Abstract:

Seeking to facilitate the development of university curricula of social work education, the pedagogical method of service-learning is embedded as a social and educational innovation to provide conditions for academic and professional development of students gaining subject-related knowledge, skills and competencies through reciprocal interaction with and within communities in need for social work assistance and care. The said approach allows students to not only (self-)develop inside the academic community following a set curriculum, but also to become engaged in activities of chosen non-academic communities while getting acquainted with, identifying the situations and actors, shaping their awareness of broader contexts and demonstrating a proactive stance towards initiation of positive changes in society as well as generation of knowledge.

The aim of the research is to identify educational and socially empowering relationships between academic and non-academic communities, their impacts and contexts for education of social work professionals-to-be. Objectives of the research: to explore the concept of critical consciousness by Paul Freire in relation to the development of critical social work competencies; to overview the concept of public sociology by Michael Burawoy dealing with cooperation between academic and extra-academic contexts as educational environments; to design a model of incorporation of the said two concepts into the development of critical social work competencies by applying service-learning as a pedagogical method for university students. The methodology of the present research is based on the theoretical overview of Freire’s concept of critical consciousness and Burawoy’s concept of public sociology facilitating action and change in combination with service-learning in university studies in relation to democratization of knowledge and critical social work education.

The theoretical part of the research considers the embedding of service-learning as initiating the change of the teaching and learning process and anticipated outcomes. Grounding on Freire’s ideas on the critical consciousness, liberation philosophy of education, the conscientization as well as the actions and factors of cognition, the dialogical and collaborative education is emphasized as academically contributing. Moreover, both academic and extra-academic contexts acting as educating communities for professional development of social work students are discussed. Early results of the empirical study on recent application of the designed model in delivery of the curricula of social work demonstrate students’ increased awareness of knowledge generation and development of critical thinking skills while performing service-learning activities and assignments as part of university social work curriculum. Democratization of knowledge while embedding service-learning facilitates acquisition of critical social work competencies.

Relevance of the research lies in the proposed model of democratization of knowledge through embedded service-learning in university curricula of social work education. The commonly generated knowing originating from collaboration, engagement and reflection, treated as major components of service-learning, leads to changes in both academic and social fields. Students are viewed as agents of generation, democratization and dissemination of knowledge to communities, both extra-academic and academic.

Keywords:

Conscientization, university curriculum development, democratization of knowledge, dialogical education, service-learning, social work education.