Space as a Place for Civic Education: Design of a School Playground through a Service-Learning Project

Abstract

This article presents the results of a Service-Learning project in which physical and virtual spaces have a central and interrelated role. The project was developed by the Universidad Complutense and a geographically distant school with the objective of transforming a playground, from a pedagogical perspective. Future teachers worked together with pupils from the school for the reconditioning of that space, taking into account the contents of the course Theory of Education, such as citizenship and communitarian participation in education, teacher commitment, ethical and civic education, inclusion, environmental education, outdoor games, among others. Method used was qualitative, through content analysis of different documents, paying special attention to the role that technology plays in the process of communication between these two institutions and in the visibility and vindication of an educational need. Results show the critical reflection of participants because of their collaboration in the project, a relevant personal and civic commitment with socio-educational needs, the comprehension of the role of technologies in the contemporaneous citizenship and in Service-Learning projects, the impact in the consideration of teacher identity and the reinforcement of connections between university, school and community.