Until quite recently, April 18, 2013, it was still possible to submit works for participation in co-located events that were held in Orlando, Florida, USA, on days 09 to 12 July 2013: the WMSCI 2013 (World Multi – Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics) – 17th International Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics; and the EISTA 2013 (International Conference on Education and Information Systems, Technologies and Applications) – 11th International Conference on Education and Information Systems, Technologies and Applications.

Other events co-located, which owned similar calendars to both we signalized, were: IMSCI 2013 (7th International Multi-Conference on Society, Cybernetics and Informatics; the DeMset 2013 (3rd International Summer Conference on Design and Modeling in Science, Education and Technology), the IMETI 2013 (6th International Multi-Conference on Engineering and Technological Innovation) and CITSA 2013 (10th International Conference on Cybernetics and Information Technologies, Systems and Applications).

In order to instigate registered participants to circulate in interdisciplinary communications, everyone was able to participate in sessions of several co-located events. As well as the entrants also received a CD containing the processes of all events and got a password to access any virtual session of these events.

Both types of papers submission, virtual and physical, had the same review process and authors of the best papers were invited to adapt their work to publish them on Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics with no additional cost.

A conference with similar themes to those of co-located conferences in Orlando will be held in Porto, Portugal, from 30 June to 06 July, 2013 (International Conference on Complexity, Cybernetics and Science and Engineering of Information: CCISE 2013).

Here follows three important links for those who want to know and/or participate in these events:

The first link is from WNSCI 2013: http://www.iiis-summer13.org/wmsci/website/home.asp?vc=1

The second link belongs to EISTA 2013: http://www.iiis-summer13.org/imsci/wesite/home.asp?vc=5

The third link is from IMSCI 2013: http://www.iiis-summer13.org/imsci/website/default.asp?vc = 17

The mission of Freire Institute dates back to 1970s and 1980s, with the mission of INODEP (Ecumenical Institute for the Development of People) based in Paris, whose founder and first president was Paulo Freire.

Freire Institute

Freire Institute is an organization dedicated to teaching based on and for community. In the training programs of the institution the prior knowledge and experience of indivual’s life are the raw material for Education. The tools and approaches are, therefore, based on the work of the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire and, in this sense, is a tool for individual and community empowerment through transformation. These programs and activities are open to individuals, community groups and churches. Besides the appreciation of prior experience, between freirean concepts highlighted by institution in its events, courses and publications are critical to banking concept of education, dialogicity, generating themes and awareness/critical action of the student. Saul Alinsky (1909 – 1972) is another important reference constantly pointed out by the group on the website and in the emends of the projects. He was a community leader and an American writer who is considered, in general, the founder of the organization of modern communities. He became famous with the book Rules for Radicals – A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals, his last work, published in 1971.

PFIP – Paulo Freire Institute of Portugal divulged in its website information about one activity that  it has in partnership with the University of Porto, with Paulo Freire’s Resource Center, with Lifelong Learning Programme – Education and Culture DG, with FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology – Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education and with the Center for Educational Investigation and Intervention: Intensive Program Erasmus. In IPFP website, they mention, especially, a meeting that was held in Rome, from 10 to 13 of January of this year, with representatives professors from each of participating universities in the project, to solve issues involving the frame of the new edition.

The 2013 edition of Intensive Program Erasmus will be held from 22 June to 06 July in Bristol, at the University of the West of England and is focused on Education for Sustainable Development: exploring hopeful pathways to preferable local and global futures. This program explores emerging policy for European region related to education for sustainability, including real-time search for answers to recommendations of UNESCO for the subject. The idea is to recognize social settings and institutions that offer access to understandings of sustainability and develop skills and ways of exploring multidisciplinary answers that contribute to sustainable development of all regions involved by the partnerships.

