“Arouse in the learner an active quest for information and for production of new ideas.”
John Dewey, Experience and Education
Program Aims
- Encourage individual reflection
Connecting to the “life of the mind” is a learning resource. Many individuals have only experienced education as passive learners. The Inhabited Learning Initiative incorporates learner interests into a scaffold upon which individuals can actively build. This kind of motivated, transformative learning functions as an overhaul of mental habits that fuels the individual’s desire to pursue lifelong learning by returning choice to the learner.
- Explore how learners participate in dialogue
Communication is a central tenet of the Inhabited Learning Initiative; it is the way that individuals describe and share their experiences. Learners become participants, actively engaged in creating their learning, when they can describe their associations, interactions, and circumstances. In being able to talk about themselves and their experiences, individuals can become more involved in constructing their learning.
- Inspire collaborative learning
The Inhabited Learning Initiative aims to promote a mutual relationship between individual learners and their society. Individuals often look to their community to build their identities and find a sense of belonging. When the individual perceives a neighborhood or workplace as a collaborative classroom, they can develop a broader understanding of how they might engage. Through sharing and listening, the learner comes to better appreciate his or her own perspective and the perspectives of others.