The fear of being wrong, the fear of appearing stupid and the fear of failure are major obstacles to discovery. Yet in real life we often learn our greatest lessons through making mistakes. The bigger the mistake, the greater the lesson. A safe, but challenging learning environment encourages students to engage proactively with their subject, to explore, to experiment, to take chances and to discover.

‘Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.’ – Albert Einstein. With this motto in mind, Sean applies diverse tactics to create an atmosphere in which students feel comfortable challenging everything and everyone, including the professor and themselves, both inside and outside the classroom. The aim is to help students to gain life-long critical thinking skills, an instinct for freedom and democracy, and a passion for helping to make a better world, both for people and the planet.

Drawing insights from master-apprentice mentorship, situated community learning stresses hands-on lecturing and real issue-driven learning in an interactive community. This approach encourages students to build up a learning community, to reach out and seek solutions proactively and eventually to dismantle the walls between the classroom and the larger world.

Learning and discovery are continual processes of re-examination, which require innovative tactical approaches. Through the use of diverse digital technologies, customised participation, discussion of media messages and clearly planned outlines, Ms Hernandez helps her students to develop creative communication campaigns for local community projects. These projects have involved dealing with gender violence, enabling diversity in the workplace, supporting immigrants’ rights and empowering local businesses. Connecting the students’ learning experiences to larger strategic processes helps them to find innovative ways to participate in constructing their professional objectives, while gaining an understanding of the challenges their society faces.

For maintaining an active learning experience in an energetic, interactive classroom, Ms Maxton-Lee identifies the most effective tools and activities for the students to understand fundamental concepts, and to express their own ideas and identities within each subject. She believes it is important to keep a dynamic and diverse programme of learning activities that is consistent with core learning objectives, and that keeps the students engaged and stimulated.