During these days, the selected students and teachers will be intensely building knowledge around the theme in a context of globalization, through an interdisciplinary approach in resolution of scientific problems, through investigation methods and intervention in problem-situations. They will explore widely contact with the ground – experiences and contexts, beyond the phenomenon itself that is the interaction with students (and cultures) from other countries and contact with culture and unique ways of life in Bristol. The students will still be able to use the experience as credits for faculty or as equivalence to an optative discipline of graduation.

Were able to apply until 31 January, 2012, students of 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles of Sciences of Education and Psychology enrolled in FPCEUP – Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto (for those interested in the program that have nationality Portuguese). 40 students will be selected from 08 European countries – Cyprus, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, United Kingdom, Romania, and Turkey. Teachers and International specialists on the field of education for sustainable development, multicultural education and research methodologies of qualitative and quantitative character have also been able to apply.

The selection criteria were the knowledge and oral communication skills and written in English language, the interest in the theme, a good relational capacity – team collaboration, initiative, appreciation of differences, besides willingness to travel.

The evaluation of this formative process will happen in two steps: a Preparatory Work, this is, the elaboration in group of a research on an articulated experience with sustainable development in Portugal; and Participation, this is, how was the work in large group and medium group in national, bi-national and international teams (classroom and study visits). Also will be asked to the students an individual construction of a reflexive text.

The available contacts for further information on the course are emails of Paulo Freire Institute (ipfportugal@fpce.up.pt) and website of the European Comission (http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus/placement_en.htm).

Discussing autonomy with teachers…

Just not to lose the opportunity, Paulo Freire Institute of Portugal, at the end of last year, had one more of their actions successfully accomplished. There is a conference organized by FPCEUP and by the Center for Educational Investigation and Intervention called CAIR - Conference Applied Interculturality Research. This conference is geared specifically for the study and diffusion of practices and intercultural researches and one of the focus of greater appreciation is the struggle against xenophobia and impacts of sectarianism in general. The first edition was very fruitful, according to the organizers of the event, and, for the second and last edition, the bet took place in the universe of Education, as an articulating theme.

Within the general programing of this 2^nd CAIR, Conference Applied Interculturality Research, that happened at FPCEUP, on 23 November 2012, Dr. Professor António Magalhães was responsible for the presentation and comments on the book launched “Discutindo Autonomia Relativa com Professores – a indisciplina como (contra)argumento” (In English, Discussing Relative Autonomy with teachers – the indiscipline as a (counter)argument). This is one more edition of Paulo Freire Institute of Portugal and Paulo Freire Resources Center. Professor Luiza Cortesão is the coordinator of publication, which has also as authors Eunice Macedo, Rosa Nunes, Rosa Madeira and Filipa César. The book was published by Publisher Livpsic.

Not only in Europe, but throughout the world, the social and political realities in the last decade have dramatically changed. There were many unresolved environmental issues and, in this same scope, the energy situation of the world. Mass unemployment among young people in Southern Europe. The imminent collapse of the banking system and entire economies, associated with a significant loss of confidence in the state and its institutions. New social movements experience initiatives at their own and risk and the social media and the Internet are playing an increasingly significant role for the frame of these processes of social change.

How these global challenges interfere with learning conditions, in the institutions of formal and informal education, in the frame of science, in the development of initiatives to answer these challenges? There are projects able of build a committed community to its self-organization, without finishing individualistically? These questions can be answered by a concept that was born 4 decades ago: a situational approach.

Originated in educational reform in the 1970s in West Germany and based on a review of the project to the curriculum of formal education, it was initially designed for what we call “kindergarten”, and now the debate is being stimulated for teens and adults. At the origins of this thought are Shaul B. Robinsohn, Paulo Freire, Siegfried Bernfeld and Ivan Illich.

Increasingly, the situational approach is recognized as a universal principle of development: learning in life, learning as a challenging adventure. Networked or interconnected to other trends, have set new spaces, new areas of expertise: the intercultural education, integration of people with disabilities, poverty reduction through entrepreneurship education, psychosocial work in conflict areas, education of youth and adults. The situational approach has a successful work history with the triggered learning, the problems solving in real situations, instead of resolution of false problems in the classroom. And an emphasis has been given in recent times to open communities of learning.

