Using a framework of care to design experiences in formal or informal learning does two things. It acknowledges intentions of reflective learning through open communication and meets expectations of scholars seeking knowledge within a learning community. This proposed framework was developed from programs involving popular education, community development, open communication, critical reflection, and democratic participation. It can be applied to most instructional contexts, where relationships between facilitators and participants are valued as part of an active learning environment. This framework of care builds on the work of Myles Horton, Paulo Freire, Nel Noddings, and Fergal Finnegan. When planning programs, we recommend both understanding participants’ learning goals and then being attentive to care, community, communication, critical reflection, equality, and democracy. Through these approaches, educators can create a caring experience for learners.
Popular education programs allow for collective agenda setting and flexibility, and also to carefully and respectfully design activities that bring in all voices and level the power in the room. Popular education methods help to raise awareness and engage with stakeholders to support topics, such as social justice, human rights, collective power, and nonviolent responses. This study examines the explicit and implicit intentions and expectations of participants who have engaged in popular education workshops related to authentic leadership. This instrumental case study examines the reflective writing of 13 participants from two popular education workshops. To analyze the 26 reflections, the co-researchers individually coded a set of four reflections and then worked with a partner to compare their coding results. Themes were developed from the coded data. The themes included the Center as a destination, seeking renewal and inspiration, personal growth and learning gained from the experience, open minded and flexible expectations, interest in the topic, and professional and academic growth and networking. We suggest ways to build in components of a popular education program to other settings, such as building community, storytelling and sharing, and establishing group norms.
People are increasingly trying to multitask while walking. Text messaging while walking is a significant area for concern. The number of text messages sent is expected to be more than 8 trillion in 2012. Texting is becoming so commonplace that people use this technology while engaged in other activities. The dangers of multitasking have hit the streets as people are becoming involved in more accidents while walking as they text on mobile phones. This simulation activity measures a student's ability to multitask by texting and walking. The activity simulates walking in the real world and is best suited for middle school students. Additional activities, after completing the simulation, will challenge middle school students to learn more about multitasking globally through scientific inquiry researched on the Internet. The students will use language arts skills to generate a report or presentation to share with classmates. Their findings will give the entire class a cultural perspective on accident statistical comparisons between different countries.
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