Developing Civic Engagement in Distance Higher EducationA Case Study of Virtual Service-Learning (vSL) Programme in Spain
- Juan García-Gutierrez 1
- Marta Ruiz-Corbella 1
- Araceli del Pozo Armentia 2
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1
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia
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2
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
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ISSN: 2304-070X
Year of publication: 2017
Issue Title: Selected papers from the Open Education Consortium Global 2017 Conference
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Pages: 235-244
Type: Article
More publications in: Open Praxis
Abstract
Higher Education is demanding the need of a greater connection between its academic offer and the necessary civic engagement of the graduates. This has given Spain the opportunity, for just over a decade, to develop the methodology of service-learning, which combines both the theoretical and practical aspect of university learning with the practical development of solidarity and civic commitment of the students. At the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED, Spain) we have designed an online service-learning proposal, based on the virtual exchange which occurs between the students from the UNED and the University of Porto-Novo (Benin), requiring practical classes of Spanish. The result favours continuing with this virtual service-learning project aimed at the exchange with other universities; strengthening the planning of the training proposal for the development of ethical competence and civic engagement; the design of solidarity service action that enhances global citizenship and intercultural dialogue, consolidates digital competence, etc., all in a virtual educational environment.
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