Study Circle Action around the World
Sweden
"The study circle is the most common study format concerned with any number of subjects, depending on the wishes of the participants. Every year almost 300,000 study circles are arranged all over the country, with a total of nearly two million participants. Since many people take part in more than one circle per year, the actual number of participants is estimated at one and a quarter to one and a half million per annum. (The whole population of Sweden is just above nine million.)" Page 18
This is just one quote from a National Report on the Development and State of the Art of Adult Learning and Education from the Sweden Ministry of Education and Research in 2008. The full Report is available at:
http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/National_Reports/Europe%20-%20North%20America/Sweden.pdf
The 1.5 million annual study circle participants is three times the size of the half a million participants of formal education (Page 18 - 19). Yet the total national expenditure for non formal education is nearly a third of the cost of formal education (Page 14). This study circle effort in Sweden is "...considered to be significant for democracy" (Page 27).
Compared to our Australian approach to adult education and training, the following may seem quite a surprise:
"Government-supported liberal adult education is carried out in study associations, mainly in the form of study circles. Unlike other educational institutions... [they]... are not required to follow centrally established curricula. The freedom to determine its own activities and educational profile affords each considerable scope to design and tailor its courses to suit a range of target groups" (Page 11).
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United States
For those in the education and training sector - while on his Fulbright Scholarship, Mark Brophy visited the Montgomery County Public Schools Study Circle Project in Maryland, US where he came across a Memo from the Deputy Superintendent and Coordinating Community Superintendent addressed to 60 school principals requesting their support for a study circle initiative:
"Goal
To provide an ongoing process for schools and the community to develop strategies and relationships that will help every student succeed. This includes improving the academic status of the low achieving student while maintaining the success of the high-achieving student.
Expected Outcomes
· Higher levels of participation from parents;
· Opportunities for more productive conversations between schools, parents, students, and community;
· More trust between and among various school constituencies;
· Better understanding of the needs of low achieving students;
· More collaborative relationships with community organizations, schools, parents, and students; and
· Development of action steps based on the ideas and understanding of the study circles".
The Australian Study Circles Network would one day like to see this type of action in Australian schools.
The Montgomery County Public Schools Study Circle Project website is at: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/studycircles/aboutcircles/
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Australia
Mary Hannan, Project Manager, Adult Learning Australia
'Bodies Matter - Falls Prevention' - a learning circle program to help people find out more about health issues.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Health has funded Adult Learning Australia to develop the Bodies Matter - Falls Prevention Learning Circle Program to provide information on how older people can minimise their risk of falling and thus remain as healthy and independent as possible. The program also aims to inspire people to take action to reduce their chances of falling.
The Program includes a Discussion Guide which has been specifically designed and written for use by small groups of interested people. The Guide has four sessions which cover topics such as:
· Health Ageing
· Physical Activity
· Moving Around Safely
· Feet and Footwear
· Managing Medications and Health Conditions
Six learning circle groups have been established across the ACT. After the round of circles a focus group will be held to fully evaluate the Program.
Initial feedback from learning circle facilitators is very positive and a number of the organisations involved (Carers ACT, Belconnen Community Service, Communities@Work, Arthritis ACT and YMCA) have indicated their interest in learning circles and are very interested in professional development workshops around community wide study circles projects in the ACT.
