ECS 2160 - Foundations of Community Education & Social Action

Although schools usually take center stage when the topic of education comes up, teaching and learning are not confined by the walls of school buildings. Community centers, grassroots organizations, sports fields, art studios, resettlement agencies, online communities — all of these can be contexts for facilitated educational experiences. The people who work in these spaces may be called teachers but also may go by other names, like youth worker, teaching artist, after-school coordinator, community organizer, or mentor. They continue long traditions in the US and abroad of what is often called “community education.” At its best, community education is rooted in the strengths, cultures, and priorities of particular communities. Not limited by the constraints of traditional school curricula, community education offers a more holistic approach to learning that includes goals related to positive youth development, critical consciousness, community wellbeing, and action for social change. This course introduces the theory and principles of community education and explores the history of community education in the US and abroad. Students will be introduced to an array of different approaches to community education and will have the chance to learn from community-based educators in Salt Lake valley.