SL experiences are closely connected to the academic curriculum: students face practical issues in the field, “developing” new skills; they reflect on the activities carried out (with specific group sessions, supervision, and reflective activities performed individually, e.g. diary compilation), and they acquire a more in-depth understanding of implemented actions and disciplinary content. Research shows that participation in SL activities results in a broader appreciation of the disciplines and an increases competences in active citizenship and soft skills (i.e. Derr, Malinin, Banasiak, 2017; Salam et al., 2019; Holmes, Webb, Albritton, 2020; Santos Rego et al., 2022).
Interest towards SL implementation in university context is growing in last years, driven, in Italy, also by policies of strengthening of University’s Third Mission that encourage universities to open up to the socio-economic context through knowledge transfer, social engagement and community services.
The issue aims to collect theoretical contributions, empirical research and experiences that highlight the interdependence among university curriculum, learning and community needs in service-learning projects.
The call is therefore open to submissions of contributions describing SL experiences realised in the university context and identifying new educational challenges emerging from the collaboration between university and community in terms of:
- organisation and management of activities;
- monitoring and evaluation of experiences;
- students’ participation;
- development of disciplinary and transversal competences (soft skills);
- education for active citizenship and social justice;
- curriculum redesign.
A further focus of interest concerns the social impact of SL in term of capacity to respond to the community’s needs, and to promote the transformational potential of SL’s practice that sees teachers, students and community partners engaging each other in the co-construction of an educational process.
Editors: Diego Di Masi, Paola Ricchiardi, Emanuela M. Torre
Deadline: March 15, 2023
Publication: by June 2023
