Exploring Community Learning Spaces Project

Today, the word learning is associated with schooling. Whenever the term learning or education is used in any part of the world, it is directly associated with schools. Students, teachers, parents, community members are not aware of the indigenous knowledge and learning systems and cultures because there seems no discussion or debate being carried out in schools. The notions of knowledge and learning are associated with textbook and teacher. Nowadays, even home has lost its meaning as an effective learning space. The diversity, local knowledge base, reflective practices, language learning, collaboration, problem solving, and child rearing practices have their own uniqueness which is an excellent but undermined resource. The situation becomes worse when it comes to rural communities, as there is no acknowledgement of their learning traditions at any forum.

This project is aimed at helping explore the types and nature of the learning communities across the globe. It also helps us to know how traditions of learning are carried out in different communities with or without school. It will help us in knowing and documenting these traditions, learning from them, regenerating a dialogue on how to sustain learning communities and traditions and engaging students, teachers and every member of learning community to value it with confidence. It is also essential for our younger generation to acknowledge these traditions and figure out ways to keep them alive.

Facilitated by: Nooruddin Merchant, Naushad Khalique, Kalsoom, and Naila Saad Khan in Pakistan

Ages: 10 to 21

Languages: English and Arabic

Dates: January 2005-May 2006

Contact: For more information about participating in this or other iEARN projects, write to iearn@iearn.org.