Considering Power in Community-Based Research: Shifting Toward New Pedagogical Approaches with a 'Public Work for Public Things' Framework

One of the fundamental questions of power in the pedagogy of community-based research (CBR) is who gets to decide what is research worthy and what is the focus of CBR questions? The reality of the power imbalance in community-based research and learning is often reflective of a systemic disengagement with the broader community. Even when instructors and administrators are intentional in how they solicit feedback or think through the impact of their work, they may not know the neighbourhood. Prioritising the voice of community partners does not provide a simple solution, as the individuals we work with to organise community-based learning opportunities may not be residents of the neighbourhood. This article adopts a theory-building approach to this crucial question. Building on the work of Boyte (2014) and Honig (2017), community-based research is reoriented as ‘public work for public things’ (Haarman 2020). After establishing the ‘public work for public things’ framework, the article explores how this new framework impacts collaborative research by addressing the power differential and creating new lines of inquiry – specifically the practice of ‘elicitation of concerns’. Through the lens of critical service-learning pedagogy (Mitchell 2008) and a practitioner-scholar framework (Lytle 2008; Ravitch 2013; Salipante & Aram 2003), we then interrogate two community-based research courses we have recently taught, examining how a ‘public work for public things’ approach would have altered the course and its methods.

Challenges of Implementing Service-Learning Pedagogy In Nigeria Public Universities

Service-learning is a form of experiential learning that enables students to apply the knowledge acquired in the classroom towards the development of their immediate environment. Service-learning as experiential learning advocates active learning contrary to the passive form of learning associated with the traditional method of teaching and learning in most Nigerian public universities. This study explores the challenges encountered by students in Nigeria public universities during service-learning implementation. Participants: Students and faculty members were interviewed to generate information from their life experiences of service-learning implementation. The data gathered using semi-structured interview questions were transcribed and coded using the NVIVO software to generate themes. Findings showed inadequate time, inadequate knowledge of implementation, lack of funds, lack of co-operation among students during the implementation, inadequate supervision, and a structured guideline for service-learning implementation and logistics as the major challenges associated with adopting service-learning as a form of learning in Nigeria public universities

Philosophical Dualism and the Service Ethic: A Response to Megan Bailey’s “Ritualized Relief and the Misapplication of Dewey in Service-Learning”

Firstly, I want to thank Megan Bailey for maintaining an important critical perspective on an approach to living and learning that I believe can be transformative—but only if we keep a constant critical lens on it: service-learning.1 Service-learning, like many social practices enacted over increasing timespans, has periodically lost its proverbial way; some would argue (and I’m one) that service learning has never been understood well enough theoretically for it to succeed completely in practice—at least not within the institution generally known as “education.” My initial examination of the service-learning pedagogy some twenty-five years ago was precisely the result of a theory/practice disconnect that turned into a Deweyan felt problem connected to several service-learning projects I led at a high school in North Central Florida. Those projects succeeded, but only kind of. And the only reason they succeeded “kind of” was due to a lack of sound theoretical understanding which might reasonably drive its practice. The present manuscript certainly furthers this critical examination in important ways.

Integrating Service-Learning Pedagogy Into Community College Coursework

Developmental students face significant academic and life challenges as they pursue a college degree. As students in developmental studies often struggle to complete their courses, research focused on innovative pedagogy that engages students while developing skills is needed. This project sought to investigate implementing an on-campus, service-learning (SL) component into developmental reading courses. Students participated in SL by reading to children at the on-campus Early Childhood Center (ECC) one time per week, during scheduled class, with time provided for structured metacognition through reflective journals. A phenomenological approach was used for this study, and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to examine responses and note trends in data. It was found that students who participated in SL as part of their developmental reading course reported multiple positive effects such as developing a positive academic mindset, improving self-efficacy, and increasing motivation to read.

eService-Learning

The service-learning pedagogy has flourished in popularity and student outcomes, and with the online student population expanding, institutions of higher learning must develop programs with similar content across both face-to-face and distance-learning applications. Institutions are using eService-Learning (eS-L) programs to address this divide. Commonly reported service-learning outcomes include student's sense of belonging and community engagement, and this chapter aims to present a case with similar outcomes for graduate-level students enrolled in a distance learning course with a substantive service-learning component.