NR Cone & Harris article annotations

"Service Learning Practice: Developing a Theoretical Framework"

Cone & Harris's article works to explain the transformational nature of service learning experiences. They caution educators about simply requiring volunteering without having students reflect on their experiences and without being challenged to expand their thinkings. Academic questions and journals are necessary and educators need to assist in the learning from experiential opportunities.

According to C & H, the goal of service learning is: "to help students constantly critique, evaluate and build on knowledge and move to intellectually 'higher ground' and, at the same time, continue to critically examine their roles within our complex and diverse society." p37

Educators need to be aware that students bring their own assumptions/beliefs into the community where they are to volunteer. If students are not made to challenge these beliefs, their experiences may simply validate preconceived notions/prejudices.

Cone & Harris explain Bruner's idea of "cognitive arousal." Our idea of the world is challenged by experience in new environments. We need to adjust our understandings. "Reconceptualization" is a process of formulating new hypotheses and testing them. p33

Paulo Freire, "Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world." (1994, p53).

"Cultural learning" is described as having 3 steps by William Tierney (1993):
Stepping out of the students familiar world and into one that in unfamiliar, developing the ability to listen (so that we may better understand others' views), and understanding the needs of others.

David Lewis's knowledge model. (1990) He describes knowledge as the "intersection of two planes," Observation/experiences (x,y) and Theory (a,b)