HEHDlines September 2009

Educators Glean a Touch 'o the Irish

Clemson University’s International Center on Service-Learning in Teacher Education brought together teacher educators from around the world to Ireland in June, 2009 for the Second International Conference on Service-Learning in Teacher Education on the campus of the National University of Ireland Galway. 

This conference, “Conversations that Matter II” revisited the 2007 Brussels conference outcomes to clarify service-learning language, shared processional work, and explored possibilities for future collaboration on issues of research, policy, and practice. 

The conference also featured research, citizenship education, student and faculty exchange, and technological connections through the special interest groups.  From the activities of this conference and subsequent work throughout the year, teacher educators and teachers will equip themselves to train future agents of change. 

The International Center on Service-Learning in Teacher Education was inaugurated at Clemson University in June 2003.  The purpose is to advocate and promote service-learning among institutions that train teachers and school leaders.  The Center’s vision is to build the moral and civic dispositions of educators, prepare educators to use service-learning as pedagogy, and to promote service-learning in pre K-12 schools.

Dr. Nancy Dunlap, Associate Director of the Eugene T. Moore School of Education, is spokesperson and board member of Clemson University’s International Center on Service-Learning in Teacher Education.