SERVICE-LEARNING IN SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION TO DEVELOP SOCIAL WORK COMPETENCIES IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Monika Gruslyte

doi:10.17770/eid2021.1.5427

Abstract

The paper deals with service-learning as a teaching and learning approach in higher education being embedded in social work education seeking to achieve the synergy of the two reciprocally complementing and contributing phenomena. The aim of the theoretical investigation is to overview the concept of social work education as facilitated by service-learning to develop social work competencies in university students. The contribution of service-learning in delivering social work education curricula usually emphasises the development of core competencies and values in social work students, prospective professionals. The contemporary challenges, expectations and contextual demands are set for the social work profession both globally and locally. Therefore, the present research attempts to explore how the two concepts are bridged to meet for the development of social work competencies in university students and shares the insights on the implementation of this pedagogical approach in academic and broader community contexts.

Highlights

Service-learning, as a pedagogical approach bringing together students, academic staff and community members, is common throughout the world for several decades; some concerns are widely discussed in relation to the embedding of this educational method in higher education settings, attempting to “enrich and enhance higher education practices with students’ competences and skills in bridging theory and practice, acquiring agency that potentially leads to a positive social change” (Gruslyte, 2020, 201)
The present paper narrows down the focus of investigation specifying service-learning for the field of social work education in university studies and aims to explore how the two concepts bridge the fields seeking to generate synergy and positive social change
Earlier research works on the adaptation of the initially American model of servicelearning to local (Lithuanian) socio-cultural and educational contexts (Mažeikis, 2007; Barzelis, Barcytė, & Mažeikienė, 2008; Mažeikienė, Ruškus, & Vandzinskaitė, 2008; Vandzinskaitė, 2011) have pointed out that it was being embedded to bridge the gap between theory and practice in university curricula and a combination of three elements, i.e. community service, purposeful academic learning, reflection, constituted the essence of this educational innovation (Mažeikienė, 2008, 8), reaching for students’ improved competencies and skills, increased social awareness and agency as well as a positive social change, as the common good being constructed by the participants of this educational process

Summary

Introduction

Service-learning, as a pedagogical approach bringing together students, academic staff and community members, is common throughout the world for several decades; some concerns are widely discussed in relation to the embedding of this educational method in higher education settings, attempting to “enrich and enhance higher education practices with students’ competences and skills in bridging theory and practice, acquiring agency that potentially leads to a positive social change” (Gruslyte, 2020, 201). Earlier research works on the adaptation of the initially American model of servicelearning to local (Lithuanian) socio-cultural and educational contexts (Mažeikis, 2007; Barzelis, Barcytė, & Mažeikienė, 2008; Mažeikienė, Ruškus, & Vandzinskaitė, 2008; Vandzinskaitė, 2011) have pointed out that it was being embedded to bridge the gap between theory and practice in university curricula and a combination of three elements, i.e. community service, purposeful academic learning, reflection, constituted the essence of this educational innovation (interchangeably called cooperative studies) (Mažeikienė, 2008, 8), reaching for students’ improved competencies and skills, increased social awareness and agency as well as a positive social change, as the common good being constructed by the participants of this educational process. This is under the scope of the present theoretical investigation, employing relevant literature review and a discussion to point out several negotiable aspects

Knowledge and Innovation for the Social Change

Discussion