Service-Learning as a Pedagogy for Teacher Education: Conversations about Research and Practice

The International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education (ICSLTE), in partnership with the International Association for Research in Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSCLE), will co-sponsor a service-learning and teacher education research strand as an integrated part of the IARSCLE International Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 28-31, 2010.

Service-Learning as a Pedagogy for Teacher Education: Conversations about Research and

Practice will begin on Saturday, October 30th and conclude early Sunday afternoon, October 31st . Building on the conference theme Crossing Boundaries through Research, ICSLTE seeks presentations that explore and portray diverse cultural perspectives and theoretical frameworks and raise next questions that may result in comparative research and practice and inform international discussion. ICSLTE is particularly interested in research related to questions generated by the Service-Learning in Teacher Education International Research Affinity Group found in A Research Agenda for Advancing Service-Learning in Teacher Education: http://www.icrce.umn.edu/teacher/icslte/documents/ResearchAgenaSLTeacherEd.pdf.

Other questions might include:

 ·          How do different understandings of citizenship, civil society, engagement, influence and shape research on service-learning and community engagement in teacher preparation programs and K-12 schools?

 ·          Is the American, westernized concept of service-learning and teacher education transferable to other contexts? And, if not, what conceptual models frame service-learning and teacher education research in international contexts?

 ·          How does research assist in crossing boundaries between campus and community partners, between faculty and students, between disciplines, or between and across cultural contexts? Does it inform teacher education practice and what is the potential to impact program accreditation?

ICSLTE’s mission is to collaborate with higher education institutions and pre-K-12 schools throughout the world to improve the quality of teaching and learning by preparing teachers and school leaders to use effective service-learning methodologies, to promote excellence in service-learning by supporting, conducting, and disseminating current research on service-learning in teacher education, and to develop and promote policies that support the implementation of effective service-learning guidelines in schools and colleges. To date, ICSLTE has sponsored two successful international conferences, one in Brussels, Belgium in 2007 and a second in Galway, Ireland in 2009. Both conferences brought together members of the service-learning in teacher education communities to establish an international dialogue focused on research and practice and to explore the potential for cross-cultural collaboration and learning.

Presentation Categories:

•        Interactive Workshop (60 minutes):

An interactive session organized around a research issue in teacher education and service-learning.  Workshops should include active learning strategies to engage participants in discussion about the topic at hand. Workshops may be problem-based or have a disciplinary or cross-cultural focus. One or several individuals may participate in facilitating.

•        Panel Presentation (60 minutes):

A group of papers on similar teacher education and service-learning themes or research issues proposed as a complete session/. Papers in a panel will discuss similar research topics or methodologies or offer converging or diverging research findings. Those presenting within this option should submit a group proposal involving up to three research presentations. A recommended discussant should also be named in the proposal. A panel presentation should take 45 minutes, with 15 minutes for discussion.

Submission Process:

Complete the online workshop proposal form at: http://dukedpn.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_bypi2AOyTzIuhKs&SVID=Prod.

To be considered, all proposals must be received via electronic submission by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on June 1, 2010. Proposals will be peer reviewed and notification of acceptance will be completed by July 1st, 2010.

Communication with Conference Staff:

All communication from the conference staff relating to proposal submissions and acceptances will be conducted via email at kls41@duke.edu. Please provide an email address for the lead presenter. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact the Center at 919.613.5516.