Service-Learning: building spaces of intersection between the school-community-university

Abstract

In the complicated societies of the 21st Century, the school, by itself, cannot give an answer to new social demands. In this changing scenario new teaching practices are emerging, those which promote collaboration among the different spaces where education moves around: schooluniversity-community. This article presents the results of a case study in a primary school located in a disadvantaged social context, where a Service- Learning project is implemented. The participants in this project are: primary school teacher and students, professors and students at the university, as well as professionals from different public entities and representatives of social organizations. The aim of the study is to know in depth the actions made in the schools and the improvements reached in different areas, for which instruments for data collection have been used (active observation, interviews and documents analysis), and the triangulation of techniques and informants. The analysis of the data obtained over a school year shows a cartography which draws the wealth, diversity and creativity of the different actions implemented in diverse educational contexts, in addition, it highlights the positive impacts produced in the group of participants. From the results obtained the discussion is opened to continue investigating some key issues of this pedagogical practice.