Conference Agenda

This paper presents and analyses an in‑service teacher education programme designed to introduce Service-Learning (SL) as a pedagogical approach in schools in order to foster students’ democratic competences, active citizenship and social participation. Building on previous research highlighting both the potential of SL in developing critical thinking, empathy and civic agency, and the lack of systematic in‑service training for teachers, the programme “Service Learning: together by a MOOC” responds to the need to support teachers in designing and implementing SL projects in their own educational contexts.

The training is grounded in the BLEC Model, developed by CREMIT, which combines Blended learning, E‑tivities and Coaching as its core didactical components. A blended solution enables the integration of in‑presence and online activities, allowing flexible participation while sustaining collaborative work and reflective practice. E‑tivities are used as small, structured online tasks that punctuate the learning path and engage teachers in the progressive design of SL projects. Coaching, as the key element of the model, supports participants in connecting theoretical frameworks on SL, democratic competences and citizenship education with their concrete classroom practices and local community partnerships.

The programme is organised into five thematic modules that follow the main phases of the SL cycle: analysis of the local context and its needs, design of SL projects, implementation and management of activities with students and community partners, documentation, and evaluation of learning and service outcomes. Across the modules, particular attention is paid to: designing SL to promote both disciplinary and transversal competences linked to democratic culture; revitalising communities of teaching practice within and across schools; enhancing the visibility of projects as examples of good practice. The programme also explores how digital tools can support participation, inclusion and collaboration within SL pathways and help document and communicate democratic learning processes.

Drawing on data from the programme’s monitoring system (initial questionnaire N = 147, final questionnaire N = 64, and analysis of project documentation across two cohorts), the paper discusses the strengths and challenges of this didactical model for effective democracy education through SL, as well as perceived changes in teachers’ capacity to design, implement and assess SL activities. Finally, it illustrates how the project has evolved into a self-paced MOOC, currently involving 136 participants, aimed at consolidating a Community of Practice that can sustain the diffusion of SL and its contribution to more democratic school cultures.