scholarly journals Ujamaa and Universal Design: Developing Sustainable Tactile Curricular Materials in Rural Tanzania

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-136
Author(s):  
Alisha M. B. Braun ◽  
Betty Okwako-Riekkola
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
International Development ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Plastic Bags ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Curricular Materials

Purpose: This article illustrates the power of collaboration in the spirit of Ujamaa to build curricular materials that can engage and support the learning of a diverse group of students in under-resourced environments. The authors reflect on their personal experience overseeing collaborative service learning projects with Tanzanian partners through a study abroad programme.Method: The service learning project took place in a rural primary school in northern Tanzania, characterised by large class sizes and the unavailability of teaching and learning materials.Tactile curricular materials were collaboratively developed by Tanzanian student teachers, practising teachers, and American undergraduate students. Locally available and recyclable materials were used, such as plastic water bottles, tubing, plastic bags and cardboard boxes.Results: Examples of curricular materials that were developed are presented, and lessons learned through the experience are shared.Conclusion: The use of locally available, recyclable materials enhanced sustainability. Having sustainable curricular materials that are accessible to a diverse range of students in under-resourced educational settings has the potential to foster learning for all. The underlying cultural concept of interconnectedness or Ujamaa strengthened the collaborative relationship between participating teachers and students, and can be drawn upon to enhance future service learning and international development efforts in education.

Ethnographic Service Learning: An Approach for Transformational Learning

Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie A. Medeiros ◽  
Jennifer Guzmán
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Transformational Learning ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
The United States ◽  
Field Methods ◽  
The Social ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Transformational Experiences ◽  
Learning Projects

Trends in higher education pedagogy increasingly point to the importance of transformational experiences as the capstone of liberal arts education. Practitioners of ethnography, the quintessential transformational experience of the social sciences, are well-positioned to take the lead in designing courses and term projects that afford undergraduate students opportunities to fundamentally reshape their understanding of the social world and their own involvement within it. Furthermore, in the United States, colleges and universities have become proponents of service learning as a critical component of a holistic educational experience. In this article, we describe how service learning can be incorporated into training students in ethnographic field methods as a means to transformational learning and to give them skills they can use beyond the classroom in a longer trajectory of civic participation. We discuss strategies, opportunities, and challenges associated with incorporating service learning into courses and programs training students in ethnographic field methods and propose five key components for successful ethnographic service learning projects. We share student insights about the transformational value of their experiences as well as introduce some ethical concerns that arise in ethnographic service-learning projects.

Improving music teaching and learning through online service: A case study of a synchronous online teaching internship

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela D. Pike
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Distance Teaching ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Musical Understanding ◽  
Synchronous Online

This case study explored the potential for using a synchronous online piano teaching internship as a service-learning project for graduate pedagogy interns. In partnership with the university, a local music retailer, and a local middle school, three pedagogy interns taught beginning piano to underprivileged teenaged students for 8 weeks. All instruction took place in the synchronous online environment using acoustic Disklavier pianos, Internet MIDI, Facetime, and traditional method books. As a result of the experience, the students demonstrated musical understanding and the pedagogy interns developed teaching techniques, displayed improved comprehension of course content, learned about current distance teaching technology, and considered the role of music education in society. Based on these results, it might be feasible to provide piano lessons to underserved populations in remote locations while offering meaningful internship experiences to pedagogy students through distance service-learning projects.

Lessons Learned From 15 Years of Service-Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 17-40
Author(s):  
Lori Simons ◽  
Lawrence Fehr ◽  
Lake Greene
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Intercultural Relationships ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Service Experiences

This chapter describes lessons learned from students involved in a service-learning program in an urban school district during the past 15 years. A total of 729 undergraduate students enrolled in an educational psychology course took part in the study. Students completed a survey at the beginning and end of the course. The findings indicate that academic-based service-learning and cultural-based service-learning contribute to different learning outcomes. Academic-based service-learners develop intercultural relationships with service recipients and community partners and acquire an understanding of social disparities in the community while cultural-based service-learners develop interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Students also appeared to make meaning out of their diverse service experiences and acquired a deeper understanding about how social responsibility is part of their role as preservice teachers in their school community. Implications for incorporating CBSL strategies in a teacher education program are discussed.

Lessons Learned From 15 Years of Service-Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 903-925
Author(s):  
Lori Simons ◽  
Lawrence Fehr ◽  
Lake Greene
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Intercultural Relationships ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Service Experiences

This chapter describes lessons learned from students involved in a service-learning program in an urban school district during the past 15 years. A total of 729 undergraduate students enrolled in an educational psychology course took part in the study. Students completed a survey at the beginning and end of the course. The findings indicate that academic-based service-learning and cultural-based service-learning contribute to different learning outcomes. Academic-based service-learners develop intercultural relationships with service recipients and community partners and acquire an understanding of social disparities in the community while cultural-based service-learners develop interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Students also appeared to make meaning out of their diverse service experiences and acquired a deeper understanding about how social responsibility is part of their role as preservice teachers in their school community. Implications for incorporating CBSL strategies in a teacher education program are discussed.

scholarly journals Improving the Long-Term Sustainability of Service-Learning Projects: Six Lessons Learned from Early MIT IDEAS Competition Winners

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-29
Author(s):  
Diana Jue
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Partner ◽  
Target Populations ◽  
Student Teams ◽  
History Of ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Learning Projects ◽  
Ongoing Concern

