Beyond the classroom walls: A mapping project in support of community based learning for preservice education students
Catherine McGregor, Kathy Sanford, Darlene Clover

The goal of this research project is to focus attention on education beyond the walls of the traditional k-12 classroom and embrace the potential of community based social learning for pre service teachers in non formal, community based settings. As educators, our goal is to support the evolving role of teaching professionals who are mandated to work with multiple stakeholders and diverse populations both in and outside the formal school setting. We believe this could be best accomplished by providing our students with a range of mentored teaching experiences, including experiences in community based organizations. Our goal is for our pre service teachers to develop a range of active citizenship and cross sectoral competencies - including cross cultural sensitivities- skills necessary for the promotion and support of the more inclusive educational mandates set out by the BC Ministry of Education and argued for by universities across BC. The specific aim of our project is to map and document multiple community sites in the greater Victoria area where our pre service education students could be placed for one of their three practicum experiences. In particular, service, cultural, educational and social agencies would be explored as potential sites for student teacher placements. A graduate student would be hired to carry out the work of this community mapping project, creating a directory of potential local educational partners, their service and educational mandates, and potential roles for preservice teachers. This project would also involve collaboration and consultation with these possible community based partners in order to ensure the partnerships would be mutually beneficial to both our teacher education program and the mandates of these organizations.