Part IV
|
|
|
Because it assumes that everyone has the right to an opinion and respects
individual differences, participatory methodologies have proven especially
effective for human rights education. Going beyond factual content to
include skills, attitudes, values, and action requires an educational
structure that is "horizontal" rather than "hierarchical."
Its democratic structure engages each individual and empowers her or
him to think and interpret independently. It encourages critical analysis
of real-life situations and can lead to thoughtful and appropriate action
to promote and protect human rights.
The methodologies described below are used in a great variety of learning
environments, both formal and informal, for a limitless number of topics.
However, they have in common certain features that make them especially
appropriate for people of all ages to learn about human rights:
• Promotion of personal enrichment, self-esteem, and respect
for the individual;
• Empowerment of participants to define what they want to know
and to seek information for themselves;
• Active engagement of all participants in their own learning
and a minimum of passive listening;
• Encouragement of non-hierarchical, democratic, collaborative
learning environments;
• Respect for the experience of participants and recognition
of a variety of points of view;
• Encouragement of reflection, analysis, and critical thinking;
• Engagement of subjective and emotional responses, as well as
cognitive learning;
• Encouragement of behavioral and attitudinal change;
• Encouragement of risk taking and using mistakes as a source
of learning;
• Emphasis on skill building and practical application of learning;
• Recognition of the importance of humor, fun, and creative play
for learning.
Most educators combine a variety of methods and techniques such as
those described in this section. When selecting methods, educators should
always be aware that some methods may be culturally inappropriate for
some groups (e.g., physical contact, graphic arts) or require unfamiliar
or unavailable resources (e.g., access to internet or library resources).
METHOD 1: BrainstormingMETHOD 2: Case StudiesMETHOD 3: ClosingsMETHOD 5: Debates and NegotiationsMETHOD 6: DiscussionMETHOD 7: DramatizationsMETHOD 8: EnergizersMETHOD 9: Films and VideosMETHOD 10: Field TripsMETHOD 11: GamesMETHOD 12: Hearings and TribunalsMETHOD 13: Icebreakers and IntroductionsMETHOD 14: Interpretation of ImagesMETHOD 15: InterviewsMETHOD 16: Jigsaw ActivitiesMETHOD 17: Journal WritingMETHOD 18: MediaMETHOD 19: Mock TrialsMETHOD 20: Open-Ended StimulusMETHOD 21: PresentationsMETHOD 22: Research ProjectsMETHOD 23: Ranking and Defining ExercisesMETHOD 24: SimulationsMETHOD 25: StorytellingMETHOD 26: Surveying Opinion and Information GatheringMETHOD 27: Webbing Activities |
|
