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Community Studies. The David Livingstone College of Education/Sogn og Fjordane University College Model By Ane Bergersen and Randi Jepsen. Community Studies – Five Perspectives. Zambia Basic Education Syllabi. Grade 1-7 (2003) p. 124:
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Community Studies The David Livingstone College of Education/Sogn og Fjordane University College Model By Ane Bergersen and Randi Jepsen DALICE/SFUC
Community Studies – Five Perspectives Zambia Basic Education Syllabi. Grade 1-7 (2003) p. 124: • ”The Community Studies Learning Area has five components concerned with Socio-cultural, Economic, Aesthetic, Health and Environmental related issues within the community.” • DALICE/SFUC use the term perspective instead of component • ”The Community Studies Learning Area focuses on the localised curriculum, which constitutes 20% of the whole curriculum.” • In the DALICE/SFUC model the concepts of Community Studies, Local Knowledge and Localised Curriculum are closely interlinked DALICE/SFUC
Local Knowledge • Community Studies and Localised Curriculum should be based on Local Knowledge • Local Knowledge is the basis for the learners’ appreciation of traditional values, knowledge and skills enabling them to participate in the community and contribute to sustainable development • Being an entrepreneur is to see opportunities and utilise them for oneself, one’s family and the community. For that one needs local knowledge • Local Knowledge, Community Studies and the cross-cutting issues, Basic Health, Living Together, Environment and Making a Living, can be seen as interlinked DALICE/SFUC
Local Knowledge • The linkage between Community Studies and other learning areas is Local Knowledge • In Community Studies the learners and teacher should collect local knowledge for use in both Community Studies and other learning areas shown on the timetable • Parents, relatives, resource persons in the local community and the local environment will contribute to collection of local knowledge • Collection of local knowledge can take place inside (from learners, teachers and invited resource persons) and outside the class room (through interview, observation, demonstration etc.) DALICE/SFUC
Learning outcomes • Zambia Basic Education Syllabi. Grade 1-7 (2003) (p. 125) outline general outcomes for Community Studies related to the five perspectives • The teachers should use the syllabi for all other learning areas to reach the expected outcomes for Community Studies and vice versa • To reach expected outcomes for all learning areas local knowledge collected in Community Studies should be made use of whenever possible to develop a holistic understanding and make basic education more relevant for the learners DALICE/SFUC
The DALICE/SFUC Model • Throughout the year Community Studies and Local Knowledge should be related to all other learning areas in order to localise the curriculum • By spending 4-6 weeks on each of the five perspectives the learners and teachers will achieve a broad and holistic understanding of Community Studies and Local Knowledge • DALICE/SFUC recommend to start Community Studies with the Environmental Perspective and end the year with the Economic Perspective and a holistic understanding • The model is meant to be flexible and based on local needs and identified challenges in the local community DALICE/SFUC
Piloting of the DALICE/SFUC model • DALICE/SFUC have co-operated since 2002 on learner centered methods in multigrade schools and some of those schools with capacity on learner centered methods have played an important role • The model has been developed in close co-operation with six basic schools in Kazungula and Livingstone districts and 250 students at DALICE • The DALICE/SFUC model has enabled the schools to work with Community Studies in a new way • In Community Studies teachers should be flexible facilitators and use a range of learner centered methods. Local knowledge will be “the textbooks” DALICE/SFUC
Through Community Studies and use of local knowledge boys and girls can acquire entrepreneurial and life skills in the areas of environment, health, socio-culture, aesthetics and economy • Community Studies, Local Knowledge and localising of the curriculum can be seen as linked strategies to empower the learners to have sustainable lives both in rural and urban areas DALICE/SFUC