Empowering Educational Practice Through Service-Learning in the UK: Case Studies from Leeds Metropolitan University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

This chapter argues for the articulation of Service-Learning (SL) oriented approaches that are located within and close to practice rather than as supplementary to it. Drawing from developing work in the Carnegie Faculty of Education at Leeds Metropolitan University, this chapter considers the significance of critical dialogic approaches in the support and development of professional educators across the life-course of their careers. Conceptualizing schools in challenging social contexts as sites where practice and service intersect, it opens up a discussion of the ways in which equity and social justice can be anchored within the context to which it is applied. Two case studies are presented: the first involved a cohort of Education Studies students who were intending to work in the broad field of education. The second initiative involved a partnership between the university and a local school in a socially disadvantaged setting. At the core of these studies is a sense of two-way learning and collaborative knowledge-building for students, practitioners and academic partners alike. Most importantly, this chapter provides examples of the close coupling of practice and the theorization of practice that fosters participants’ capacity for critical thinking.

Original languageEnglish (Ireland)
Title of host publicationService-Learning and Educating in Challenging Contexts: International Perspectives
PublisherContinuum
Pages105-124
Number of pages20
ISBN (Electronic)9781441118004
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2012

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Empowering Educational Practice Through Service-Learning in the UK: Case Studies from Leeds Metropolitan University'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this