Teacher Education, Community Service Learning and Student Efficacy for Community Engagement

Abstract

The diversity of student backgrounds and the increasing number of school students from low socio-economic areas requires teachers to have an understanding of students' worlds and to be committed to social justice both within school structures and curriculum as well as in the life of the wider community. In this context, community service learning for teacher education students is becoming increasingly important. Social engagement with marginalised people, however, such as that experienced during community service learning, can be confronting for students as it is usually outside their previous life experience. This article examines the role of community service learning within teacher education nationally and internationally. First, the article focuses on national and international perspectives regarding community engagement, teacher education and service learning. Next, the article describes three Australian case studies of community service learning as purposeful workplace learning. Finally, the article reports findings relating to student teachers' efficacy for community engagement from one of these case study sites. The article proposes that the role of community service learning must be at the centre of debates about how teacher education should be reformed. Further, the article argues that community engagement of staff and students is also an expression of the corporate citizenship of the university.