Service learning methodology toolkit is envisaged to be a practical toolkit for educators and students who want to promote service learning. It will include methodology sheets, checklists, readings, worksheets, practical examples etc. The production of this output will be divided in the following three activities:
- conducting interviews with educators that will give insight into the approaches to service learning;
- desk research aimed at collectingand systematizing various service learning methodologies;
- structuring and writing the toolkit.
The toolkit developed will be easily used by HE teachers interested in service learning, thereby reducing barriers for implementation of innovative teaching approaches in HE. The toolkit will be illustrative, using practical examples, enhancing its usability. Moreover, the examples will be taken from a diversity of subject matters and from different course levels, making the toolkit useful across a range of academic disciplines.
O2/A1: Conducting interviews with educators (M8-M9)
First, n=5 interviews will be conducted by each partner with relevant stakeholders/educators in the university about their approach to service learning, how they apply it, etc.
The interviews will also give insight into the institutional approach to service learning, where it is centralized (if at all) and how far the methodology is known to educators.
O2/A2: Desk research (M8-M12)
The main task of IO2 is to systematize existing methodologies which bring students in contact with the local community and map their strengths and weaknesses: service learning, project-based learning, action research, community research, community work, volunteering, charity work etc. Methodologies will be collected according to a template devised by the lead partner, spelling out criteria for selection and main dimensions for documentation of the methodologies. The collected methodologies will then be analysed according to strengths and weaknesses.
O2/A3: Structuring and writing the toolkit (M13-M14)
All these tasks will flow into the toolkit, which is going to be a very practical toolkit for educators and students who want to promote service learning. It will include methodology sheets, checklists, readings, worksheets, practical examples etc. It will also be edited in a visually appealing way to enhance its usability.
