Page 53 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 53
how does community learning work and how does it help reduce esl?
agency visits, participative action research, movement, painting, storytell-
ing etc.) (Ancosan, 2009). It takes place in various community organisa-
tions such as community centres, adult education facilities, local institu-
tions that promote culture, sport, health, job trainings, industrial plants,
in nature, and also in schools. In this manner, awareness of the commu-
nity’s importance facilitated by community policy-makers is particularly
important. The community learning concept follows the principle that the
most obvious and basic manifestation of caring and support at the com-
munity level is the availability of resources needed for human development
(Benard, 1991).
Also of great importance in community learning and communi-
ty-based educational approaches are community teachers, often referred to
as community educators and professionals (to avoid the formality and hier-
archy of the relationship implied by the term teacher). The relationship be-
tween students and educators is informal in nature. The educator’s role is
to promote mutual relationships and therefore contribute to a socially just
and equal society. They should be committed to respecting other persons,
promoting well-being, truth, democracy and fairness, and should also be
aware that community learning is a process in which they work with peo-
ple rather than for the people. Accordingly, they have to be emphatic and
able to adapt to the individual’s needs, interests, beliefs, priorities, abilities,
expectations and learning processes (Carson Bryan & Wang, 2013; Jeffs,
Rogers, & Smith, 2010; Jeffs & Smith, 2008).
At the core of community learning is the theoretical concept called the
Wisconsin Model of Community Education (Horyna & Decker, 1991) which
provides a framework and a set of community learning principles, which
include development of the individual’s self-determination, self-help and
leadership and, in the case of community educational organisations, prin-
ciples that determine the localisation of the educational process, integrated
delivery of services, maximum use of resources, inclusiveness, responsive-
ness, and implementation of lifelong learning processes. It is thereby a con-
cept that comprises the person-environment fit and stage-environment fit
principles (Eccles & Midgley, 1989).
Self-determination refers to the capacity of local citizens to best identi-
fy personal and community needs. They have a right and a responsibility to
be involved in planning the learning and educational process. In this way,
the whole process of community learning begins by recognising and iden-
tifying the individual, group and community needs that represent the core
53
agency visits, participative action research, movement, painting, storytell-
ing etc.) (Ancosan, 2009). It takes place in various community organisa-
tions such as community centres, adult education facilities, local institu-
tions that promote culture, sport, health, job trainings, industrial plants,
in nature, and also in schools. In this manner, awareness of the commu-
nity’s importance facilitated by community policy-makers is particularly
important. The community learning concept follows the principle that the
most obvious and basic manifestation of caring and support at the com-
munity level is the availability of resources needed for human development
(Benard, 1991).
Also of great importance in community learning and communi-
ty-based educational approaches are community teachers, often referred to
as community educators and professionals (to avoid the formality and hier-
archy of the relationship implied by the term teacher). The relationship be-
tween students and educators is informal in nature. The educator’s role is
to promote mutual relationships and therefore contribute to a socially just
and equal society. They should be committed to respecting other persons,
promoting well-being, truth, democracy and fairness, and should also be
aware that community learning is a process in which they work with peo-
ple rather than for the people. Accordingly, they have to be emphatic and
able to adapt to the individual’s needs, interests, beliefs, priorities, abilities,
expectations and learning processes (Carson Bryan & Wang, 2013; Jeffs,
Rogers, & Smith, 2010; Jeffs & Smith, 2008).
At the core of community learning is the theoretical concept called the
Wisconsin Model of Community Education (Horyna & Decker, 1991) which
provides a framework and a set of community learning principles, which
include development of the individual’s self-determination, self-help and
leadership and, in the case of community educational organisations, prin-
ciples that determine the localisation of the educational process, integrated
delivery of services, maximum use of resources, inclusiveness, responsive-
ness, and implementation of lifelong learning processes. It is thereby a con-
cept that comprises the person-environment fit and stage-environment fit
principles (Eccles & Midgley, 1989).
Self-determination refers to the capacity of local citizens to best identi-
fy personal and community needs. They have a right and a responsibility to
be involved in planning the learning and educational process. In this way,
the whole process of community learning begins by recognising and iden-
tifying the individual, group and community needs that represent the core
53
