Adult and Community Education (ACE) as Socially-Engaged Scholarship

SPEAKER: Ivor Baatjes (Canon Collins Trust)

This webinar focuses on the work of scholars in South Africa and selected case studies on the continent. The focus of this webinar is to engage adult educators, scholars and activist in a conversation about value of adult education as socially-engaged scholarship.

Date: 8 August 2024

Time: 14:00 – 15:30 (SAST) / 15:00 - 16:30 (EAT)

Click here to register

ABOUT THE MOJA – AEHEAN Webinar Series

MOJA, in conversation with adult educators in higher education in Africa, established a network that brings together scholars based in universities across Africa. The idea is that this network (AEHEAN) would grow across all the different regions of the continent. The main purpose of the network is to build relationships, partnerships and solidarity in adult education on the continent.

MOJA intends to facilitate and convene a series of webinar discussion. The purpose of these webinars is to support the development of the intellectual and practical capabilities of educators and their associates involved in the activities relating to the study and practise of community-based learning and education on the African continent. MOJAs intention is to provide opportunities for such learning through developing the network amongst those who are involved and in the hope that the network will itself be generative of further development of these issues. MOJA believes that such a network will support the work of educators in the field, could influence their ideas and practices, their institutions and influence policymakers in this area. Most importantly it would strengthen the work of adult and community education where it is practised.

The purpose of the webinar series is:

1. To stimulate a discussion about the relationship between learning, engaged scholarship and community-based education in the context of the development [or under development] and history of the African continent.
2. to provide an opportunity to educators in the higher education system drawn from countries in Africa to discuss issues which are pertinent to the work in relation to the issues referred to above.
3. to stimulate a greater awareness of the contextual challenges facing communities and learning in such a context.
4. to stimulate the development of thinking and the production of engaged scholarly and other forms of writing relating to these issues.
5. to unearth useful writings and other materials, such as podcasts, webinars, and audio-visual materials which would be useful for the further development of an understanding of these issues.

MOJA will invite presenters who are familiar and have experience in this area of work and distribute materials which are relevant to each webinar discussion to enable participants to engage with such materials in preparation for the webinars.

To support the purpose outlined above, MOJA initiate a series of 3 seminars. These webinars will be facilitated by MOJA and its associates and will be rolled out over a period of 3 months. Following these, consideration will be given to the extension of the seminar series around topics that are relevant to and emerge from the initial group of webinars.

Key words associated with presentations: political economy; adult education; community education; socially-engaged scholarship; alternatives; social change; social justice; solidarity; praxis; co-constructed knowledge; climate change; community needs systems; livelihoods

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Webinar 2: On the history and political economy of adult education in Africa

A discussion with Yao Graham (Ghana)

Dr Graham will situate the context in which Education in general and Adult Education in particular is affected by the political economy of African, by reference to its many and complex historical and contemporary challenges and contradictions

Date: 4 September 2024

Time: 14:00

Webinar 3: Building alternatives through socially-useful and engaged scholarship

Enver Motala and Irna Senekal

Date: 10 October 2024

Time: 14:00

The presenters will address the most important challenges presented by the multi-dimensional crises facing especially communities that are socially marginalised, examine how they are responding to these challenges and explain what these responses mean for an alternative social system that aspires to building a genuinely democratic and humane society.

Le réseau Pamoja Education qui est composé des réseaux de quatorze (14) pays (le Bénin, le Burkina Faso, la Guinée-Bissau, la Guinée, la Gambie, le Ghana, le Libéria, le Mali, le Niger, le Nigeria, le Sénégal, la Sierra-Leone, le Togo et le Maroc) promeut l'éducation en tant que droit humain fondamental et fait le plaidoyer à l’endroit des gouvernements pour qu'ils respectent leurs engagements à fournir une éducation publique et un apprentissage tout au long de la vie gratuits, inclusifs et de qualité pour tous, en particulier pour les jeunes, les adultes et les communautés marginalisées ou exclues.

Pamoja Education a participé activement aux ateliers régionaux de préparation de la CONFINTEA 7 et à la CONFINTEA 7 proprement dite en 2022. Deux ans après la tenue de la CONFINTEA 7, il est important qu’un travail de veille soit fait afin que les engagements pris par les Etats soient respectés. C’est la raison pour laquelle Pamoja Education a prévu dans son plan de travail 2024, sur financement de DVV-International, Afrique de l’Ouest, un atelier de suivi de la CONFINTEA 7 du 8 au 10 juillet 2024 à Grand-Popo.

L’objectif global de l’atelier est de faire le suivi du cadre d’action de Marrakech adopté en 2022.

De façon spécifique, l’atelier permettra de :

• favoriser l’appropriation du cadre d’action de Marrakech par toutes les parties prenantes ;
• faire le point de la mise en œuvre des recommandations de la CONFINTEA 7 par le Bénin et le Togo et ;
• valider une feuille de route relative aux actions prioritaires à mener par les parties prenantes du Bénin et du Togo au cours des trois prochaines années.

A l’issue de l’atelier :

• les participants s’approprient le cadre d’action de Marrakech et le GRALE (Enquête du Rapport mondial sur l'apprentissage et l'éducation des adultes) qui est son instrument de suivi ;
• la situation de référence de l’implémentation du cadre d’action de Marrakech au Bénin et au Togo est connue ;
• une feuille de route (2024-2026) de mise en œuvre des actions prioritaires du cadre d’action de Marrakech est validé pour le Bénin et le Togo.

In collaboration with IFWEA affiliate - University of Limerick (UL ENGAGE)

We are offering an 8-week online course on FOUNDATIONAL LEADERSHIP to enhance your effectiveness when working in and with groups.

This course provides participants with essential skills to support individual self-efficacy and collective agency. Topics covered include practical skills needed to enhance effectiveness when working in and leading groups.

Who should join?

• Educators and organizers looking to improve their skills in group dynamics and leadership.
• Those interested in coordinating efforts and leading collective actions.

Training of Trainers: Participants will be equipped to teach this course within their own organizations and for their members upon completion.

Course Dates:

11 July -29 August 2024