Building a Better World: The Pedagogy and Practice of Global Service-Learning

[Announcement from he-sl listserv]

Dear Colleagues:

I recently noticed the questions on the list about international or global service-learning experiences and wanted to take the opportunity to share a website that is under development, Building a Better World: The Pedagogy and Practice of Global Service-Learning.

Please take a look and let me know if the website serves your purposes if you're interested in global service-learning resources, reflective activities, etc. I would like to emphasize that the website is under development at this point. We plan a more complete site in time for an April 2012 formal site launch, but listserve questions from our colleagues Abbey Baird at Juniata College and Stacy Fischer at Drew prompted me to share the currently assembled resources now.

The website includes a resource page with downloadable sample syllabi, reflective resources on GSL, and links to materials on asset-based community development. Additionally, the same page links to the opportunity to be part of a GSL discussion group online.

Why another discussion group?! Two reasons: First, this group will be primarily dedicated to questions specific to global service-learning practice. Second, and in the long-run perhaps more importantly, this website and discussion group are not funded by CNCS nor any other government agency, so if there are indeed any pressing political - even potentially partisan - questions that relate to service-learning, the group may engage in discussion about them there.

The website will accompany a forthcoming book of the same name that I'm completing with colleagues Richard Kiely, Jessica Friedrichs, and Christopher Boettcher. My co-creators / co-authors and I would like to emphasize that the website is in its initial form. We will be updating and adding resources before the official April launch. Additionally, we are assembling many guest bloggers from the service-learning community (let us know if you have something you'd like to put out there for provocation and feedback!) who we will announce closer to launch time.

Thanks for taking a look, and I would very much appreciate your feedback!

Best,

Eric

--

Eric Hartman, Ph.D. 

Instructor, Civic Engagement, Drexel University
Instructor, College of Education, Temple University
Co-Founder, Building a Better World Forum for Global Service-Learning
Building a Better World Tweets @BuildingBetterW