In Community Service Learning (CSL), students apply their academic skills to address societal challenges, working closely with a societal partner.
Socially engaged education: where to start?
“Well, you can imagine there are countless ways to approach this,” Geertje explains. “It helps to start small. Try involving a societal partner in an existing assignment. For example, have students analyse an issue raised by a community initiative or a non-profit organisation. Or organise a guest lecture where a societal partner presents a case study.”
Reflection plays a key role here: “It’s not just about students working with societal partners, it’s also about them thinking critically about what this means. What are they learning from it? And how exactly does this differ from purely academic knowledge? By adding reflection assignments, you help students make this connection.”
And teachers don’t have to figure it all out alone. “At VU Amsterdam, we’ve developed the CSL Toolbox with practical guidelines and support. The CSL team is also happy to help teachers with any questions about partnerships or course design.”
More political pressure, less flexibility
“There’s no way around it, budget cuts are making it harder to implement this type of education in the curriculum in a sustainable way. It requires more time and flexibility from teachers, while the pressure to be efficient and deliver results keeps increasing. As a teacher, you can never predict exactly what the outcome will be - and that can be intimidating.”
“But now more than ever, this type of education is more relevant than ever,” says Geertje. “In times of increasing polarisation and social division, students need to learn how to navigate a society filled with diverse voices and viewpoints. Luckily, I see many teachers and students at VU who are deeply committed to this, despite the obstacles.”
“We expect our students to step out of their comfort zones. Well, as teachers, we should do the same. Collaborate with societal partners, try new forms of education, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”
What if students and community members worked together to transform the city?
We live in an increasingly complex world, where the challenges we face are becoming more complicated. One of the most effective ways to apply CSL to tackle these complex societal issues is through a thematic approach. In this model, multiple courses work together to address a single societal issue. Geertje: “At VU, we’ve been doing this for five years with the theme of loneliness. Students from different disciplines explore loneliness from various perspectives and work with partners to develop meaningful, lasting solutions.”
Another approach is the inter- and transdisciplinary master’s module. In this module, students work with community members to understand and address social problems. “First, the students map out the issues in a specific neighbourhood. Then, they develop and test solutions in interdisciplinary teams. This approach has already led to successful projects aimed at improving social cohesion and advancing a fair energy transition. In this way, students not only learn about societal challenges, but also how to collaborate across disciplines and make a real difference.”
What can you do as a teacher?
Geertje’s research into socially engaged education has not only taught her how to implement it as a teacher but also how important the teacher’s mindset is: “It can be a challenge, but try to be open and humble in your teaching, this is very crucial for listening to other perspectives. And we ask our students to step out of their comfort zones, so as teachers, we should do the same. Work with societal partners, try out new teaching methods, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Practice what you preach!”
Interested in exploring CSL? Contact CSL@vu.nl for advice and support.
