Project details
The possibilities of education should not be confined by classroom walls in the schools. It can take any format of knowledge exchange, at anywhere in society. At the same time, there are much knowledge and experience hidden in the communities. People from various backgrounds can benefit from these kinds of knowledge, when it is recorded and disseminated in well-designed narration and learning activities, catering to the needs of the beneficiaries. A more effective way to share knowledge would be to capitalize on the community. This course aims to explore different possibilities of “learning” and “teaching” from the community. Students in small groups will survey in a local neighbourhood, communicate with a local organization or a target group of their own choice, to understand and record the insider’s knowledge. They will further analyze the knowledge need. Based on the analysis, the students will design an appropriate plan of knowledge sharing and put it into action that will potentially leave a sustainable influence in the community. For example, students can design learning kits targeted at different age groups for museums and heritage sites; transform shared memory and experience of a community into learning materials; design information kits for underprivileged groups according to their knowledge needs in daily social life. Students may design their projects independently as well. Students will then deliver their service in the community, for example, to organize a guided tour or to present their findings to community members. During the process, students are required to reflect consistently on four aspects, namely, interpersonal communication, community engagement and observation, project design, organization and implementation. The goal of the whole learning process is to transform into the capital for the students themselves.
Video about this course: https://youtu.be/voOnInlxlTU