Popular Education Popular Education

““We face an unprecedented crisis of We face an unprecedented crisis of global dimensions, a social crisis and global dimensions, a social crisis and

ecological crisis. I believe that they are ecological crisis. I believe that they are linked and that if we are to find linked and that if we are to find

solutions, those solutions will only come solutions, those solutions will only come out of education and education of a out of education and education of a

particular type”particular type” Daniel Chodroff, Institute for Social Ecology Daniel Chodroff, Institute for Social Ecology

Different Types of Learning Different Types of Learning

Behaviorist ( Banking Approach) Behaviorist ( Banking Approach)

assumes the learner is passive assumes the learner is passive

The metaphor of ‘mug and a jug’ is The metaphor of ‘mug and a jug’ is often used here where the learner often used here where the learner can literally be filled with knowledge. can literally be filled with knowledge.

Social Constructivist Approach Social Constructivist Approach

Assumes students are active agents Assumes students are active agents Knowledge is dynamic.Knowledge is dynamic. Learning should be co-operative Learning should be co-operative An educator does not ‘teach’ but An educator does not ‘teach’ but

aims to elicit information from the aims to elicit information from the group and therefore create group and therefore create collectively owned knowledge.collectively owned knowledge.

Key Aspects of Popular Education Key Aspects of Popular Education

A passionate desire for changeA passionate desire for change

Popular education has as its implicit Popular education has as its implicit aims to inspire, inform and enable aims to inspire, inform and enable participants. participants.

Beyond the classroomBeyond the classroom

Education does not just take place in Education does not just take place in formalised learning settings- the formalised learning settings- the community, home , traveling. Friends community, home , traveling. Friends houses, outside are all important houses, outside are all important places to learn.places to learn.

Highlighting CampaignsHighlighting Campaigns

It is education that connects us It is education that connects us with the lives and stories of everyday with the lives and stories of everyday people people

Identifying other people/groups also Identifying other people/groups also engaging in ‘campaigns’ bridges engaging in ‘campaigns’ bridges those connections those connections

Rebuilding Social RelationshipsRebuilding Social Relationships

Cooperation rather than competitionCooperation rather than competition

Community rather than individualismCommunity rather than individualism

Valuing popular knowledge'sValuing popular knowledge's

Beginning at a basis of peoples lived Beginning at a basis of peoples lived realities – making it relevant.realities – making it relevant.

Valuing emotive and creative as well Valuing emotive and creative as well as intellectual facts.as intellectual facts.

Collective LearningCollective Learning

Breaking down the assumptions of Breaking down the assumptions of teacher and learner teacher and learner

Everybody can learn from each other Everybody can learn from each other

Inspiring Change Inspiring Change

Popular Education can enable us to Popular Education can enable us to look at the world from new look at the world from new perspectives, build workable perspectives, build workable alternatives and find solutions to alternatives and find solutions to problems problems

Tools for education Tools for education

Warm ups Warm ups Knowledge poolsKnowledge pools Physical/visual activitiesPhysical/visual activities Debates/discussionsDebates/discussions Connecting historiesConnecting histories Planning for actionPlanning for action PresentationsPresentations Role playsRole plays Theatrical/pub quizzesTheatrical/pub quizzes

Reducing DominanceReducing Dominance

Facilitators are often too dominant, Facilitators are often too dominant, not honest or open from the start not honest or open from the start about why activities are being about why activities are being undertaken or manipulate undertaken or manipulate participants to certain ideological participants to certain ideological ends. Be open and clear about why ends. Be open and clear about why you are doing popular education.you are doing popular education.

ListeningListening

Learn the importance of active Learn the importance of active listening to allow necessary listening to allow necessary discussion. Letting people talk is the discussion. Letting people talk is the key to good popular education, and key to good popular education, and reducing dependency and reducing dependency and empowering people to think for empowering people to think for themselves is at the heart of radical themselves is at the heart of radical education.education.

JudgementJudgement

Be non-judgmental and supportive in Be non-judgmental and supportive in your approach.your approach.

Overcoming powerlessnessOvercoming powerlessness

““If everything is connected you can’t If everything is connected you can’t change anything without changing change anything without changing everything. But you can’t change everything. But you can’t change everything, so that means you can’t everything, so that means you can’t change anything!”change anything!”

(A student after a lesson on from the (A student after a lesson on from the book ‘Rethinking Globalisation’)book ‘Rethinking Globalisation’)

Common Issues Common Issues

AlienationAlienation Overloading of informationOverloading of information Political passivity (apathy) Political passivity (apathy) Socio-economic issuesSocio-economic issues Too much negative informationToo much negative information DenialDenial

Be empowering Be empowering

Look for the positive things we can Look for the positive things we can do and emphasise our creativity, our do and emphasise our creativity, our adaptability and our strengthsadaptability and our strengths

Resources for participatory activitiesResources for participatory activities 2002 Education Facilitators Pack2002 Education Facilitators Pack www.web.ca/acgc/issues/g8www.web.ca/acgc/issues/g8 Trapese CollectiveTrapese Collective www.trapese.orgwww.trapese.org Highlander school:Highlander school: www.highlandercenter.orgwww.highlandercenter.org Popular education for human rightsPopular education for human rights www.hrea.org/pubs/www.hrea.org/pubs/ Interactive tool kitInteractive tool kit www.openconcept.ca/mike/www.openconcept.ca/mike/ Centre for Pop EdCentre for Pop Ed www.cpe.uts.edu.au/www.cpe.uts.edu.au/ Intro to Pop EdIntro to Pop Ed www.infed.org/biblio/b-poped.htmwww.infed.org/biblio/b-poped.htm Intro to Paulo FreireIntro to Paulo Freire www.infed.org/thinkers/et-freir.htmwww.infed.org/thinkers/et-freir.htm Catalyst centreCatalyst centre www.catalystcentre.ca/www.catalystcentre.ca/ Institute for Social EcologyInstitute for Social Ecology www.social-ecology.org/www.social-ecology.org/ Project SouthProject South www.projectsouth.org/www.projectsouth.org/ Home educationHome education www.home-education.org.ukwww.home-education.org.uk Development Education AsocDevelopment Education Asoc http://www.dea.org.uk/http://www.dea.org.uk/

Film ResourcesFilm Resources Global ExchangeGlobal Exchange

http://store.gxonlinestore.org/films.htmlhttp://store.gxonlinestore.org/films.html Eyes on IFIsEyes on IFIs http://www.ifiwatchnet.orghttp://www.ifiwatchnet.org Carbon Trade WatchCarbon Trade Watch http://www.tni.org/ctw/http://www.tni.org/ctw/ UndercurrentsUndercurrents http://www.undercurrents.org/http://www.undercurrents.org/ Beyond TVBeyond TV http://www.beyondtv.org/http://www.beyondtv.org/ Big Noise FilmsBig Noise Films http://www.bignoisefilms.com/http://www.bignoisefilms.com/