Reflections on Academic Service Learning: a case study of the Elton John Bakery, Soweto, South Africa

Abstract

As institutions of higher education develop their public purposes, new models for how campuses establish partnerships and interact with their communities in ways that intentionally guide programme design, implementation, investments, assessment and growth are at the heart of renewing community engagement (Kellogg Commission, 1999). What is meant by the term “partnership”? When does an interaction constitute a partnership? Further to this, what are the attributes of the type of relationships that are the basis for service learning and civic engagement partnerships? Keeping this statement in mind, the process of the CE project was developed. The purpose of higher education is not only “education for the marketplace”, but also, “education for good citizenship”. This is especially valid in hospitality education within a resource-limited country, alias South Africa that is under pressure to produce and retain skilled professionals for the industry. Academic service learning, a form of community engagement, can be used to enhance a sense of social responsibility.

Keywords

• Service-learning
• implementation
• assessment