Another program that (red)rocks...

In my search for other programs out there that involve service learning similar to what the Rural Studio does, I came across DesignBuildBLUFF. Inspired by the Rural Studio, the DesignBuildBLUFF program is affilfiated with the University of Utah College of Architecture. Their mission statement flies the headline, "Engaging minds, calloused hands and open hearts," and it concludes, "Ultimately, DesignBuildBLUFF will not construct buildings as much as it will create unbounding joy." In the following clip, the program's founder, Hank Louis, indicates that in making one family happy, a hundred others become upset. When you see their work, you can understand why all families would like to benefit. I hope they find a way to keep bringing the "unbounded joy." Check out the video from Park City Television, visit the website, read the project blog and enjoy the scenery while you're at it...

A development example...

I don't remember how or where I came across Rural Studio, but I'm glad I did. The program is too vast for me to give a sufficient description here; it's more enjoyable to click around their website on your own anyway. I will quote one sentence from the Rural Studio mission statement: The Rural Studio seeks solutions to the needs of the community within the community's own context, not from outside it. In short, students in the Auburn University School of Architecture put what they learn to work in impoverished places. It's service learning. It's amazing.

I hope to expose my justice and peace students to as many programs like the Rural Studio as possible this coming semester. I think many of the ideas and attitudes about community that we try to incorporate in our semester project (see previous post) are embodied in the actions of the students, faculty and staff involved in Rural Studio.

Filmmaker Cristina Garmendia produced the following clip that gives a glimpse of the program. It is part of a full-length documentary. More of Christina's work can be viewed on the youtube channel criticalarchfilms.



I'd love to find more examples of people doing things like this.

Building the plane while it's flying

One of the courses I currently teach, titled Justice and Peace, involves a semester project in which students create a small (imaginary) business based on the themes covered in class. Those themes include building community, dignity of work and workers, ending poverty, environmental ethics, solidarity, and so on. The students have been assigned actual counties in the United States which have been identified as impoverished. The task is to create a business that not only could operate in an economic structure based on capitalism, but also meet the needs of communities which are not benefiting from that economic structure. And they need to do this in a just manner. This project is by no means my brainchild. It is an adaptation of projects I have assigned in the past, which were adaptations of projects my colleagues have done, which were adaptations of...well, you get the picture.

So, in keeping with the process of adaptation, I want to incorporate the use of network tools and other technologies in the project. Here's a general overview of my students' "to do list" for the project:

• research the culture and needs of the assigned communities
• decide on the product/service they want to provide
• determine power structure of their company within itself and in relationship to the community
• design a single digital portfolio that provides an overview of the business and how it places the human being and the common good at the focus of the economic activity
• Design a "pitch" and deliver it to a "group of investors" (made up of other teachers, staff, and students)

We have perused the websites of companies like Annie's Homegrown, Ben and Jerry's and others to become familiar with businesses that have the common good in mind. The students have investigated communities through census documents, county profiles and chambers of commerce. The challenge is to effectively use network technology for these and other facets of the project.

It's mid-November and the project has, of course, already been assigned. But it's never too late improve something like this. It's like building a plane while it's flying. Besides, I'll be assigning it to a fresh crop of students next semester.

I'm wondering what works for others out there who are experimenting with network learning.

Change abounds!

It's the classroom, stupid.

About a year or so ago, a good friend expressed how he wants to change the classroom. By that I think he meant every classroom. Though he doesn't physically work in a classroom, he works to create the hardware to aid that change in the educational realm.

A couple of hours ago, eyes were opened to that manifested change, or at least how it can be made possible. Will Richardson, who maintains Weblogg-ed, spoke to a group of educators who have a progressive approach to using technology in the classroom. His message centered around network literacy and how networks can be used effectively in education. He practices what he preaches. That is, for educators (or anyone else interested understanding network literacy) his stuff is well worth checking out.