this chapter, we consider the impact of an international service-learning experience on six final year pre-service teachers’ preparedness to be inclusive teachers in…
Abstract
In this chapter, we consider the impact of an international service-learning experience on six final year pre-service teachers’ preparedness to be inclusive teachers in terms of Kiely’s (2004) “transforming forms” (p. 9). These forms are “political,” “intellectual,” “moral,” “cultural,” “personal,” and “spiritual.” The analysis of the six participants’ reflection logs completed on return to university, and interviews undertaken 12 months after the experience, revealed four categories (personal growth, relationships with others, wider societal views, and impact on teaching) that encompass movement toward these transforming forms. We begin the chapter by considering service-learning frameworks and theories, drawing out our understanding of Kiely’s (2004) “transforming forms” (pp. 9–11). Following this discussion, we provide an overview of our program and the six participants. We then analyze the data from participants’ reflection logs and interviews. From our analysis, we suggest that all six participants showed some movement toward one or more of the “transforming forms.” Finally, we draw conclusions about the usefulness of Kiely’s framework for planning and reflecting on an international service-learning experience to prepare pre-service teachers to be inclusive teachers. We conclude that keeping in mind Kiely’s “transforming forms” when planning, reflecting on, and evaluating an international service-learning experience can better prepare students to be inclusive teachers.
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International service-learning (ISL) programs are proliferating in American colleges. Usually the stakeholders involved (colleges, local host communities, and nonprofit…
Abstract
International service-learning (ISL) programs are proliferating in American colleges. Usually the stakeholders involved (colleges, local host communities, and nonprofit organizations) undertake a single or few projects, such as housing construction, in a host country from a few weeks to months during an academic year. In most ISL programs, national governments of the host countries are not participants. Using a case study, this chapter shows how an American college can collaborate with a foreign national government to implement an ISL partnership. The case study involves the ISL partnership between North Carolina Central University and the Liberia Civil Service Agency. The students are from the Executive Master of Public Administration program that requires students to complete at least two weeks of service in government agencies in a developing country. Students are therefore provided the opportunity to gain valuable experience working on projects in Liberian government agencies, while the University provides research and policy analysis for the agencies. The diversity of projects in various agencies provides students the opportunity to gain experience in government administration in Liberia, thereby broadening their knowledge and education. A single ISL project administered by a nonprofit organization may not provide such opportunities.
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Christine Cress, Tricia Mulligan and Thomas Van Cleave
Transformational learning outcomes of short-term faculty-led international service-learning experiences can by stymied by cultural shock and improperly facilitated…
Abstract
Transformational learning outcomes of short-term faculty-led international service-learning experiences can by stymied by cultural shock and improperly facilitated programs. Moreover, dissonance in dimensions of the self in contrast to foreign traditions and social interactions can be especially salient in American student encounters in India. How students resolve and make meaning of their own emotional entropy is traced across two institutional programs, two courses (1 undergraduate and 1 graduate), and multiple India community partner sites. An evidence-based pedagogical model and strategies for preparation, praxis, and processing are offered in supporting student reflection of themselves as global beings and in development of global agency which is manifested as intrapersonal, interpersonal, intercultural, academic, and professional competencies.
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George A. Hrivnak and Cynthia L. Sherman
The purpose of this paper is to review – from the perspective of nascent academic practitioners – the promise and challenges of service‐learning as an instructional…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review – from the perspective of nascent academic practitioners – the promise and challenges of service‐learning as an instructional methodology. The paper is contextualized in terms of preparing students of business and management with the requisite skills for coping and thriving in the unknowns of the unscripted future.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach is a review of the context of the unscripted future and the considerations involved in determining the viability and appropriateness of service‐learning from the perspective of faculty who have not previously used this approach.
Findings
Although there are numerous challenges and considerations involved in the use of service‐learning, particularly for faculty members who are new to this instructional method, thoughtful perseverance and attention to the issues inherent to this teaching tool can yield a powerful approach that is well‐suited to meeting the learning needs of students facing an unscripted future.
Originality/value
The paper provides not only a literature review of the current thinking in the service‐learning domain but also a set of resources relevant to the topic from the perspective of a nascent practitioner. The paper is designed to illustrate the unique challenges and strengths of faculty members who are considering implementing service‐learning in a management or organizational sciences course.
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Problematic attributes of providing development aid in International Service-Learning (ISL) placements exist with its paternalistic implications. Broadening the discussion…
Abstract
Problematic attributes of providing development aid in International Service-Learning (ISL) placements exist with its paternalistic implications. Broadening the discussion of ISL by shifting the focus toward prioritizing the incorporation of goals of cross-cultural learning and fostering cultural humility addresses these problematic attributes. Approaching ISL placements with a learning mindset inverts the service-learning model by emphasizing learning over helping. Additionally, cultivating a deeper self-awareness and learning from the host communities prior to offering service encourages cultural humility, enhances the ability to remain open to different perspectives, and sustains engagement as a lifelong learner. A framework for developing international education experiences with a systems-oriented approach is proposed: one that acknowledges the interdependent relationships with others in global social and economic structures. The proposed framework applies Milton Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity and Vanessa de Oliveira Andreotti’s HEADS UP educational tool for critical engagement in global social justice issues. Transformative learning theory guides the process of perspective transformation and invites students to critically reflect on their own values, assumptions, and cultural beliefs. The intent is to establish a model for ISL placements which invites respectful collaboration across cultural differences and imbalances in power relations.
