A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
“I Have Karelia in My Soul” : Intra-action of Students, Seniors and Artefacts in a Community-Engaged Service-Learning Collaboration (2023)

Muhonen, A., & Vaarala, H. (2023). “I Have Karelia in My Soul” : Intra-action of Students, Seniors and Artefacts in a Community-Engaged Service-Learning Collaboration. In J. Ennser-Kananen, & T. Saarinen (Eds.), New Materialist Explorations into Language Education (pp. 57-72). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13847-8_4

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Muhonen, Anu; Vaarala, Heidi

Parent publication: New Materialist Explorations into Language Education

Parent publication editors: Ennser-Kananen, Johanna; Saarinen, Taina

ISBN: 978-3-031-13846-1

eISBN: 978-3-031-13847-8

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 11/10/2022

Pages range: 57-72

Number of pages in the book: 190

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Place of Publication: Cham

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13847-8_4

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/83545

Abstract

In this chapter we examine a foreign language learning environment in a community-engaged setting in a Canadian city through a new materialist lens. As part of a service-learning project, Canadian students of Finnish language and culture visit a Finnish language seniors’ centre regularly to participate in different activities and spend time with the Finnish-speaking seniors. We examine the assemblage of the participants (seniors and students) and one artefact, a map, and offer a close analysis of the intra-action that takes place during one visit at the centre. In our analysis, our service-learning collaboration does not merely give a voice and agency to seniors. Rather, the seniors actively take the opportunity to voice their knowledge, and doing that, give a voice to an old Finnish school map, which retells stories of the seniors’ past in intra-action. Meanwhile the students also gain new knowledge.

Keywords: language learning; languages; older people; students; materialism; day centres; communality; Finnish Canadians

Free keywords: community-engagement; higher education; intra-action; new materialism; service-learning; seniors; language learning

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

JUFO rating: 2