Integrating virtual teaching and learning with service-learning: A Hong Kong Baptist University experience

Abstract

Service-learning is a high-touch pedagogy that brings universities in close contact with communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong Baptist University's Centre for Innovative Service-Learning embarked on a project to integrate virtual teaching and learning with service-learning to sustain class and community interactions amidst social distancing measures and other pandemic-related restrictions. The chapter reports the project experience. Based on data from teachers, students, and community members involved in the project, the study combined qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate three questions: Which virtual teaching and learning tools were employed by service-learning's stakeholders? How did the use of virtual teaching and learning tools impact service-learning's stakeholders? And, finally, what lessons were learned about integrating virtual teaching and learning with service-learning? The chapter also discusses advantages and drawbacks of virtual technology when applied to service-learning and proposes a forward-looking approach towards virtual service-learning.