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Nicola M. Pless and Markéta Borecká
International service learning is a new trend in management development and a new field of research. International Service Learning Programs (ISLP) are experiential…
Abstract
Purpose
International service learning is a new trend in management development and a new field of research. International Service Learning Programs (ISLP) are experiential corporate volunteering initiatives designed to give employees the chance to work for a short spell abroad (often in a developing or emerging market) on a service assignment with a partner from the social sector (e.g. NGO, social enterprise). The service assignment is a project defined with a social-sector partner on which the corporate employee works full-time on a pro-bono basis and contributes his/her knowledge and expertise in exchange for a rich learning experience. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the use of ISLP in business firms and conducts a comparative analysis of six programs set up by multinational corporations from three industries (health, technology, and accounting and professional services). It identifies characteristics and similarities among programs, discusses differences, offers criteria for program classification and areas for future research. As such, it is an important starting point for quantitative studies.
Design/methodology/approach –
This is a qualitative study based on six ISLP. The data were gathered through desk research, interviews with program representatives and a structured questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions.
Findings
Regardless of the stated aims (which usually stress value for the participants, the company and the communities), most programs had one clear focus (two programs in the area of leadership development, two in the area of community development) while two showed closely linked foci (with slightly greater emphasis on organization development than on the other areas).
Research limitations/implications
The authors suggest that the type of ISLP has an effect on the learning outcomes. Since companies are still testing usefulness and outcomes of these programs, academic research that provides comparative quantitative data on the outcomes of such programs is of great value for business practice.
Practical implications
This systematic overview and classification of ISLP is a starting point for empirical program comparisons as well as for the evaluation of different service learning approaches. This could prove very useful for other companies planning to set up or refine their own ISLP to achieve certain outcomes.
Originality/value
This is the first paper that compares ISLP run by multinational corporations. It identifies a number of category areas in which they differ (e.g. in placement length, nature of the assignment – individual or in teams, learning methods used) and provides a typology for program classification (leadership development, organization development or community development).
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Miftachul Huda, Dedi Mulyadi, April Lia Hananto, Nasrul Hisyam Nor Muhamad, Kamarul Shukri Mat Teh and Abdul Ghafar Don
This paper aims to explore service learning with its insights in empowering corporate responsibility awareness. Attempts to build corporate responsibility widely in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore service learning with its insights in empowering corporate responsibility awareness. Attempts to build corporate responsibility widely in incorporating into the sustainability engagement could be demonstrated in fostering the transformative experiential learning with extensive evaluation and reconfiguration of existing programs. The focus on enhancing the learning experience in emphasizing the community engagement would be applied with strengthening the actual performance in encompassing the ability raising awareness about the environmental issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach used in this paper refers to develop the conceptual framework about the service learning with various strategies to give insight on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Incorporating the approach of conceptualizing the basis of service learning, key consideration was generated into particular enhancement of service learning in contributing to the CSR.
Findings
The finding reveals that getting benefit to serving into the community engagement may take beneficial outcomes with its valuable insight to assist in the progress of program designed with associating to enhance corporate responsibility and sustainability awareness. The advancement of the social control among the companies would be deployed within empowering service learning for CSR where sustainability awareness-based community service as embodiment of CSR should be enhanced through nurturing corporate responsibility-based transformative experiential learning. Moreover, this initiative refers to an attempt to strengthen the basis of corporate responsibility and sustainability awareness-based experiential learning, which could enlarge creative thinking with envisioning sustainability and corporate responsibility.
Originality/value
This study is expected to contribute to the experiential learning to enhance the sustainability within the learning setting engaged in achieving what to contribute to the environmental concern. In creating the situation where the balance between serving and learning can be achieved, attempts to encourage them in joining the service learning program should be collaborated with orienting both personal and social community oriented comprehensively in underlying the responsibility awareness, the sustainability-based moral values. These aim to enhance the understanding stage about the care for protecting the environmental concern within learning experience with the goal to produce responsible awareness especially by economic agents such as shareholders, managers, regulators and active participants to promote sustainable benefits.
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Service learning has become an important teaching methodology in many American schools, colleges, and universities. Libraries will thus want to add resources to their…
Abstract
Purpose
Service learning has become an important teaching methodology in many American schools, colleges, and universities. Libraries will thus want to add resources to their collections in this subject area to support faculty and student research. This article aims to briefly define the concept of service learning and to describe selected resources in the area.
Design/methodology/approach
The annotated bibliography is divided into three sections: organizations and their web sites, Periodicals, and Books.
Findings
Service learning, once an experimental teaching and learning approach, has become well established as a pedagogy. In designing a successful service learning experience, teachers and faculty must identify real community needs, must structure the experience in such a way that students can grow and learn from it and, on completion of the experience, must assess its outcomes.
Originality/value
This paper synthesizes the literature on service learning and provides a guide for librarians who want to add materials in this area to their collection.
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