M.Ed. / The aim of this study was to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of teacher education students involved in a community service-learning (CSL) project. This study comes at a time in which CSL is increasingly being incorporated into the higher education context and draws on the views of proponents of CSL who argue that it has the potential to positively benefit the academic-intellectual, personal, interpersonal and social development of those who participate in CSL activities. The research strategy for this study was grounded within the interpretative research paradigm using qualitative research methods to explore how teacher education students make sense of their realities, situations and experiences while participating in a CSL project. This qualitative study employed in-depth interviews, participant observation and photographs as data collection methods. The data was analysed using the constant comparative method of data analysis to search for recurring themes and patterns. From the findings, it was clear that the participants had overwhelmingly positive experiences of the CSL project. They reported that relationships were forged and strengthened, that their perceptions about themselves and others changed, that CSL offered another dimension to teaching and that their service encounter awoke a desire to continue service after the CSL project was complete. Students cited some limiting factors that they felt prevented them from optimally benefiting from the CSL experience. These included a perceived lack of structure, difficulty in communicating with the children at the site and the emotionally draining nature of the experience. I conclude with a number of implications for the curriculation of CSL in teacher education.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:6788 |
| Date | 19 April 2010 |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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