Popular education and online learning

Intended Audience

Anyone working in community or adult education with an interest in education and social justice

Workshop Description

Popular education embraces a collaborative approach to knowledge and interactive learning in the context of a commitment to social justice and emancipatory practice.  Online technologies, whether explicit learning platforms such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) or gaming technologies, offer the potential to complement or enhance popular education practice. However, this potential cannot be realized through controlled multiple choice quizzes or "menu-like" approaches (Giroux, 2011).
In this workshop we explore the potentialities of online technologies for popular education practice and address some of the key problems and barriers faced by those developing platforms and programmes. We will share experience experimenting with existing technologies, including the use of gaming technologies for conscientization and a UK-based project, COOCs (Co-operative Open Online Courses, as alternatives to some mainstream applications.

Participants will have the opportunity to examine the possibilities for popular education practice in their own work and share their experience or insights.