Page 50 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 50
there is congruency between what is being taught and experienced)
and is meant to take place in a hospitable and supportive environ-
ment. There is also a commitment to use culturally relevant mate-
rial. Thus it takes place in various community organisations and
its aim is an anti-discriminatory, culture-specific and equal educa-
tional and learning setting where individuals develop through their
own action and participation. The learning process is supported by a
mutual educator-student informally-oriented relationship in which
the student’s interests, capacities and needs for physical safety, so-
cio-emotional support, achievement, competence, relatedness and
autonomy are accounted for. As such, the community learning ap-
proach can have a great positive impact on ESL in the sense of im-
proving students’ learning motivation, achievement, sense of be-
longing, and can support their emotional, social and psychological
well-being.
Key words: community learning, community-based education, in-
formal education, whole school approach
Introduction
Community learning is a community-based, individual-oriented education
and learning approach that connects what is being taught in schools to the
community, including local institutions, history, literature, cultural herit-
age and natural environments. It is an educational and learning approach
deriving from broader concepts of informal education and adult education.
As such, it has been present in the educational sphere for decades, with the
first promotions of local education in Europe dating back to the 1790s. The
greatest expansion of community-based education in Europe began in the
1970s when lifelong education and the learning society were key points in a
report by the Faure Commission which was the then keystone of education
policy (Manzoor, 2014). Community learning is based on the belief that all
communities have intrinsic educational resources that educators can use to
enhance learning experiences for students. Synonymous terms found in the
literature are community-based education, place-based learning, place-based
education and informal education (The Glossary of Education Reform, 2014).
Nowadays, the core of community learning is the theoretical concept
called the Wisconsin Model of Community Education (Horyna & Decker,
1991). The model provides a framework and a set of community learning
principles that refer to both students (student’s self-determination, ability of
50
and is meant to take place in a hospitable and supportive environ-
ment. There is also a commitment to use culturally relevant mate-
rial. Thus it takes place in various community organisations and
its aim is an anti-discriminatory, culture-specific and equal educa-
tional and learning setting where individuals develop through their
own action and participation. The learning process is supported by a
mutual educator-student informally-oriented relationship in which
the student’s interests, capacities and needs for physical safety, so-
cio-emotional support, achievement, competence, relatedness and
autonomy are accounted for. As such, the community learning ap-
proach can have a great positive impact on ESL in the sense of im-
proving students’ learning motivation, achievement, sense of be-
longing, and can support their emotional, social and psychological
well-being.
Key words: community learning, community-based education, in-
formal education, whole school approach
Introduction
Community learning is a community-based, individual-oriented education
and learning approach that connects what is being taught in schools to the
community, including local institutions, history, literature, cultural herit-
age and natural environments. It is an educational and learning approach
deriving from broader concepts of informal education and adult education.
As such, it has been present in the educational sphere for decades, with the
first promotions of local education in Europe dating back to the 1790s. The
greatest expansion of community-based education in Europe began in the
1970s when lifelong education and the learning society were key points in a
report by the Faure Commission which was the then keystone of education
policy (Manzoor, 2014). Community learning is based on the belief that all
communities have intrinsic educational resources that educators can use to
enhance learning experiences for students. Synonymous terms found in the
literature are community-based education, place-based learning, place-based
education and informal education (The Glossary of Education Reform, 2014).
Nowadays, the core of community learning is the theoretical concept
called the Wisconsin Model of Community Education (Horyna & Decker,
1991). The model provides a framework and a set of community learning
principles that refer to both students (student’s self-determination, ability of
50
