Module 4: Community Education & Adult Basic Education

 

From the article, Community-Based Education by Christine J. Villani and Douglas Atkins, I really appreciated the sentiment that, “Community-based education is centered on the student’s ability to recognize and support the needs of the surrounding community.”

While community-based education is a sub-field that I am not currently involved in, the philosophy of it is one that I always hope to foster in my classroom. My approach to facilitation is not beholden to my participants learning a set of facts or data. It is much more about connection and social learning. Ultimately, each of my participants is a member of the community that comprises his/her workplace. If they are able to build connection and learn together, those are helpful skills that will undoubtedly assist them back in the “real world” of their workplace.