Intercultural (Re)connections in Post-Pandemic University Service Learning

Early Career Researchers Network in Asian Higher Education Studies

Topic: Intercultural (Re)connections in Post-Pandemic University Service Learning

Co-organizers: Social Contexts and Policies of Education (Academic Unit) (SCAPE), Consortium for Higher Education Research in Asia (CHERA)

Date: June 9, 2022 (Thursday)

Time: 16:00-17:00 (HKT)

Format: Zoom

Registration: https://scape.edu.hku.hk/june222/

Chair: Dr Jisun Jung, The University of Hong Kong

Speaker: Dr Gordon Tsui, The Education University of Hong Kong

Abstract:

This presentation discusses how university service learning could help foster human (re)connections with the community through co-learning in the post-pandemic era. University service learning, which oftentimes focuses on students’ academic achievements and career development through real-life experiences, is argued to have inadequate community voice and representation in higher education policies and literatures. In this light, this presentation suggests that co-learning among stakeholders should be included in future university service learning in reference to an autoethnographic research in Kenya. This research has found out that the university and the community would be more connected when different stakeholders were able to co-learn and address cultural differences in the trips. Co-learning could therefore be argued to help foster human (re)connections, which has been greatly traumatized, in the post-pandemic era. Suggestions about how different stakeholders could co-learn in creating a more connected service learning community will be provided at the end of the presentation.

Bio:

Gordon obtained his PhD from the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong. His main research interests include Higher Education and Intercultural Education with the focus on human experience. He serves as secretary of Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (CESHK) and The Hong Kong Educational Research Association (HKERA).