Education in Flight

Sitting in my new kitchen making breakfast for a new friend.

He is another former farm & garden apprentice, also on a quest for knowledge. We mainly discuss what it's like to search for meaningful educational experiences in a world dominated by positivist paradigms and bubble test quantifications of knowledge.

There is much to know in this world, so much to learn. My new question- 'how do we access that information, in a joyful, meaningful, lasting way?' is now prevalent, having transitioned so quickly from the apprenticeship world to Davis.

I'm positive now that humans are social creatures with a drive to work, and as such, one of the most productive and positive learning environments is in a situation that encourages both. A social working environment, where people with common interests come together to accomplish some task. The learning is therefore on several levels; first in the doing of the task where the learning is a product of the social negotiation that takes place. Secondly learning occurs within the social interaction itself (read experience and skill sharing) and happens as the work is done. Add to the experience the shear joy and excitement that happens when you're surrounded by an enthusiastic, smart, charismatic group of people- and you've got the perfect environment for learning. Peer to peer education, building the plane while flying it, in it for the love of it.

As I wind my way around the bowls of UCD, I'm looking to replicate that experience. Finding a cohort, support, inspiration, real learning. And again, I repeat, it's hard.