Communities of Practice and Cultural Historical Activity Theory as Theoretical Frameworks for the Analysis of Service Learning

• In Event: Roundtable Session 88
  In Roundtable Session: Service-Learning and Experiential Education Roundtable

Abstract

Civic engagement scholars have emphasized the need to develop and apply theoretical frameworks that extend beyond the development of civic identity and place more weight on civic practices. These scholars have suggested a turn towards theoretical frameworks based in sociocultural theories of learning. This presentation develops a theoretical framework for the analysis of service learning experiences by drawing on cultural historical activity theory and the idea of communities of practice. The paper concludes by applying this framework to studies of service learning in order to illustrate this framework’s potential to enhance knowledge of student experiences in service learning.

Author

• Christopher George Pupik Dean, University of Pennsylvania