The Intercultural Thought and Act – research and development across borders

On days 03 and 04 October 2013, at the Henry Ford Building, the University of Berlin will host an event in celebration and to new dialogues about these 40 years of situational approach. More specifically will be the “International Academy for Innovative Pedagogy, Psychology and Economics (INA)”, a nonprofit organization connected to the University, which will be leading the initiative. INA implements and develops research projects and professional improvement programs and educational training, not only nationally but internationally, with emphasis on the establishment of an interdisciplinary discourse between Psychology, Pedagogy and Economy. It was created in 1996 by Professor Emeritus Dr. Jürgen Zimmer and other associated.

Many organizations, groups and individuals have come together to the launch of INA corroborating the awareness of the need to cross and go beyond the boundaries of their respective “subjects” of origin, as well as in their teaching activities. In all projects and institutions linked to INA, the interdisciplinary questions and about cooperation are the major concern for the research, theory building, of practice implementation and to think Education, in a general way.

The event’s title will be Shaping the Future - between individual initiative, social change and public responsibility – 40 Years of the Contextual Approach.

On Thursday, 03 October 2013, the first day of the event, the reception will be held by Prof. Dr. Peter Andre, president of the “Free University of Berlin”. After him will follow Dr. Peter Moss, from University of London, with the work Re-conceptualizing Childhood Education and Care – Learning during the life – formal and informal education; Prof Dr. Jürgen Zimmer (INA) and Prof. Christian Schröter (CBA, China) – will bring reflections in a forum about the 40 Years of Contextual Approach: history and current developments. More to the end of the day, there will be new dialogue, this time between Dr. Lothar Krappmann and Dr Christa Preissing (member of INA and of the Berliner Kita-Institut für Qualitätsentwicklung) on​​ Human Rights and Children’s Rights as Ethics Basis for Research and Practice Development.

In English, Professor Ada Pellert (founding president of Carl Benz Academy Beijing and chairman of Deutsche Universität für Weiterbildung), Klaus Maier (director of sales for Mercedes-Benz) and Prof. Qiao Liu (deputy director of the Guanghua School of Management – Peking University) will talk about the Situational Approach for Economy – the inner child as an innovator.

On Friday other forums will be held, with topics such as Contextual Approach to political conflicts, Research and Quality Assurance as a process of learning and responsibility, Diversity and inclusion, Learning in real situations – the art of innovative entrepreneurship and will be discussed and mediated by other members of INA, by representatives of several German institutions, among them many higher education institutions, as well as invited representatives of Austria and UNESCO.

Parallel to the conference venue, there will be an exhibition on the situational approach (a work of the INA itself), a programming only of movie and the Klingendes Museum. The contacts regarding questions and registration for the event must be conducted with Sylvia Richel. The available phone is +49 (0) 30 838 5203 1 and the email is konferenz@ina-fu.org

For further information, visit: http://www.ewi-psy.fu-berlin.de/v/ina/termine/konferenz_situationsansatz.html

Formation of Facilitators

Headquartered in Luanda’s Province, in the city of Maianga, the “Associação Angolana para Educação de Adultos” (AAEA) works under the banner of Adult’s Education, especially when it comes to sociologically communities disadvantaged in many ways. The institution emphasizes the use of a methodological set called “APLICA/REFLECT” which even won the UNESCO’s Prize of Literacy in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008. It also develops projects, always of participatory nature, with the thematic of Literacy, HIV Education, Civic Education and Education on Gender. Among the geographical areas of intervention of the Association are, in Luanda’s Province, the cities of Viana and Cacuaco, in Bengo’s Province, the cities of Dande, Icolo and Bengo; and, in Kwanza Sul’s province, the cities of Sumbe, Amboim, Kibala, Porto Amboim and Seles. “APLICA”, therefore, and here is the news, is both in the urban area and coming to the Angolan countryside.

