This week you will be introduced to a number of individuals whose work has had and continues to have a significant impact on the field of peace education. There are, of course, a lot of people who fit this category – many of which are not included in this module. The eight selected and highlighted for this course have special significance because of not only their written contributions, but the diversity of perspectives and affiliations they bring to this conversation.

The learning objectives of this week are for you to be able to:

• Identify key scholars and thinkers who have helped shape and define the field of peace education
• Understand the different ways, approaches, and methods of peace education
• Trace the history of peace education and the various ways it has evolved since the mid 20th century
• Reflect on your own experiences, or lack thereof, with peace education

Key ideas and terms in this week are: 7 blossoms of peace education, partnership model, domination model, banking education, liberation praxis, dialogue, five spheres of peace and right relationships, peace through strength, peace through justice, peace through transformation, peace through politics, peace through sustainability, peace through education, conflict resolution training, disarmament education, education for the prevention of war, environmental education, global education, human rights education, multicultural education, nuclear education, world-order studies.

The exercises for this week are:

• Daily peace actions (Make Someone Smile)
• Talk with your learning partner over the phone by Saturday, July 13th
• Contribute to Forum 2.1 by Sunday, July 14th @ 12:00pm

Continue reading for the full outline of this week’s assignments…

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Let’s begin with a short message from one of our AU peace educators, Barbara Wien.

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7 BLOSSOMS OF PEACE EDUCATION

The “Seven Blossoms of Peace Education” is a pedagogical framework that I have developed and used in developing this course.  It is a framework based on a variety of educational approaches and theories, all of which can enhance one’s understanding of building peaceable learning communities.

Click here to view the Prezi presentation.

Click here to read my article on the Global Campaign for Peace Education.

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PEACE EDUCATORS

Pick at least two of the peace educators listed below to learn more about. Each link will take you to a page that provides a bio of the individual, a selected reading from their work, and a reflection question. Respond to the reflection question at the bottom of their pages and be prepared to share your key take-aways and questions with your learning partner.

• Betty Reardon – A historical overview of how peace education has evolved and developed throughout the 20th century.
• Ian Harris – Looking at different strategies for bringing about and creating peace.
• Riane Eisler – Exploring the configurations of beliefs, behaviors, relations, and institutions that, regardless of other differences, support a peaceable or violent culture.
• Colman McCarthy – Personal experiences of teaching and developing courses on nonviolence and peace.
• Jing Lin – Reconstructing schools around the central theme of love and care.
• Tony Jenkins – The five spheres of peace and right relationships.
• Arthur Romano – A contemporary look at the state of peace education.
• Paulo Freire – Education as a practice of freedom vs. education as a practice of oppression.

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PHONE CALL WITH A CLASSMATE

Find a time before the end of the week to call or meet up with the classmate you’ve been paired up with for this week and discuss your reactions to the peace educators and readings you chose to explore.

Click here to see who you have been paired up with this week.

The theme of this week’s paired discussions is “frameworks for peace education.” Here are a couple questions to help guide your conversation:

• Did you find the framework, historical background, or personal experience of any of these peace educators particularly relevant to your teaching and learning context? If so, how? If not, why not?
• As this week should have exposed, peace education brings with it a rich diversity of approaches and applications around content, relationships, teaching methodologies, skill development, and historical examination. Has your exploration into these readings and frameworks helped broaden your understanding of peace education or narrowed it? How so?

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FORUM DISCUSSION

Contribute and respond to the questions in forum 2.1 by Sunday, July 14th @ 12:00pm.