מעורבות חברתית בהכשרת מורים: הערכת הסטודנטים את תרומתה לטיפוח ״תודעה חברתית ומקצועית מכוּונת קהילה״

Social involvement programs in teacher education aim to foster the social consciousness of the student teachers – both as citizens and as educators. These programs, which involve partnerships between academic institutions and the community, are based on the theoretical model of service learning in combination with academic studies and social activities. The research presented in this paper examines the perceptions of the students participating in the program with regard to its contribution in three related fields: social consciousness, teacher identity and .social self-efficacy The study was conducted among 200 undergraduate students at Kibbutzim College. The participants all attended the college social involvement program. The results demonstrate that in the students' view, the program succeeded in promoting an "internalization" of social perceptions and values to some extent. This process is indicative of a relative development in students' social consciousness and awareness, as well as of their capability to initiate social activities in school. The findings also highlight both the significance of the academic environment in the eyes of the students and the sense of satisfaction they derived from it. The study reveals the benefits of an academic environment that promotes social awareness and emphasizes both the relevance of community activities in the academic field and a high level of satisfaction. By so doing, the academic environment contributes to the internalization of social values and the development of sufficient self-efficacy to initiate social projects. Furthermore, the students' satisfaction and sense of ability to promote social projects increase the motivation to continue .conducting these activities even after the end of the academic year