Community engagement as pedagogy for transnational learning

The complexity and fluidity of the modern world implies that changes in knowledge and in social, economic and political structures have become characteristic of our lives. This chapter discusses the role of community engagement programs in teacher education at universities. Such engagement is crucial in assisting universities meet the needs of their diverse student groups as well as assisting schools meet the needs of marginalised students. Given the difficulties experienced by disadvantaged students in making the transition to mainstream classes and the lack of adequate teaching and learning resources for teachers in schools, this chapter takes as its primary focus the needs of diverse students in a cosmopolitan society, the role of community engagement as pedagogy in meeting these needs and the implications for teacher preparation programs in tertiary institutions and the benefits of interventionist mechanisms for diverse students.