EXPLORING SERVICE LEARNING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Service learning has been stressed as an effective pedagogical approach to enhance students’ professional skills and citizenship for future development. However, service-learning research concerning early childhood pre-service teacher education has been rarely done. This study explored how undergraduate students in an early childhood pre-service teacher education program experienced in seven different service learning activities and discussed the meanings of their experiences from the perspective of early childhood pre-service teacher education. Participants in the study were 99 undergraduate students of early childcare and education. Their speech reflections, SL (Service learning) reports and verbal presentations during the course and service learning were analyzed qualitatively. The study revealed participants experienced emotion processes. In addition, participants learned professional skills and formed their teacher traits. How to balance the student choice and the goals of the course from SL activity needs to be taken into account.

Keywords: Service-learning, early childcare and education, pre-service teacher.

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