GAP working group 2014 - Learning for degrowth

Results from the GAP (Group Assembly Process) Group Learning for degrowth at the Degrowth Conference in Leipzig 2014

Contents – What to learn for Degrowth? > Learning should be more focused on skills an competences and less on theoretical knowledge. > Important skills to be strengthened in education are: critical thinking, creativity, self-consciousness, (non-violent) communication, empathy and sensitivity, mindfulness, dealing with complexity, practical survival skills (subsistence and sufficiency) > We can achieve this by a better mix of experiences and cognitive understanding → check of deficiencies in the current educational system (evaluation) > The question of Mental Infrastructures (Harald Welzer), meaning the cultural roots of our beliefs, habits and norms (e.g. self-optimization, the economic man/ homo oeconomicus, knowledge society) should be strengthened. In educational settings, this could be done by: > > Reflecting our relationships to nature and other human beings > > Exchanging with radically different views of and relations to the world > > Reflection on the good life and the goals of society > > By slowing down (life, education etc.) instead of promoting the notion of the ever fulfilled life > > By consuming as many world views as possible Methods – How to learn for Degrowth? > We should focus more on experience based learning (head, hand, heart). > Learning settings should be based more on the values of degrowth (open source, sharing...). > Learning for degrowth should accept paradoxes, controversies and alternative perspectives. > We need more accessible role models for sustainable living (“kids don't learn what you teach them, but what you do”). The big picture – in which system do we learn for Degrowth? > Promote critical pedagogy: critical thinking for emancipatory purposes allows non-instrumental learning. > Promote democratic pedagogy: allow democratic participation and decision-making in learning contexts as well as co-determination (= non hierarchical teacher-student relations). > Promote anti-exclusionary pedagogical practices, tackle patriarchy and gender relations, mix different age groups. > This implies a (radical) transformation of school. > All these issues should be strengthened in teachers education. Controversial/ undecided questions: > Do we need to focus mainly on processes instead of results? > What's the role of mentors/ of support in your learning process? > Should we abolish schools? Stirring papers: > Education and/or Transformation? > Subsistence and Sufficiency – Which skills support these attributes of a post-growth culture and how do we have to encourage and embed them further in the sector of education? More information and possibilities to engage!