Service-learning is a method whose implementation in higher education requires linking community service with academic content learning, professional skills and civic values. One of the ways to achieve it is to have reflective activities. Furthermore, reflection is a means to enhance learning and to give personal and social meaning to the service learning proposals. To analyse the role of reflection in service learning activities, we will begin presenting the idea of reflection. Then, we will analyse a consolidated experience to substantiate such ideas and deepen the role of reflection in service learning. The study of the program Amics i amigues de lectura of the Faculties of Pedagogy and Teaching Learning of the University of Barcelona and Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona will be addressed through an ethnographic methodology by which we approach the dynamics of reflection of the program: the tutorial, reflective writing and reflection among equals. The findings provide insights on how to understand and improve the processes of reflection, highlight the connection between experience and reflection, the need for varied reflection devices, the convenience of helping the students to problematize their own experience and finally understand reflection as the incorporation of mediations -instruments and frameworks- in mental activity of the participants involved in service learning activities.

El Aprendizaje-Servicio es una metodología cuya implantación en la educación superior exige vincular el servicio a la comunidad con el aprendizaje de contenidos académicos, competencias profesionales y valores cívicos. Uno de los mejores caminos para lograr tal conexión es implicar al alumnado en actividades de reflexión. Este tipo de actividad, además de contribuir a relacionar aprendizaje y servicio, multiplica los aprendizajes y da sentido personal y social a la experiencia de aprendizaje servicio. Para analizar el papel de la reflexión en las actividades de aprendizaje servicio se empieza presentando la idea de reflexión. A continuación se analiza una experiencia consolidada para corroborar tales ideas y profundizar en el papel de la reflexión en el aprendizaje servicio. El estudio del programa Amics i amigues de lectura de las facultades de Pedagogía y Formación del Profesorado de la Universidad de Barcelona y del Consorcio de Educación de Barcelona se aborda a través de una metodología etnográfica que nos acerca a los dinamismos de reflexión del programa: la acción tutorial, la escritura autorreflexiva y la reflexión entre iguales. Las conclusiones aportan ideas sobre cómo entender y mejorar los procesos de reflexión. Destacan aspectos como la conexión entre experiencia y reflexión, la necesidad de ofrecer múltiples dispositivos de reflexión, la conveniencia de ayudar a que sean los estudiantes quienes problematicen su experiencia y, finalmente, la incorporación de mediaciones –instrumentos y marcos conceptuales– como elemento clave de la actividad reflexiva de los participantes en las actividades de aprendizaje servicio.

Service-Learning is a methodology whose implementation in higher education requires linking community service with the learning of academic content, professional skills and civic values. One of the best ways to achieve such a connection is to involve students in reflection activities. This type of activity, in addition to helping to link learning and service, multiplies learning and gives personal and social meaning to the service learning experience. In order to analyze the role of reflection in service learning activities, we begin by presenting the idea of reflection. Next, a consolidated experience is analyzed to corroborate these ideas and to deepen the role of reflection in service learning. The study of the Amics i amigues de lectura program of the Pedagogy and Teacher Training faculties of the University of Barcelona and the Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona is approached through a study of the role of reflection in service learning. Barcelona is approached through an ethnographic methodology that brings us closer to the program’s reflection dynamics: tutorial action, self-reflective writing and peer reflection. The conclusions provide ideas on how to understand and improve the processes of reflection. They highlight aspects such as the connection between experience and reflection, the need to offer multiple reflection devices, the convenience of helping students to problematize their experience and, finally, the incorporation of mediations – tools and conceptual frameworks – as a key element in the reflective activity of participants in service learning activities.

http://www.rinace.net/riejs/numeros/vol2-num2/art1.pdf