Service-Learning methodology as a tool of ethical development: Reflections from the university experience

Authors

  • Héctor Opazo Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
  • Pilar Aramburuzabala Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
  • Rocío García-Peinado Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Keywords:

service-learning, ethical education, higher education.

Abstract

Service-learning is a tool for improving the education of student teachers. The characteristics and dimensions of this methodology make higher education the appropriate sphere for teaching ethics, favoring the social commitment of the student teachers and the improvement of the teaching profession, but always  considering the various elements that constitute and shape experience.

By presenting some key concepts we introduce a synthesis of elements related to service-learning that are an invitation to take the ethical duties as a moral and professional commitment for the improvement of social justice in our communities and university classrooms.

Author Biographies

Héctor Opazo, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Member of the Research Group “Educational Change for Social Justice" (GICE) and Coeditor of  the International Journal of Education for Social Justice (RIEJS).

He is currently a Phd candidate at the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain). He graduated from the University of Playa Ancha (Chile) and got his MA in Education from the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain). 

In the last years he got scholarships from the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research for a master´s degree (CONICYT, Chile) and the BECAS CHILE Formation of Advanced Human Capital Program for Phd studies (CONICYT, Chile).

His research interests include School Effectiveness Research (SER), Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS), Ethics, Research and Knowledge Transfer Groups and Community Service Learning.

Pilar Aramburuzabala, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

PhD. Education. Associate Professor, School of Teacher Training and Education, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain.

Member of the Spanish University Service-Learning Network, and the Spanish Service-Learning Network. Coordinator of the Madrid Service-Learning Promoting Group.

Member of the research group “Educational Change for Social Justicel” (GICE).

Member of the Board of Directors of the International Journal of Education for Social Justice (RIEJS). Member of the Advisory Committee of the Inter-University Journal of Research on Disability and Interculturality.

Guest editor of the monographic issue on Service-Learning for Social Justice of RIEJS, vol. 2, 2.  

Rocío García-Peinado, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Rocío García is a teacher in Bärbel Inhelder Pre-school of the Autonomous University of Madrid.  She was the school´s director for 10 years. 

PhD candidate in Education at the School of Teacher Training and Education of the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain. 

MA in "Quality and Improvement of Education: Change, Management and Leadership in Education"; MA in "Information Technologies and Communication in Education" and MA in "Quality in Higher Education”.

Member of the Research Group for Educational Change Social Justice (GICE), the Spanish University Service-Learning Network, and the Service-Learning Promoting Group of Madrid. 

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Published

2014-02-25

Issue

Section

Research Articles