Service-Learning as an Approach to Educating for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Higher education has an essential role in the promotion of sustainable development. For this to be possible, the use of methodologies in accordance with principles of sustainability must be fostered. This article theoretically analyzes the characteristics that make service-learning an effective tool in education for sustainable development. In order to understand the challenges involved in its implementation in higher education, first of all, the concepts of sustainable development and sustainability are defined. Next, the use of education for sustainable development and curricular sustainability in higher education is contextualized. Finally, the pedagogical proposal of service-learning is addressed and linked to the principles of sustainability in the university environment. To conclude, in relation to prospective applications of service-learning, it is argued that it is an optimal methodology to educate about, for, and from sustainability and that its institutionalization in higher education is highly desirable.

Service-Learning and Digital Empowerment: The Potential for the Digital Education Transition in Higher Education

“…The results are presented according to the six principles of sustainability education [3] in order to examine the different perspectives on how SL, enriched with DE, is consistent with these principles in the university environment. To this end, in order to analyze these macro-categories of principles, the focus was placed on five sub-categories, which are described below:…”

“…The aim was to explore the perspectives of students, faculty and community partners on the combination of SL and DE under the principles of sustainability education in the university environment, considering the latter as essential for the future of education. Indeed, sustainability, understood as social, economic and environmental, is the inspiration to promote meaningful education, both to develop the skills to face the challenges of complexity and to give those skills a civic orientation [3]. The results of the focus groups particularly reflected the perspectives of faculty and students; although to a lesser extent, the views of the community partner also enhanced the results, especially for ethical, complexity and social responsibility principles.…”

“…All teachers previously trained in this methodology can supervise an SL project, which must be linked to the content of the subjects they teach and to social organizations (associations, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, public institutions, etc.). Key elements of SL include integration into the curriculum, student voice, partnership with the community, reciprocity, reflection and moral values [3]. SL actions are aimed at the environment and at people and groups living in scenarios of social disadvantage, focusing their actions on situations of social, educational and environmental injustices.…”

“…This paper highlights the points of view of the different actors involved in SL and DE with respect to: needs, innovation, potential to transfer best practices, expected impact and limitations. These aspects are explored and analyzed under the six principles of sustainability education in the university environment [3,29]:…”

Embracing Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development: The Synergy between Learning Organizations, Human Resource Management, and Service Quality

“…Integrating Sustainability Education: Learning organizations incorporate sustainability education and awareness programs into their curricula and training initiatives. They equip their members with the knowledge and skills to effectively understand and tackle sustainability challenges (Aramburuzabala & Cerrillo, 2023).…”