22nd INTERNATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING CONFERENCE HELD IN ARGENTINA

Tuzla, 06.09.2019. – The Latin American Center for Service-Learning and Solidarity (CLAYSS) was the organizer of the 22nd International Service-Learning Conference, held August 29-30, 2019 at Catholic University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. One of the main goals of this event is the exchange of ideas and experiences on Service-Learning between schools, universities and non-governmental organizations that promote Service-Learning in their work in Latin America and in other countries of Europe and the world.

Representatives of the International Association “Interactive Open Schools” (MIOS) Tuzla attended this event and were able to present the positive practice of Service-Learning from primary and secondary schools in Tuzla Canton, as well as the activities of the Service-Learning  Network for Central and Eastern Europe, where MIOS is a member since 2016. The event was attended by members of the Ibero-American Service-Learning Network as well as members of the CEE Network, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo. About 800 conference participants located in the impressive Catholic University Hall had the opportunity to hear concrete examples of Service-Learning practice that schools have implemented through projects over the past year, which emphasized that Service-Learning is a living topic within the Bosnia and Herzegovina educational system as schools recognize this methodology as an instrument for achieving meaningful learning and teaching.

In addition, there was talk of the importance of conducting research into the effects of Service-Learning on students, teaching staff and educational institutions themselves, because without these results we wonder if what we are doing is really Service-Learning. MIOS representatives were also able to work together with the coordinators of the National Solidarity Program of the Ministry of Education of the Argentine Republic to create a Model Award for successful Service-Learning projects, to be announced in March next year, mainly related to the implemented Service- Learning in Central and Eastern European countries. The Regional Award will thus give visibility and importance to the involvement of schools and teachers who choose to implement Service-Learning projects.