| Learning objectives | To work on the definition of learning and link it to learning about democracy at school |
| Tasks | Teachers come to a common definition of learning and apply it in and out of the classroom |
| Resources | Paper and pen, worksheet |
| Methods | Individual work, Group work, plenary discussion |
Variety is good, but it is better in synthesis. It is crucial to agree to a common definition of learning. It is even better to include in this, as many different aspects as we can. You and your staff are different persons, as we all have the right to be. So, in order to use this right for the democratic benefit of school, we need to come to a common accepted, rich and feasible definition on learning.
In Living Democracy, Vol. IV, Taking part in democracy, pp. 162-164,
http://living-democracy.com/textbooks/volume-4/part-2/unit-6/lesson-1/
Lesson 1, “Our most urgent problem is …”, is a discussion on political agenda setting. You may use the “Wall of silence” method described there, rephrasing the key question, “In my opinion, learning is” and modify the chart on page 163 accordingly. This method is suitable for up to 25 or 30 participants, so if more teachers are taking part, divide them into subgroups.
The research task on page 164 could also serve to form groups that have the same, or similar interests in certain aspects of learning. In this way, you may initiate a cooperation between members of your staff.
