THE IMPACT OF A SOCIAL JUSTICE SERVICE-LEARNING - FIELD EXPERIENCE IN A SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS COURSE

Oct 15, 2026

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This interpretive study examines how a social justice service-learning field experience used alongside a social foundations course can make institutionalized inequities in public schools visible to teacher candidates. Findings show the field placement can broaden preservice teachers’ exposure to diversity, redirect attention toward individual learners’ needs, and help teacher candidates understand and critically question existing school structures.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Review of Literature

| | THE IMPACT OF A SOCIAL JUSTICE SERVICE-LEARNING | | --- | --- | | | FIELD EXPERIENCE IN A SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS COURSE | Barri Tinkler, University of Vermont c. lynne hannah, Shepherd University Alan Tinkler, University of Vermont Elizabeth Miller, The Alford D. Noyes Children’s Center Abstract This interpretive study examines the outcomes of using a social justice service-learning field experience in a social foundations course to help illuminate for teacher candidates the often “invisible” institutionalized inequities of public schools. The findings demonstrate how social justice service-learning can be used as a field placement to increase preservice teachers’ exposure to diversity, to help refocus attention on the needs ofindividual learners, and to assist teacher candidates in understanding and questioning existing school structures. Keywords: service-learning, field experience, teacher education, diversity Introduction Many teacher education programs in the U.S. are dealing with the push to remove social foundations coursework from the curriculum (deMarrais, 2013) in favor of more pragmatic courses that support the testing-based accountability movement (Neumann, 2009) . At the same time, there is a growing movement in the field of teacher education to restructure teacher preparation programs around clinical practice (NCATE, 2010) . Since there has historically been a divide between methods courses and foundations courses in teacher education (Grossman, Hammerness, & McDonald, 2009), the focus on clinical practice may result in a corresponding focus on methods courses to the exclusion of foundations. In addition, foundations courses that critically examine the societal structures of schools may be perceived as too political (Westheimer & Kahne, 2007) . What can teacher education programs do to justify maintaining social foundations courses? Morrison (2007) described how one state added course content to required foundations courses to meet state-required competencies. Another strategy may be to incorporate a field experience that is aligned with specific curricular considerations in the foundations course. Since many states are increasing required field experience hours in response to pressure from accrediting bodies (Goddard, 2004), foundations courses that incorporate a field component may be less likely to be removed from the curriculum. Though it is not unusual for social foundations courses to include a field experience component, those experiences are typically traditional observational field experiences in public schools that do little to challenge teacher candidates’ thinking about the nature of school structures and institutionalized practices (Morrison, 2007; Renner, Price, Keene & Little, 2004) . We need to identify field experiences that prompt candidates to move beyond their own schooling experiences in order to examine the context of schools and begin to identify institutional structures that create inequities in education. A social justice service-learning field experience can provide opportunities for this kind of examination. We designed a social justice service-learning field experience as a companion to a social foundations course. The service experience was designed to expand the array of field experiences in the teacher education program and to support the social justice goals of the course. The students in the foundations course are required to complete at least ten hours of tutoring (with at least five tutoring sessions) with pupils at a local Job Corps Center who are working to attain a high school diploma or the General Educational Development (GED) high school equivalency diploma. This interpretive study examines the outcomes of using a social justice service-learning field experience to help illuminate for teacher candidates the often “invisible” institutionalized inequities of public schools. Review of Literature There is a growing movement in teacher education to inco

FAQs

What problem does the study address in teacher education?

It addresses how teacher candidates may not recognize the “invisible” institutionalized inequities within public schools, especially when foundations coursework is reduced or marginalized in favor of more pragmatic options.

How is the social justice service-learning field experience structured?

Teacher-candidates in the social foundations course complete required tutoring hours at a local Job Corps Center, with at least five tutoring sessions, as a companion service-learning field experience.

What benefits does the study report from service-learning for preservice teachers?

The study reports that service-learning can increase exposure to diversity, refocus attention on individual learners, and support understanding and questioning of school structures, while research also notes potential effects on self-efficacy and awareness of diversity.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by jayni