ALCN Helps to Grow Learning Communities
The Australian Learning Communities Network Inc (ALCN) is a national network of leading-edge practitioners building sustainable communities using learning as the key element.
Ripples OCTOBER Newsletter 2024
The ALCN Ripples Newsletter for October 2024 welcomes two new members from rural and regional Tasmania – the Study Hub, West Coast and the Study Centre Circular Head. We report on applying the ‘learning neighbourhood’ concept to Wyndham’s Learning Festival and highlight how ALCN members have contributed to international dialogue on sustainable learning cities and regions.
Feedback and contributions for the next edition of the newsletter is welcome.
The October 2024 newsletter is here with past issues available here.
ALCN Annual Report 2023/2024
The ALCN Annual Report summarizes the work of our place-based learning communities and learning cities over the period from May 2023 until May 2024, including our professional development series of learning forums and Webinars.
Enjoy reading and as always feedback is welcome – email alcn@bigpond.com.
Download the ALCN Annual Report here: ALCN Annual Report 2024 ALCN_Annual Report_2024
As part of our AGM in May 2024, members participated in a professional development session entitled From self-discovery to community impact: Unveiling the drivers of personal fulfillment. This session was led by Martin Probst, Chief Education Officer at PROfound leadership and his presentation is available here. From self discovery to community impact
Presentation at the 17 PASCAL International Observatory Conference at Taipei 4-6 July 2024
Associate Professor Jose Roberto Guevara (Robbie), RMIT University presented on behalf Diane Tabbagh, Wyndham City Council and myself on the topic of Evolving frameworks to analyze the vital actions of Australian placed-based learning cities and learning communities. A copy of our presentation can be downloaded from here. PASCAL ALCN Taipei Evolving frameworks July 2024 -FINAL
Report on the Learning Festival Webinar – 18 July 2024
A panel of speakers from Cork and Limerick (Republic of Ireland), Wyndham (Australia), and Durban (South Africa) – members of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities and the PASCAL International Observatory’s Learning Cities Networks – shared over 28 years collective experiences of hosting Learning Festivals.
Moderated by Adult Learning Australia, and with an opening address from PASCAL International Observatory, this webinar aimed to facilitate learning and the exchange of experiences among learning cities.
We received very positive feedback, for example,
- It was great to hear about different approaches, especially from overseas colleagues. Good to hear the passion of the lifelong learning movement. Thank you.
A major outcome is that the Wyndham Team will expand its Special Interest Group on Learning Festivals to include more Australian and International Learning City partners! Email Sharyn Wheatcroft – Sharyn.Wheatcroft@wyndham.vic.gov.au if you are interested in participating.
Watch the recording by going to the Wyndham Learning City Resources page and opening up the Australian Learning Cities Network tag.
ALCN Learning Forums
Our Learning Forums (formerly Friday Forums) provide a community of practice for our leading learning community practitioners to discuss and share resources about topics of interest.
Our next Learning Forum is a Webinar, and the title is:
.Climate Resilience, Sustainability and Regeneration – Community Education and Action
DATE: Thursday 24 October 2024
TIME: 3:45pm (VIC, NSW, TAS, ACT); 3.15 pm (SA); 12:45 pm (WA); 2:45 pm (QLD); 2.15 pm (NT)
DURATION: 1 hour and 15 minutes
The forum will showcase the practical Education for Sustainability (EfS) work of the UNESCO Learning City of Melton, Victoria, alongside initiatives from Port Adelaide Enfield (PAE) and the Living Lightly Locally project in South Australia, which partnered with the Burnside and Mount Barker Councils.
Presenters:
- Silvia Velez, Lifelong Learning Projects Officer, Melton City Council on ‘The role of libraries in promoting environmental literacy – reflections on the 2024 Melton Learning Festival’
- Dr Keri Hopeward, Uni SA Researcher – ‘Living Lightly Locally: Smarter and Stronger through Citizen Science’
- Benita Parsons, Community Learning Leader (Libraries) PAE – ‘Climate resilience projects at PAE Libraries – Gen Green and Council collaborations’
To register go to https://events.humanitix.com/climate-resilience-sustainability-and-regeneration-community-education-and-action
For more information about the webinar, program and speakers download this information sheet. ALCN Climate Resilience Forum-2024
Paper on Learning Cities and Libraries
ALCN supported Lara Pugh and Diane Tabbagh (on behalf of co-author Jac Gomez-Torres) to present online this excellent paper about Libraries and Learning Cities. Exploring varying roles of engagement across the globe at the 16th PASCAL International Observatory Conference. 2022, Tampere University: Tampere, Finland.
‘Libraries and Learning Cities’ explores the varying and vital roles that libraries play in learning regions, cities, communities and towns; it also showcases the ways public libraires met the learning needs and interests of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now futureproofing them for future crises through lifelong learning.
Acknowledgements:
Authors: Lara Pugh and Jac Gomez-Torrez.
The case study contributors: Danielle Marie, Bernie Hawke, Marjukka Peltonen and Diane Tabbagh
To find out more please contact Lara Pugh or Jac Gomez-Torrez via Linkedin
FEATURE STORY
Enable Social Enterprises – Renew Tech for Good Initiative
Hume Learning Community
Written by Julie Mckay, Founder and Director, Enable Australia
Since 2015, Enable have supported hundreds of people from disadvantaged backgrounds to connect with community, environment, and improve their prospects of employment through innovative work and learning programs.
Enable operate commercially in the Computer decommissioning and recycling, warehousing, fulfilment and storage and Online Retailing sectors with 100% of the profits from trade re-invested to operate and support a total of nine (9) work and learning stations to support participants with skill-building, confidence, and career decision-making.
Feature Paper
Why do you want this job? Transferring learning, transforming learning and lifelong learning
By Dr Donna Goldie, Townsville City Council
Abstract
As part of a recruitment process for a position, candidates are often asked their reasoning for applying. While the question may seem straight forward, it is one in which during a recent interview, I felt challenged to provide a succinct response. In this article I discuss the possible reasons as to why I could not provide a clear answer. In particularI explore three elements of my work, study and research experiences: transferring learning, transforming learning and lifelong learning. While my response remains less than concise, these ideas entwine together to form the basis for why I ‘want this job’.
Report of the UNESCO International Commission on Futures of Education Paper
Reimagining our Futures Together:
A New Social Contract for Education
Some perspectives and questions for discussion
by Peter Kearns, AM
UNESCO and lifelong learning
This report follows a line of important UNESCO reports on education and lifelong learning. The best known are the Faure report Learning to be (1972) and the Delors report Learning: the treasure within (1996). The Delors report is best known for the four pillars of education – learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to live with others, and learning to be. These broadened the objectives of education in important ways.
Reimagining our Futures Together
The latest, important UNESCO report on education and learning was released in November 2021 after an extensive enquiry over a year and a half by the UNESCO International Commission on the Futures of Education. It followed the earlier global reports with the objective to rethink the role of education at key moments of social transformation (2).
What is a Learning Community?
A learning community is one that address its own learning needs through partnership. It uses the strengths of individual, social and institutional relationships across sectors to bring about cultural shifts in the perceptions of the value of learning. Learning communities explicitly use learning to enhance social, economic, cultural and environmental conditions on a sustainable, inclusive basis.
Image: Ballarat Work and Learning Centre receiving certificates for a cooking class.