Conference Agenda

This presentation showcases Service Learning projects developed across the Faculties of the Brescia Campus of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy). In line with the conference theme, the presentation focuses specifically on the initiative 'Literature and Emotions'. First-year students from the Faculty of Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures collaborated with the editorial staff of Zona 508, a newspaper produced by inmates at the Canton Mombello prison in Brescia.

In partnership with the association Carcere e Territorio, which has been active in local prisons for many years, the project identified the following main objectives: promoting dialogue between the 'inside' and 'outside' of prison through the reading of literary texts and the production of written and journalistic content; creating opportunities for direct encounters between students and inmates, enabling them to share emotions and reflections; fostering the development of civic competencies and encouraging active, responsible participation in community life; and engaging the wider public through a dedicated event and a special issue of the newspaper devoted to literature in prison.

These encounters gave students a meaningful opportunity to challenge stereotypes and prejudices about incarcerated individuals, while also foregrounding the relational, communicative and emotional dimensions of the experience. The project also encouraged critical reflection on the Italian prison system, particularly in relation to the Brescia context, and on the extent to which prison conditions align with national and European standards and with broader principles of human dignity.

The experience fostered empathy and solidarity, as reflected in students’ reflections: 'I did not imagine that there could be so much humanity in such a context. It is remarkable that such different people can share the same space and engage in peaceful, mutually enriching dialogue.' Another student noted: 'I felt part of a world that society tries to conceal and avoid. I would like to thank the inmate editors, who gave us a glimpse into their daily reality.'

When effectively integrated, service and learning can respond to students’ educational needs. When placed at the service of the community, knowledge becomes a practice of active citizenship, fostering individuals who are capable of critical thinking, recognising social needs and providing informed, sensitive responses.

For twenty five years, the 'Home-based storytelling' project has brought stories, language, and connection into the homes of young children, mostly coming from disadvantaged families. What began as a small local project has grown into a sustained partnership between teacher education programmes, local schools, community organisations, and families. The project continues to demonstrate how meaningful community engagement can transform both children’s learning opportunities and students’ professional identity.

The project is embedded in a broader Community Service Learning framework in which students apply theoretical insights from courses on language development, early literacy, inclusive education, and intercultural communication (courses: Multilingualism in the classroom; Engaging and valuing families; Nonviolent communication). Concepts such as scaffolding, dialogic reading, affective learning environments, and equitable learning opportunities come to life when students enter the homes of families whose backgrounds, languages, and experiences differ from their own. By navigating real interactions with children and their parents, students deepen their understanding of pedagogical theories. They learn that literacy development is not only cognitive but also relational, cultural, and situated. This interplay between theory and practice helps students internalise educational principles in ways that traditional coursework alone cannot.

Structured reflection is a central pillar of the project. Before, during, and after home visits, students participate in guided reflection seminars, write reflective journals, analyse critical incidents, and exchange experiences through peer dialogue. These moments allow them to examine their assumptions, recognise their biases, and develop cultural humility.

Students are owner of their own learning process within the project. They select books, design the flow of each reading session, and adapt their approach to the needs and interests of each child. Their voice matters: students co create learning moments with families instead of simply implementing prescribed activities. Students also shape the project’s collective learning. Their observations feed back into course development, partnerships with schools, and the continuous refinement of the programme. Assessment within the project focuses on growth rather than performance. Students are evaluated through a reflective portfolio and collaborative discussions with peers and teachers.

The contribution reflects on the experiences of a collaborative project in which students developed educational material in partnership with the initiative “Konsumkritische Stadtführung Bamberg” (engl. sustainable city tours).

The collaboration aimed to link the theoretical knowledge on education for sustainable development with the in-depth practical application in a concrete project. By developing pedagogical material on various topics, the students acquired key competencies for teaching education for sustainable development (e.g. Rieckmann, 2012) and reflected on the challenges associated with sustainable development, such as e.g. how to deal with the overall complexity of the topics; how to address normativity without imposing a certain view and how encourage critical thinking and action-oriented competencies (Scheunpflug, 2023; Taube, 2023). Working in teams, the students developed and presented the material, repeatedly discussing their process and the difficulties encountered. The project became meaningful for the students because the material they developed was relevant to an actual project in the field of practice. They were able to actively contribute to shaping the educational landscape in Bamberg and engage with the vision of a more sustainable and future-oriented way of life.

This contribution shortly presents the project and reflects on challenges and potential regarding (1) the didactic method of team based work and (2) the role of the academic instructors. The entire seminar, conceptualised as part of a service-learning project, was based on the idea of learning as a self-directed, reflective process (e.g. Brown, 2015). Therefore, our role was to support the students’ learning process by providing feedback, suggestions and a space for open and fruitful discussion.

Within the workshop we will reflect on potentials and challenges of this conceptualisation of learning as a self-directed, reflective process in a collaborative setting and what it means for the academic instructors, particularly in the field of education for sustainable development and Higher Education.