THE OPEN SPACE METHODOLOGY

 

This project is based on the outcomes of the Other Worlds educational project, which developed the ‘open space methodology’ and designed materials to structure such open spaces for discussions in post-16 educational contexts (www.mundi.org.uk/otherworlds).

 

The Learning about Others, Learning about Ourselves project involves different strategic strands and, within the broader context, aims to advance the agenda for critical approaches to 'planetary' citizenship education in formal and informal educational settings in the UK and internationally (click here to see the project strands).

 

The methodology of ‘open spaces’, promoted in the project, is based on an approach to transnational (global/political) literacy, in which participants are encouraged to engage critically with issues related to global and local issues and perspectives and think about how their way of seeing the world and acting in it are connected to notions of justice and injustice. This approach draws on post-colonial theory and critical pedagogies, as well as on a constructivist understanding of the learning process. It aims to develop skills that will enable participants to engage with difference and deal with conflict in different ways and to develop skills to look at the world through different cultural logics.

 

As ground rules for dialogue, the principles of the project suggest:

 

a) that each individual brings valid knowledge to the open space(everyone is a pot of knowledge!) b) that this knowledge deserves respect(everyone should have the right to express themselves without fear of being ‘looked down’ by others and should be committed to listening to others with respect) c) that all knowledge is related to who you are and where you come from(we construct the lenses we look through at the world in our contexts and interactions with others) d) that all knowledge is partial andincomplete(we all see the world through different lenses that continuously change and there are no universally better or clearer lenses) e) that allknowledge can and should be questioned through dialogue(we should engage critically with actions, thoughts and beliefs of both ourselves and others as we need different lenses – other perspectives - to challenge and transform our own views).

 

These principles relate to the idea that engaging critically with others (as opposed to engaging uncritically or disengaging critically) means opening up to dialogue with different perspectives in a process that can help participants to go beyond the boundaries of their perspectives, beliefs and cultures. Thus, this project promotes and supports the creation of open spaces where participants can develop a certain autonomy for thinking by talking about issues that affect their lives, reclaiming the right to question assumptions and exploring implications of perspectives, without being told what they should think or do (without normalisation).

 

The methodology consists of a set of procedures for the creation of the space involving one or more stimulae for dialogue, reflexive questions, open space questions and a role-play or simulation (click here to see the methodology maps).

 

The project team (which involves academics and educators in different contexts) is collaboratively developing a database of materials for educators to pilot and adapt in different contexts.

 

The themes selected for this first phase of the project (from 2005 to 2007) are:

 

1) Knowledge and perspectives Possible sub-themes: knowledge and power, knowledge and material production, value of (lifelong) learning, whose knowledge 2) Environment and Development Possible sub-themes: (use of) resources, property, consumption, preservation, sustainable development, land ownership, trade and bodies, sex tourism, aids 3) Migration and Nationalism Possible sub-themes: colonisation, nation, identity, the global and the local 4) Culture and Arts Possible sub-themes: language, multiculturalism, literacy, creativity, 'reading' the world, aesthetics, representation 5) Poverty Possible sub-themes: wealth, poverty alleviation, class 6) Spirituality Possible sub-themes: religion, belief(s), fundamentalism 7) Media and Technologies Possible sub-themes: information society, control / surveillance, identity formation, representation 8) Globalisation Possible sub-themes: space, place, technological interconnectedness, world trade, free trade, fair trade, monopolies, consumerism, logos, alter-globalisation activism 9) Violence and War Possible sub-themes: physical and symbolic violence, conflict, terrorism, peace, militarisation, fear, global war 10) Identity and Difference Possible sub-themes: other / alterity, inequality, inclusion / exclusion, image, indigineity, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class 11) Rights and Responsibility Possible sub-themes: freedom / liberation, global citizenship, health, childrens’ rights, human rights, north-south relations, social justice 12) Freedom and Power Possible sub-themes: democracy, colonisation, global governance, 'the end of history', gender, race, class, knowledge 13) Resistance and Negotiation Possible sub-themes: responsibility, charity, aid, development, agency, solidarity and privilege, collective activism, psychology of imperialism, right-wing activism

 

A research methodology has also been agreed to facilitate an international comparative research project about the methodology. Groups (of teachers and students) in 7 countries will pilot 5 ‘open space units’ adapted to their local contexts (10 hours in total) and use reflective diaries, focus groups and other research tools to collect data about the learning outcomes prompted by the methodology. Each context will also have the opportunity to develop a unique case-study to be presented at a conference in 2008 and published at the end of the project.

 

The current international project partners are:

• Brazil (Federal University of Parana and University of Sao Paulo – teacher training colleges),
• Canada (University of Montreal – department of cultural studies),
• USA (Hofstra – UniversityCollege for Continuing Education),
• Singapore (University of Singapore – department of cultural studies),
• France (RECIT)
• The Caribbean (DARF)
• Israel (MAHAPACK)

 

The project partners in the UK are:

• Global Education Derby (for Derby and Derbyshire)
• MUNDI (for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire)
• The Centre for Citizenship Studies – LeicesterUniversity (for Leicester and Leicestershire)