Toward a Justice-Oriented Professionalism: Lessons Learned From a Critical Service-Learning Project in a Professional Writing Course.
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| Title: | Toward a Justice-Oriented Professionalism: Lessons Learned From a Critical Service-Learning Project in a Professional Writing Course. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Frey, Renea C.1 (AUTHOR) freyr1@xavier.edu, Gerding, Jeffrey M.1 (AUTHOR), Nichols, Ethan1 (AUTHOR), Stone, Danielle2 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Technical Writing & Communication. Jul2026, Vol. 56 Issue 3, p242-267. 26p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Service learning, *Student engagement, *Catholic universities & colleges, Social justice, Social skills, Professions, Business writing, Professional ethics |
| Abstract: | This article examines a multi-year study of a client-based, critical service-learning project embedded in a Professional Writing course at a Jesuit Catholic university. Drawing on surveys and interviews with students across six course sections, the study explores how students perceived service learning, which aspects of the project most shaped their learning, and how the university's mission informed their understanding of service and professionalism. Findings reveal that while students often entered the course with conventional assumptions about service as charity and professionalism as formality, many came to adopt a more relational, justice-oriented view of professional communication. By engaging with real clients—many of whom face structural inequities—students encountered the human realities behind workplace writing and began to see professionalism as a flexible, context-responsive ethic grounded in care and reciprocity. This article proposes the concept of justice-oriented professionalism as a reimagined model for technical and professional communication, one aligned with critical pedagogy, social justice, and relational responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Technical Writing & Communication is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 194223212 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Toward a Justice-Oriented Professionalism: Lessons Learned From a Critical Service-Learning Project in a Professional Writing Course. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Frey%2C+Renea+C%2E%22">Frey, Renea C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> freyr1@xavier.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gerding%2C+Jeffrey+M%2E%22">Gerding, Jeffrey M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nichols%2C+Ethan%22">Nichols, Ethan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stone%2C+Danielle%22">Stone, Danielle</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Technical+Writing+%26+Communication%22">Journal of Technical Writing & Communication</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 56 Issue 3, p242-267. 26p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Service+learning%22">Service learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+engagement%22">Student engagement</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Catholic+universities+%26+colleges%22">Catholic universities & colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+justice%22">Social justice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+skills%22">Social skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professions%22">Professions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+writing%22">Business writing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+ethics%22">Professional ethics</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This article examines a multi-year study of a client-based, critical service-learning project embedded in a Professional Writing course at a Jesuit Catholic university. Drawing on surveys and interviews with students across six course sections, the study explores how students perceived service learning, which aspects of the project most shaped their learning, and how the university's mission informed their understanding of service and professionalism. Findings reveal that while students often entered the course with conventional assumptions about service as charity and professionalism as formality, many came to adopt a more relational, justice-oriented view of professional communication. By engaging with real clients—many of whom face structural inequities—students encountered the human realities behind workplace writing and began to see professionalism as a flexible, context-responsive ethic grounded in care and reciprocity. This article proposes the concept of justice-oriented professionalism as a reimagined model for technical and professional communication, one aligned with critical pedagogy, social justice, and relational responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Technical Writing & Communication is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=194223212 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/00472816251405774 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 26 StartPage: 242 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Service learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Student engagement Type: general – SubjectFull: Catholic universities & colleges Type: general – SubjectFull: Social justice Type: general – SubjectFull: Social skills Type: general – SubjectFull: Professions Type: general – SubjectFull: Business writing Type: general – SubjectFull: Professional ethics Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Toward a Justice-Oriented Professionalism: Lessons Learned From a Critical Service-Learning Project in a Professional Writing Course. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Frey, Renea C. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Gerding, Jeffrey M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nichols, Ethan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Stone, Danielle IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: Jul2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00472816 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 56 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Technical Writing & Communication Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
