The Transformative Potential of Service-Learning in an African Religious Context

Critical reflection is essential for achieving desired service-learning outcomes, including “transformative learning,” as developed by Mezirow (2000). However, critiques of Mezirow’s theory, particularly its focus on the individual learner and prizing of autonomy, raise questions about the relevance of a transformative learning framework for service-learning in diverse global contexts. This article describes a case study of an online service-learning program that resulted in transformative learning for students in East Africa. We offer a method of practical theological reflection that promotes individual and communal reflective praxis. This method contributed to students’ transformative learning outcomes as realized in collective action for sustainable development. Rooted in Christian religious education scholarship, the method is adaptable to service-learning curricula informed by other or non-religious traditions and in non-Western communities. We invite educators to adapt this method to other sociocultural contexts and encourage further research to track longitudinal outcomes of collective action inspired by service-learning.