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

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.