A Critical Reflection of Service Learning: A Higher Education Perspective

Sarita Ramsaroop ,Jugathambal Ramdhani

doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1331

Abstract

This article draws on the reflections of the pedagogical practice of service learning in higher education. Mahlomaholo (2010) described crisply the “context of educational dysfunctionality suffusing the country”. The question often pondered about is: what skill and knowledge can be infused to make teaching at higher education institutions, to reflect the realities of society. Using critical reflection we asked: “[i]s your teaching worthy?”). The business management methods module allows for the pedagogical practice of service learning to be incorporated into the assessment. By adopting a constructivist approach to teaching business management method content means that the business management instructor is building on students’ previous knowledge and allows the students to draw from their own experiences, thereby providing a scaffold for the students to develop an increased understanding of the business management pedagogical issues being discussed. As a business management method instructor choosing a pedagogical approach, that can address categories of significant learning, is an important step in developing learning that is durable. There are many views about how constructivist approaches to learning can or should, be aligned to constructivist approaches to teaching. The two pedagogical practices that can be effectively incorporated in business management education are: cooperative learning and service-learning. This paper uses auto ethnography to focus on the instructor’s subjective experience of using service learning as a pedagogical approach. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1331

Highlights

Brookfield (1995, p.46-7) proposes that tracking the “worth of your teaching is through the process of critical reflection [especially within emerging countries].” Given that South Africa as a country has many challenges, one of which is the vulnerability of its communities
The section is divided into two sub-categories, namely: the journey and the process of service learning in business management method
The journey into service learning began as early back in the lecturer’s personal life when as a child; her father got the entire family, mother and children, to be involved in catering for the needs of people, through a soup kitchen. This involvement in the soup kitchen was a form of service or charity and made the lecturer ask later on: how can service to mankind be incorporated into the curriculum? This question and the following extract from the reflection in italics is in keeping with the definition proposed by Marullo & Edwards (2000) on key distinction between service-learning based on charity and service-learning based on social justice

Summary

Introduction

Brookfield (1995, p.46-7) proposes that tracking the “worth of your teaching is through the process of critical reflection [especially within emerging countries].” Given that South Africa as a country has many challenges, one of which is the vulnerability of its communities. Le Grange (2007) indicates that just educating students about the challenges that communities face sends the message that it is fine to just learn about these issues without having to do anything to help address this issue. It is within this context that community service learning or service learning comes into play. Interest in community service-learning is growing in South Africa, ostensibly because it opens up opportunities for contributing to the transformation of higher education as higher education institutions (HEIs) “are urged to become more democratic, more responsive to community challenges, and conducive to partnership-building with a variety of stakeholders” (Erasmus, 2007:1)

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