Service Learning and Self-Authorship Service learning provides an excellent opportunity to promote students’ development toward self-authorship (being able to recognize that what happens in the world and in one’s life is often beyond one’s control, however reactions are within one’s control and having the internal capacity to be able to define one’s beliefs, identity, social relations) because of frequent dissonance between previously held conceptions of self, new experiences, reflection, and new learning that can be created as a result (Jones et al., 2005).
Baxter Magolda has written extensively about authoring one’s life. Self-authorship, according to Baxtor Magolda (2009a) is in large part, recognizing what happens in the world …show more content…
Kegan uses the bridge concept to help explain how students make meaning from experiences where they may be “in over their heads.” He explains how it is critically important for the bridge builder to have equal respect for both sides of the bridge while creating a firm foundation for the student to “cross over.” When students are engaged in a service class and encounter situations in which they may feel “in over their heads,” it is critical for the faculty, or the bridge builder, to work with students to develop a firm foundation so they will feel safe to grow and “cross over” the bridge. According to Jones et al., (2005), the journey across this consciousness bridge (to which a service-learning class can contribute) can bring students closer to self-authored identities.
Developing an internal voice varies from person to person and, therefore, it is important to provide students with adequate levels of support to match the high levels of challenge while they travel on these developmental journeys (Mather, Karbley, & Yamamoto, 2012). Service learning can support this process by supporting their internal voice allowing students to develop their identity in ways that a classroom setting simply …show more content…
1). These required knowledge, skills, and cognitive capacities could be enhanced by increasing students’ intercultural maturity. King and Baxter Magolda (2005) introduced the concept of intercultural maturity as a multi-dimensional range of attributes including understanding, sensitivity to others, and a sense of one’s self that enables one to listen and learn from
Baxter Magolda has written extensively about authoring one’s life. Self-authorship, according to Baxtor Magolda (2009a) is in large part, recognizing what happens in the world …show more content…
Kegan uses the bridge concept to help explain how students make meaning from experiences where they may be “in over their heads.” He explains how it is critically important for the bridge builder to have equal respect for both sides of the bridge while creating a firm foundation for the student to “cross over.” When students are engaged in a service class and encounter situations in which they may feel “in over their heads,” it is critical for the faculty, or the bridge builder, to work with students to develop a firm foundation so they will feel safe to grow and “cross over” the bridge. According to Jones et al., (2005), the journey across this consciousness bridge (to which a service-learning class can contribute) can bring students closer to self-authored identities.
Developing an internal voice varies from person to person and, therefore, it is important to provide students with adequate levels of support to match the high levels of challenge while they travel on these developmental journeys (Mather, Karbley, & Yamamoto, 2012). Service learning can support this process by supporting their internal voice allowing students to develop their identity in ways that a classroom setting simply …show more content…
1). These required knowledge, skills, and cognitive capacities could be enhanced by increasing students’ intercultural maturity. King and Baxter Magolda (2005) introduced the concept of intercultural maturity as a multi-dimensional range of attributes including understanding, sensitivity to others, and a sense of one’s self that enables one to listen and learn from