I. Democratic Citizenship: Why you must experience it to learn it.
A. Need for invigoration of democracy
stale, apathetic, uninvolved
limited role, seems apart from interests
consumer voter model
eternal vigilance, initiative needed
B. Learning: human's ability to learn and adapt is distinguishing feature
adaptation is not just "fitting in" but creating and shaping
This is true of political and social life
rise of industrial and technological civilization came
with the rise of the democratic idea
but we seem to have lost a broad view of democracy
we see it only as a way of making decisions or choosing leaders
C. Democracy preferred as a form of government and social organization:
1. better decisions (maybe - people know own interests)
2. creates better citizens
(experience of participation changes participants)
Our learning about democratic citizenship
MUST be both experiential and theoretic neither enough
that learning will be transformed by reflection and experimentation
D. Public Achievement: Green book emphasizes
goal is to help young citizens (you too) be active creators and agents of change but also to learn: "practical political experience, public skills"
learn "healthy realism" "make us aware" "understanding"
"looking at the world" differently"
p. 17 "not just about finished products, it also entails the learning process"
2. Active Learning Model
A. Kolb's sources
1. Kurt Lewin2. Jean Piaget3. John Dewey
B. Dewey and Paolo Freire
1. Dewey on new education as democratic education
(1938 Experience and Education Kolb p. 5)
Common features of "new education"
Not Rather
imposition from abovecultivation of individuality
external disciplinefree activity
from texts and teachersexperience
preparation for a remote futuremaking the most of present opportunities
static aims and materialsacquaintance with a changing world
2. Paolo Freire: Critique of the "banking concept" of education (Kolb p. 27
C. Propositions re: Learning
1. Learning is best Conceived as a Process
2. Learning is a Continuing Process Grounded in Experience
3. Process of Learning requires resolution of
Conflicts between dialectically opposed modes of Adaptation to the World
concrete experience------abstract concepts
observation ------action
Learners to be effective need four different kinds of abilities
a. concrete experience abilities
ability to involve self fully, openly & w/o bias in new experiences
b. reflective observation abilities
ability to reflect and observe experiences from multiple perspectives
c. abstract conceptualization abilities
ability to create concepts that integrate observatins into logically sound
theories
d. Active experimentation abilities
ability to use theories and concepts to make decisions and solve
problems
(to plan for action and try new things)
4. Learning
requires abilities that are polar opposites
learner must continuously choose which set of abilities to bring to bear on a
situation
Different individuals have different learning styles
Learning: the process whereby knowledge is created through the
transformation of experience
III. Implication for Citizenship course and Public Achievement coaching
A. To learn democratic citizenship we'll use experience
we need both concepts and experience
we need to evaluate and reflect, and experiment to tranform
Our Course: How do we learn everything at once? Where do we start?
B. In Public Achievement Coaching
All four phases need to be happening
1. Real concrete experiences ------2. Naming/Concepts
3. Reflection/Evaluation ------3. Planning & experimentation
new experiences etc....
Again where do we start
C. See section on "core concepts"
D. Naming concepts essential"using political language"
Actual experience essential"get going-Act, but act democratically"
Evaluation/processing essential"always take time to evaluate"
Planning, experimentation"try lots of things"