What learnings and what services? Questions for a transformative educational praxis from the Service-Learning

Abstract

We present a reflective essay about Service-Learning that seeks to contribute to guiding its practice in educational institutions -particularly in higher education-, identifying a current moment where the broad use of the term can lead to emptying of content or to uses based on commercial logics. Starting from a Freirian understanding of educational praxis, as action and reflection in constant feedback and self-questioning, we delve into some pedagogical and relational aspects of Service-Learning. We try, in any case, to point out the profound interdependence between its two essential components -learning from service- and mention some of its possible limitations or conditioning factors. The contribution of this work is made through the combination of influences and perspectives from critical pedagogies with perspectives based on Catholicism, both aligned with a broad and dialogical conception of education as a transformative element for social justice.