An ongoing concern of service-learning projects is whether they can benefit target populations in the long-term. Too often, service-learning projects end before a real deliverable is presented to the community. At MIT, a short history of service-learning projects can be documented through the IDEAS Competition, an annual competition that awards small monetary prizes to student teams that have designed and implemented innovative projects to positively impact underserved communities. This article analyzes how winning projects of the first five IDEAS Competitions evolved or dissolved. From the experiences and wisdom of these early winners, this article offers six pieces of advice to students and academic institutions seeking to implement service-learning projects: 1) Seriously consider implementation from the beginning, 2) Be concrete and realistic in the short term, 3) Be flexible in the long-term, 4) Build a multidisciplinary team, 5) Collaborate with a solid community partner, and 6) Prepare for continuity.

scholarly journals Building Community and Fostering Health and Well-Being through a Collaborative School Based Project

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abimbola O. Asojo ◽  
Hoa Vo ◽  
Suyeon Bae ◽  
Chelsea Hetherington ◽  
Sarah Cronin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Interior Design ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Dining Room ◽  
Learning Projects

This article presents lessons learned from collaborative service-learning projects aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice by providing students design experiences in authentic settings. Interior design students gained disciplinary and civic benefits while problem solving for a preK-5 elementary school calming room, dining room, and teacher sanctuary. The elementary school teachers and staff reported the redesigned calming room supported students’ emotional and self-regulation skills. Teachers and staff also reported the dining room and teacher sanctuary supported the school community well-being. The authors’ present findings and hope the article can serve as a model for educators interested in community building service-learning projects in school environments.

scholarly journals Community Psychology at a Regional University: On Engaging Undergraduate Students in Applied Research

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amie R McKibban ◽  
Crystal Nicole Steltenpohl
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Community Psychology ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Regional University ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Service Learning Projects

Engaging students in service learning projects grounded in community psychology values and practices when working in a rural, conservative area provides several challenges and opportunities for faculty members. The authors share processes and outcomes from three case examples taking place between 2010 and 2013: (1) running focus groups and survey development with a local YMCA branch that predominantly serves people of color in low income housing, (2) the development of a strategic plan for the implementation of an art crawl in the local downtown community, and (3) the development and execution of an asset map evaluating supportive resources and spaces available to the local LGBTQA community. The authors reflect on feedback from students and community partners. These case examples highlight the complexity of balancing students’ skillsets, work and other life obligations, and desire to use classroom knowledge in community settings. It also highlights the importance of preparing community partners for working on applied research. We provide recommendations based on each project’s challenges and successes for universities and communities of similar demographics. Working in rural, conservative settings provide their own challenges and opportunities, but are well worth it if implemented in an intentional way, and more research is needed to strengthen our understanding of how best to engage students from a variety of social and political backgrounds.

scholarly journals CHALLENGES OF SERVICE LEARNING PRACTICES: STUDENT AND FACULTY PERSPECTIVES FROM MALAYSIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (Number 2) ◽  
pp. 279-309
Author(s):  
Norhafezah Yusof ◽  
Tengku Faekah Tengku Ariffin ◽  
Rosna Awang Hashim ◽  
Hasniza Nordin ◽  
Amrita Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Structural Support ◽  
Cognitive Autonomy ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Ministry Of Higher Education

Purpose – The primary aim of service learning is to produce holistically developed students. Despite the mandate from the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia to infuse service learning in the programs of studies since 2015, service learning in the country remains in its infancy. Critical insights concerning contextual compatibility are still missing in the Malaysian context. In this regard, the current paper aims to investigate the perspectives of lecturers and students on the challenges they have encountered while participating in service learning. Methodology – The study employed a qualitative approach and the principles of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) guided the collection of data. Students and lecturers who participated in the study were selected using purposive sampling techniques. The data from the students was collected using focus group interviews, while in-depth face to face interviews were used to collect data from the lecturers. These two sources of data were then analysed using a thematic analysis method. Findings – From the perspectives of the students, the challenges encountered were as follows: 1) there is a gap between theory and practice and 2) the lack of cognitive autonomy, while from the perspectives of the lecturers, the challenge was lack of structural support. There was also a theme seen in the common challenges experienced by the participants which was about the relationship and rapport with the community. Significance –The findings provide insights into the challenges faced by lecturers and students in a public university where service learning is practised. These insights may have implications for academic developers providing training workshops on service learning and for lecturers involved in the design and implementation of service-learning projects.

scholarly journals Service learning in foundation phase teacher education: Experiential learning opportunities for student teachers

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Gadija Mia Petker ◽  
Nadine Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Teacher Education Programme ◽  
Minimum Requirements ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Work Integrated Learning

This paper reports on the implementation of a model that infuses service-learning into a four-year foundation phase teacher education programme. We argue for an integrated curriculum design utilising specifically the teaching (laboratory) school of the faculty, not only for clinical experience or work-integrated learning, but also for service-learning. In this way, the relation of the teacher education programme to the teaching school and its location within Soweto, an area within Johannesburg, optimises the affordances of learning from and through experience for students. The service-learning activities were designed to inform and draw on students’ practical and situational learning (learning in and about context) and address the notions of integrated and applied knowledge in the ‘Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications’ (RSA DHET 2011). We argue in this paper that the incremental inclusion of service-learning over a four-year period and the varied nature of the service-learning projects within the programme extend students’ learning from practice, provide opportunities for students to see people outside of formal education as ‘experts’ who have something to contribute to their education, and maximize the potential civic and academic outcomes for students.

Reports from the Field

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 50-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin L. Conlin
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
New Media ◽  
Public History ◽  
Community Partnerships ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Student Community ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Learning Projects

Student community-based projects are a natural tool for achieving diverse public history outcomes, yet these types of projects are challenging to organize and manage. Focusing on two undergraduate community-centered oral history projects, this article serves as a guide for those interested in developing manageable service-learning projects that facilitate meaningful community partnerships. It explores lessons learned during the projects’ organization and execution including how to keep them manageable in terms of scope, scale, and structure and how to maximize available resources (both human and material). It also advances methods for developing student skills in new media technologies and platforms.

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