Transformation has become a central discussion theme in the higher education landscape worldwide. Forecasts are that higher education institutions might become virtual entities that compete for survival which will render face to face interaction of the lecture hall redundant. Out of classroom learning spaces might become more important as students will learn in their own communities. Service-learning is a transformative pedagogy that emphasize out of classroom experiences as a learning space, the community as a textbook and where theory become practice.  

The purpose of the 7th International Symposium on Service-Learning is to focus on transitions in higher education and the role that service-learning plays. The focus will be on experiences of transitions from across the globe and how service-learning transforms students to critical citizens, faculty to engaged scholars and communities into living knowledge incubators. These focal points will be threaded throughout a variety of presentation types and formats to allow for meaningful dialogue among academics, community partners, students, and other professionals. 

The 7th international symposium aims to: 1. Explore the nuances of transitions and transformation in higher education across the world. 2. Enhance the systemic transformative social impact of service-learning in society.  3. Illuminate and enhance service-learning as an innovative transformative pedagogy for social change. 4. Strengthen networking between different institutions of higher education and community partners on a global scale.  5. Proliferate participation in service-learning practice in higher education by providing a community of practice through this conference.

Presentation Format: research paper; workshop; poster; storytelling & roundtable 

Symposium Themes:  

• Emerging theoretical perspectives in higher education and transformation studies from across the globe
• Transforming of students to critical citizens
• Service-learning conceptual frameworks that enhance transformation
• Collaborative curriculum design (with communities)
• Collaborative research
• International service-learning
• Inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary transformation initiatives
• Societal impact of service-learning
• Institutional transformation through service-learning  

For more information, please visit: www.conference.ie

E-mail the abstract to Howard Gordon at howard@sun.ac.za and use title "ISSL 2017 proposal (last name)" to save the abstract submission.