User:Susanmatlack/sandbox

Group Members: Susan Matlack, Clayton Ahearn, Andrew Elliott

Prospectus

We are planning to add to the "informal learning" Wikipedia page. We noticed that on this page, informal learning is described only in the Americas and not in any other countries. With that said, we are thinking to add to the page some information about informal learning practices in African communities. Based on the article "Learning Through Play: An Ethnographic Study of Children's Riddling in Ethiopia" by Tadesse Jaleta Jirata, we can begin to add some ideas about the informal learning that happens in Ethiopia.


 * Note that the Jirata article mentioned above is a primary source; you'll want to find secondary sources. Other than that, great idea! Definitely focus on one area of the world (e.g., India, sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe, etc.), as this will help you to narrow the focus for finding evidence. Drewdeecopp (talk) 10:50, 3 April 2018 (UTC)
 * Andrew-article of value:
 * Values and Informal Education: From Indigenous Africa to 21st Century Vermillion
 * link: http://newprairiepress.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2888&context=aerc
 * Traditional African Modes of Education: Their Relevance in the Modern World
 * link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/27715419 (note: super long, but content appears highly relevant)
 * link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/27715419 (note: super long, but content appears highly relevant)

http://www.adeanet.org/triennale/Triennalestudies/subtheme1/1_3_04_Shirley_STEENEKAMP_en.pdf

Write up:

Informal education has been the practice of indigenous communities in Africa as long as people have lived there. The tradition of African education has long been closely intertwined with the daily life of the African people with the idea that children "learnt what they lived". The philosophy of traditional African education suggests that one’s education cannot be separated from the everyday life and the “curriculum” is thus considered “a way of life” with the ultimate goal being to create a "complete individual, [and] a lifelong learner". The knowledge and practices that are important to the community are generally passed down through the sharing of memories and participation in cultural activities. Their education system serves as “the information base for the community, which facilitates communication and decision-making”. Similar to other indigenous communities such as the Chillihuani in Peru, African education is created with goals in mind but is not limited to typical classroom settings; students continually participate in various learning activities as they grow in the community.

The culture within traditional African communities contain methods of learning. Through song and dance children learn more about their language as well as how to read and write. Oral traditions are used to teach children about history and morals as well as other forms of culture and practical skills for survival. In northern Tanzania and southern Kenya, the children of the Maasai pastoralists learn skills such as "where to find water and green shrubs that can be fed to young calves" in case of drought. Children are encouraged to show respect to their elders and through this, children learn how to show respect though their actions and words. A child can even learn the circumstances of their birth through their names. Onipede, a Yoruba name in Nigeria, suggests that the child was born soon after the death of a family member. Through their traditional science, children learn how to contribute to health and food production. everything that is a part of their life is used as a means to learn about themselves, their communities, and their culture.