Service learning, as a meaningful learning strategy training students In occupational therapy at the Central University of Chile

Abstract

The constant social, political and cultural changes, have produced community problems that demand a comprehensive, intersectoral, effective and contextualized solutions directed by competent and committed professionals to social development. This paper describes a necessary curriculum strategy to face these new situations, which have been assumed by the Higher Education through the Educational Project and Strategic Planning of the Central University of Chile, This allows for management processes from knowledge of the social context and diagnosis of local needs of society, also create educational projects in which values, principles of participation and social commitment are incorporated and use relevant methodologies and appropriate and sustainable academic support.School of Occupational Therapy is committed to the challenge of incorporating service-learning methodology in undergraduate education, the impact of the methodology are recognizing significant learning processes and its contribution to the educational project from the skills approach, this experience has significant consequences not only in terms of academic performance, but also in the processes of integration of knowledge, cognitive mobilization of resources and the interaction of these facing a real problem, which resulted in the development of contextualized solutions. The analysis and systematization of these experiences demonstrate the impact of learning processes and commitment to adopt undergraduates in the relationship, guided and reflective, during the development of an elective course, offering a community, specific service and contextualized from the Methodology Learning Service.