Service?Learning to Advance Social Justice in a Time of Radical Inequality

Book excerpt: When considering inequality, one goal for educators is to enhance critical engagement to allow learners an opportunity to participate in an inquiry process that advances democracy. Service?learning pedagogy offers an opportunity to advance engaged?learning opportunities within higher education. This is particularly important given the power dynamics that are endemic within conversations about education, including the conversations around the Common Core, charter schools, and the privatization of education. Critical inquiry is central to the ethos of service?learning pedagogy, a pedagogy that is built upon community partner participation and active reflection. Within higher education, service?learning offers an important opportunity to enhance practice within the community, allowing students to engage stakeholders and youth which is particularly important given the dramatic inequalities that are endemic in today’s society.