2.8 Service-Learning and Education
2.8.1 Service-Learning in Higher Education
In today’s global world, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) face the challenge of proving their relevance in community; and also new challenges associated with providing timely and appropriate responses to urgent needs for distributed learning opportunities for all, being held more accountable for their activities and are required to contribute to national economic development (Castle & Osman, 2003). In response to these challenges, HEIs became more intense in the way they are run, in establishing partnerships with industries and commerce, and in strengthening their social purpose through service (Subotzky, 1999).
The purpose of higher education has been debated over centuries, nevertheless it has been generally accepted that the goal of liberal higher education is to forewarn students to lead satisfactory lives and contribute to the common good of the society and otherwise (Colby, Ehrlich, Beaumont, & Stephens, 2003). HE, irrespective of social context and geographical location, undergoes change. The challenge for HE is to understand its history, articulate and accept its role with regards to diverse constituencies in society, and create an “appropriate future” within its social context (Bringle & Hatcher, 2007).
The institutionalisation of SL in HE really involves a complex process that is influenced by a range of factors (Furco, 2007). The inclusion of service is often seen in the mission statements of HEIs; however, the importance of service is rarely visible in the work of HEIs as are research and teaching (Holland, 1997). The role that service can play in HE has been under some revival of interest (Bringle & Hatcher, 2000). Suggestions have come from critical examinations that greater emphasis placed on SL scholarship can enhance faculty work, students’ learning, and university community relationships (Boyer, 1996; Bringle et al., 1999; Harkavy & Puckett, 1994; Rice, 1996). Boyer (1996)
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emphasised on the importance for HE to develop scholarship in connection with community service. According to him,
“The academy must become a more vigorous partner in the search for answers to our most pressing social, civic, economic, and moral problems, and must reaffirm its historic commitment to what I call the scholarship of engagement” (Boyer, as cited in Bringle & Hatcher, 2000, p. 20).
It is presumed that taking part in community projects by the HEIs can create in the students a sense of identity with others in society, and implementing service in learning should be a lifelong activity that wasn’t forced on students (Leung, Tsai, & Wang, 2010). SL is aimed at the use of one’s skills in serving the community, in a way that relates to one’s academic course; it has an objective of bringing the community concepts into the classrooms (Lin, Wu, Wu, Pan, & Liao, 2014).
2.8.1.1 Service-Learning in South African Higher Education
HE is one of the most important activities organised in modern societies. It creates a demanding but rewarding environment in which individuals may realise their creative and intellectual potential. Through high-level training across the disciplines, it equips people with the necessary knowledge, skills, and values to play a wide range of social roles and to become effective citizens. Through research and the production of knowledge, HE provides a society with the capacity to innovate, adapt, and advance.
“……the ability of any higher education system to discharge these functions - to meet people's learning needs, to develop and transmit appropriate skills, and to create relevant and useful knowledge - is a key index of a society's cultural, social, and economic vitality and well-being.
There is a high correlation, globally, between excellent HE and overall national achievements in development, growth, competitiveness, and welfare” (Green Paper on Higher Education Transformation, (DoE, 1996) p.2).
The existing HE system in South Africa is profoundly shaped by its past. A highly unequal society evolved during the centuries of colonialism and exploitation; it was stamped with extreme forms of segregation and discrimination during the decades of apartheid. Racial differentiation and discrimination within HE created a divided and
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fragmented system (Green Paper on Higher Education Transformation, p.9). With these reasons, South Africa is faced with the crucial challenge of ensuring that HE can play the role of stimulating, directing, and utilising the creative and intellectual energies of the entire population.
Given the South African history of apartheid, South African universities are expected to respond to the social, political, economic, and cultural needs of the society through their academic programmes, lectures, and students. Growing discussions were on about linking SL and community engagement as a form of encouraging community-engaged teaching (Ellison & Eatman, 2008). This was the driving force for SL as a specific form of academically based community engagement (Osman & Petersen, 2013). A number of South African colleagues convened and with the support of JET services and CHESP projects, revolutionised approach to instruction and institutions’ views towards off- campus communities.
Since the release of the White Paper, JET Education Services (formerly Joint Education Trust) has been actively involved in research and development initiatives to advance community engagement in South African HE resulting in release of two publications.
In 1999, JET launched the Community Higher Education Service Partnership (CHESP) initiative. The aims of this initiative were:
i. To support the development of pilot programmes that explores the potential of community engagement as an integral part of the core academic functions of Higher Education Institutes (HEIs).
ii. To monitor and evaluate these programmes; and
iii. To use the data generated through this process to inform HE policy and practice at a national, institutional, and programmatic level.
During this period and in response to the White Paper, HEIs developed mission statements which identified community SL to aid civic responsibilities (Subotzky, 1999). The Green Paper articulated the goals for HE and the need for co-operation and partnership between HEIs and the wider society. The South African Higher Education Act (1997) gives effect to the recommendation of the White Paper and makes provision for the establishment of the HEQC as a permanent subcommittee of the CHE. In return,
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the HEQC gave effect to the goals of the White Paper with regards to the Community Service programmes.
To date numerous South African HEIs have conducted their own internal audits of community engagement activities. Some HEIs have developed institution-wide policies and strategies for community engagement, allocated resources for the implementation of these strategies and developed academic programme that include community engagement, particularly in the form of SL. According to the white paper, community service programmes should promote an awareness of the social and economic development role in HE and broaden participation in social interests and needs (DoE, 1997). SL as a pedagogy is an ideal means to promote such awareness.
Although developing good citizens is not a new role for HE as there are numerous pedagogical approaches for civic learning, for example, classroom instruction on civics, moderated discussions of current events, students’ governance, community activities, and simulations (Levine, 2003), the emergence of SL has heightened attention to the nuances of the civic domain and social responsibility as a set of intentional educational objectives to be addressed seriously in HE (Astin & Sax, 1998).
SL may be included in HEI courses as a separate course with focus on SL (Anderson, Swick, & Yff, 2001) or as a strategy for academic concepts in disciplines like education (Chen, 2003; Swick & Rowls, 2000). The institution under this research implemented the latter as SL was for academic concept in a biology module in the school of education of the institution.