Agroeconomia Croatica, Vol. 11 No. 1, 2021.
Preliminary communication
Service learning in the field of rural tourism at Križevci College of Agriculture
Sandra Kantar
orcid.org/0000-0003-0992-0383
; Križevci College of Agriculture, Milislava Demerca 1, 48260 Križevci, Croatia
Kristina Svržnjak
orcid.org/0000-0002-0064-1735
; Križevci College of Agriculture, Milislava Demerca 1, 48260 Križevci, Croatia
Silvije Jerčinović
; Križevci College of Agriculture, Milislava Demerca 1, 48260 Križevci, Croatia
Abstract
Teachers face different teaching methods, and the most challenging teaching method is studentcentered in interactive and experiential learning mode. Apart from direct teaching, teachers of the Križevci College of Agriculture strive to bring students closer to the subject of rural tourism, through innovative forms of education with an emphasis on socially useful learning. The paper will present several examples of service learning that were implemented in the period from 2017 to the challenging 2020 when teaching, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly took place online. Teachers and students from the Križevci College of Agriculture collaborated with Croatian Rural Tourism Association, Kaposvar University on the cross-border project “Ecotop 2”, within the Interreg programVA: Croatia – Hungary, with LAG Međimurski doli i bregi on the national project “Pop-up rural social-innovative hubs”, and with teams from the area of the city of Križevci on the hackathon “City for Youth – Križevci 2030”, which resulted with the project “EcoRurTour” where students conduct it independently. Teaching through a project approach is innovative due to the use of various practical methods and new tools through which students are encouraged to be independent in learning and acquiring knowledge. Also, the project approach is socially beneficial because it connects the College and students with state institutions and civil society organizations, with the aim of better employability of students in rural tourism. In this way, the College contributes to the activation and strengthening of social capital, which is important to be build in the wider community.
Keywords
service learning, rural tourism, social capital, local community
Hrčak ID:
269946
URI
Publication date:
25.12.2021.
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