Service learning: Creating a culture of democracy in the classroom.

摘要

Despite its widespread support among civic leaders and public officials, as well as its potential to reform education, service learning is not widely practiced in schools. The purpose of this study is to explore the gap between support expressed for the concept of service learning and its limited implementation at the middle level. For purposes of this inquiry, a "transformative" approach to service learning, whereby students engage in critical evaluation of social issues and seek effective change through community service related to these issues, is adopted as a defining paradigm according to which evaluation is offered. One especially successful, long-running service learning project is explored in the context of a traditional junior high school environment, and four limiting forces, drawn from an analysis of relationships within the school, are identified and discussed. Also offered are possible next steps for this particular junior high school in creating a more robust culture of democratic service.