A Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges to Promote Asian Studies
INVITATION TO A PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
International Service-Learning: Pedagogical and Logistical Challenges, Research and Activism Opportunities
ASIANetwork Service-Learning and Environment in Asia Program (ANSLEAP)
Supported by the Luce Foundation
ASIANetwork is inaugurating its first specialized workshop featuring useful pedagogical and methodological approaches to teaching and researching in Asia. The first workshop will be led by an experienced expert in Asia, Service Learning and the Environment, Fuji Lozada, a social anthropologist at Davidson College who has led service-learning groups to China and Ghana. This workshop is being organized in conjunction with our new program, the ASIANetwork Service Learning and Environment in Asia Program (ANSLEAP) funded by the Luce Foundation, and will therefore specifically examine examples of environmental studies service-learning.
This workshop will present an overview of the theoretical literature and resources on service-learning, including syllabus design, outcome assessment, logistical planning and preparation. Different disciplinary approaches will be included in the discussion, with examples from the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Particular challenges faced during international, collaborative service-learning projects will also be explored, as well as different types of project outcomes. Readings will be distributed electronically prior to the conduct of the workshop.
The workshop will be held before the annual meeting officially starts on Friday, 30 March 2012, from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. While all conference attendees are invited to attend, a maximum of 15 will be accepted to facilitate in-depth discussion. Participation in this workshop will be particularly useful to those who will be interested to compete for future grant opportunities for studying environmental issues in Asia through service-learning if funding for this project continues. For more information on this workshop, please contact Fuji Lozada (erlozada@ davidson.edu).
As defined by the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, service learning is “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities”. As a type of experiential learning that is becoming central to the mission of U.S. colleges and universities as they seek to maintain the relevancy of higher education, the teaching of service-learning courses for liberal arts faculty members is becoming a necessary part of the pedagogical repertoire of liberal arts faculty members – something that has not been stressed in graduate school curriculum. Liberal arts college faculty who lead international, collaborative service-learning projects face different challenges and opportunities which can result in a wide variety of project outcomes (including media production, non-academic writing, and policy adjustments). These challenges will be addressed at this workshop.
- Program Flyer (PDF format)
- Application Details (PDF format)
- Application Forms: Word; PDF
- United Board Partner Institutions Information
Contact: Program Co-Director Jack Harris (ansleap [at] asianetwork.org)