In 1993, a British NGO called Actionaid began a project to study the REFLECT, which has the main references Paulo Freire and the “Diagnóstico Rural Participativo – DRP” (in English, Participatory Rural Diagnostic – PRD). DRP is a mix of techniques and tools that make it easier for communities to conduct a self-diagnostic to, since then, create a management of their own planning and development. The Reflect on the other hand, is an acronym for Regenerated Freirean Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques, and developed in pilot projects in Uganda, Bangladesh and El Salvador. The evaluation of these varied experiences was edited by the Department for International Development (DfID) of the United Kingdom and reunited in 1996 in the Reflect Manual, subtitled ‘a new method for adult’s literacy and social change’.

“APLICA”, actually, is Reflect adapted to the Angolan reality, so the word “aplica” is also an exhortation to action, using the knowledge and skills acquired in and by the process which happens in the Circles. “APLICA” stimulates the learning of written language, but does not consider ignorant those who do not have.

How does work “APLICA”?

“APLICA” in the countryside

You’ve certainly seen already a scene like this, in some group inspired by “Experimento de Angicos” (in English, Angicos’ Experiment), in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil: the participants, with some common identity features, are arranged in circles and not in classrooms; the atmosphere is informal and everybody can see everybody; the circle is guided by a community facilitator chosen by them and not a ‘teacher’, because he/she will teach and learn with participants; do not use a pre prepared manual or a primer and the contents are determined by the interests and needs of Circles.

The process begins with the facilitator encouraging the construction of graphics (maps, calendars, matrices), starting on the ground with concrete objects to stimulate the participation of everybody. Everything happens through dialogue and concrete questions/problematization about the lives of the participants. Paste what was done on the ground to a sheet of paperboard and identifies a word at the beginning or a phrase in the earlier process which functions as generator word or phrase, which will be broken down into syllables, that will be used for the formation of new words, most related to the context and needs of the group.

The fundamental principle of “APLICA” is the reflection-action, in other words, participants make reflections about concrete things of life and decide concrete actions to be accomplish, in relation to themselves, their family, the community where they live and to society in general. These actions should be related to the acquisition and increased power over them, to family (especially for women) and community empowerment through participation in decision making. According to the AAEA, the results they expect from “APLICA” is that people lose their culture of fear and of silence and be fomented the culture of dialogue and assume as individuals of their own development.

Angola has over 60% of illiterate adults and, to the specificity of these illiterate, the AAEA defends what it calls “functional literacy”, that is, a literacy that provides tools for the life (exercise of functions), when comes from the needs groups. The participants themselves will form words with the trend for which they are most familiar. A locksmith or other workers may form the word “FILE (tool)”, a woman who washes and hangs clothes can form the word “CLOTHES PEG”, many people may form the word “HUNGER” etc.

Recipes and expenses’ tree

The Reflect Global Appraisal of 2000 showed that the method was being used by more than 350 organizations in 60 countries. The objectives and focuses of the Reflect processes vary widely: emphasis on peace and reconciliation in Burundi, planning of the population’s level in India, accountability of the regional administration in El Salvador, land rights in South Africa, increase of competence to school’s management in Mali, mobilization around forest’s resources of the community in Nepal, organization of workers in tea plantation in Bangladesh, bilingual and multicultural education in Peru, until works on cultural identity in the Basque country (data taken from the website http://www.reflect-action.org/).

Besides the relationship between reflection and action, and therefore the lack of distinction between content and form, the Reflect processes are based on a series of principles and core elements derived, inspired, mixed, in the Freire’s work and thoughts: the problem of the relations of power and voice, of power’s awareness, of criticality; the political process and political nature in literacy/education; the deflagration of the methodological procedures from prior knowledge and experience, that is, roughly speaking, of the Reading of the World.

The main contacts in AAEA are Vítor Barbosa and Fátima Ramos and the available e-mail to contact the association is aaeadultos@netangola.com.