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Research Articles

Vol. 19 No. 2

Reconceptualizing Teacher Education Programs: Applying Dewey’s Theories to Service-Learning With Early Childhood Preservice Teachers

Submitted
June 23, 2015
Published
2015-06-23

Abstract

Dewey’s concept of enabling children to explore based on their own interests has evolved into investigations and projects using methods of exploration, experimentation, and discovery—three tenets of service-learning. Using mixed methodology, the authors examined the implementation of service-learning in a teacher education program. A total of 155 preservice teachers participated in this study over a 5-year period. Results indicated that preservice teachers believed that their service-learning experiences provided a valuable contribution to the development of pedagogical skills, as well as fostering self-actualization and social-moral development. They also rated the importance of service-learning highly in pedagogical, self-actualization, and social-moral development.