Participation and Pedagogical Approaches in Education Alternatives

• In Event: From Theory to Praxis: Designing Education Alternatives within Farsi-speaking Communities experiencing Conflict and Political Instability

Proposal

This presentation introduces the sequence of the course and draws from co-facilitators’ reflections on its pedagogical and curricular features. We center participatory approaches in two ways. First, we discuss the development of participatory approaches among Farsi-speaking educators through an online course format, including discussion prompts, breakout groups, and other ways to foster participant voice and trust. Second, when designing their projects, educators who participated in the course often emphasized participatory approaches. That is, they sought to enhance youth participation (through YPAR and in the design of educational spaces); democratic education; and group activities such as through play and using existing resources to create STEM activities. We discuss challenges and ethics of participation in restricted settings where freedom of expression is being dismantled in educational spaces across the globe.

Whereas some participants had initial perceptions that educational alternatives were suited for high-income, well-resourced settings, throughout the course, participants re-imagined education alternatives as ones with a greater range of affordances and creativity in environments of political instability and conflict. Drawing from sociocultural learning theories such as those of Jean Lave (1996), participants transitioned from “newcomers” learning about education alternatives, to core designers of Farsi-language education alternatives. They increasingly shared their ideas and dilemmas in class, and found themselves supporting one another and their projects. They also drew from their experience as educators, and from regional educational practices across history such as those of Touran Mihadi, to other global south education leaders like Paulo Freire and practitioners who mobilize their communities in the Global South.

Authors

• Alice Taylor, University of Denver

• Deepa Srikantaiah, American University - School of Education