Service-Learning and Pre-Service Teacher Education: A Case Example from Geography

Abstract

Our workshop report describes the implementation of service-learning in a “Spatial Socialization and School” project module in geography teacher education at Goethe University Frankfurt. The goal is to create a learning setting in cooperation with educational and municipal institutions in Frankfurt am Main that allows pre-service teacher students to engage in authentic, situational learning with children and adolescents. Our accompanying action research shows an increase in the students’ content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and social-spatial awareness. Thus, we argue that service-learning is a suitable strategy for geographic learning in relation to society and civic participation.