1. What Is Social MovementLearning?
Social movementlearningwasfirstusedbyRollandPaulston and“he didsoin hisstudyof the
folkscollegesof Denmark,Norway,SwedenandFinlandcalledOtherDreams,OtherSchools:Folk
CollegesinSocial andEthnicMovements(1980)(Hall &Turry,2006). Thistype of learninghasbeen
characterizedasa:
a) learningbypersonswhoare a part of anysocial movement;andb) learningbypersonsoutsideof a
social movementasa resultof the actionstakensimplybythe existence of social movements.(Clover
and Hall,2000, p. 1)
Thismeansthat informal andformal learningcanbe takingplace at varioustimesina learner’slife
dependingonwhichinformationtheyhave beenexposedto. Itisimportantto understandthatboth
formal and informal learningtakesplace becausethe ideaof ‘education’isoftensurroundedbythe
formal settingof a classroom,school orstructuredlearningenvironment. Social movementlearning
exposesindividualstoinformationwhichtheymaynothave exploredontheirown. Italsoproducesan
environmentthatallowsparticipantstodraw uponpreviousexperiencesandoccurrencesintheirlives
to make sense of newknowledge andconcepts. Hall &Turray (2006) explainthisfurtherbystating“An
interpretive frame isageneralizedconceptualstructure thatallowsone tomake sense of dailylived
experiencesandlocate actionswithinanunderstandingof the world.Social movementsofferavariety
of interpretive frames,alternative framestothe publicinthe contestationovermeaning”.(Hall &Turray
2006, p.8). Withthe growthof each new organizationthere comesa‘need’or‘passion’toworkwith
like-mindedpeopletowardsagoal.
These organizationscreate opportunitiesforindividualstochange theirsocial,political andlearning
environmentsthroughexposure toknowledgeorinformationthattheymaynothave hadthe
opportunitytoexperience intheirdailylives. Hall &Turray (2006) expandonthistheoryby writing:
TompkinsandCoadybelievedinthe innate abilitiesof ordinarypeopleworkingtogethertotransform
theirconditions.Theirwritingsabouteducationandlearningwithinthe eraof the alreadymentioned
Antigonishmovementmostoftenfocusedonthe role of educationasa kindof tonicto awakenin
people adesire tomake change and to provide themwiththe toolstodo so. Theirdiscourse variedfrom
deeppoeticexpressionsof faithinordinarypeople,tobellowingexhortationstotake upadulteducation
to gainthe skillsneededforthe modernage.(Hall &Turray 2006, p. 8)
The ideaof changingor transformingourenvironmentisnotanew notion. Ashuman beingswe strive
to improve oursituationsthrougheducation,wealthoropportunitiesthatarise aroundus. Social
movementlearningisessentialavehicle of learningthatmobilizeschange andtransformationfor adult
educationona global scale. Hall & Turray, (2006) demonstrate thisideainstating:
Griff Foley,notesthatinformal learningemergesfrom, aswell asadvances,social actionbycontributing
to buildingalternativeorganizationalforms,bymakinglinksbetweenthe spiritual andthe political,by
illuminatingthe powerof a small groupof committedpeople,andbyshowinghow expertisecanbe
broughtin fromoutside.(p.9)
As a learningtool social movementlearningisforcingscholarstore-thinkthe ideaof ‘education’.
Organizations,groups/clubs,andstudycirclesare onlya few examplesof how thistype of learningis

2. takingplace on a dailybasis. One organizationinparticularthatwill be exploredisthe CanadianCouncil
for International Co-operationanditsconnectiontothe social movementlearningphenomena.
An OrganizationIsBorn
The CanadianCouncil forInternational Co-operation(CCIC)“isacoalitionof Canadianvoluntary
sectororganizationsworkinggloballytoachieve sustainablehumandevelopment.CCICseekstoend
global povertyandto promote social justice andhumandignityforall”(“CanadianCouncilfor
International Co-operation(CCIC),2012). The CCIChas developedatenpointagendathat exploresthe
conceptthat “povertyisinevitable”(“CCIC”,2012). This agenda,inshortform isto: