The map above represents just some of the 700+ classrooms enrolled in Out of Eden Learn, the online learning platform designed by Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to accompany the Out of Eden Walk.
The map tells only part of the story, however. Out of Eden Learn doesn’t just introduce young people around the world to Paul Salopek’s reporting. It also invites them to engage in “slow journalism” of their own, and to interact with one another — be they in Oman, Delhi, The Bronx, or Vancouver.
How does Out of Eden Learn work? To begin, educators register their classes on our platform free of charge. We then group these classes — from schools, after-school programs, and home schools — into diverse groups of approximately 150 students of a similar age.
These groups, known as “walking parties,” then participate in a learning journey together. Using our custom-built, interactive platform as a common meeting space, students complete weekly activities, post their responses, and read and respond to each other’s posts.
We currently offer two curricula, or Learning Journeys (below). One focuses on having young people slow down to observe their everyday surroundings and the people who live or work there; the other on making connections between their own lives and the past, and between local and global phenomena.
Our curriculum design takes its cues from Paul’s reporting.
We invite young people and educators to:
Slow down to observe the world carefully and to listen attentively to others;
Exchange stories and perspectives about people, place, and identity;
Reflect on how their own lives connect to bigger human stories.
The results so far have been very encouraging. Our student participants are proving highly receptive to the concept of slowing down, and seem genuinely excited to notice new things about their local contexts and everyday lives.
They are also thrilled to connect with other young people growing up in different geographic, cultural, and socio-economic contexts, as well as to gain new perspectives on the world from Paul’s reporting. The notion of walking across the world inspires particular awe and fascination, given that these days, fewer young people have the time and opportunity to roam around freely.
Looking ahead, we hope to welcome students from a wider range of countries. Educators are already finding ways to incorporate Out of Eden Learn into a variety of teaching contexts, and we welcome further ideas regarding how our programs can be adapted for use in education systems around the world.
We also hope to experiment with making our platform multilingual and creating spaces for young people to not only interact and share perspectives, but to actively collaborate with one another as well.
Supported by the Abundance Foundation, the Out of Eden Learn program is open to everyone, free of charge.
Please visit our website to find out more or to register a class. You’re also invited to explore our Educators’ Blog, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts.
Liz Dawes Duraisingh is a research associate and lecturer based at Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she co-directs Out of Eden Learn. She was formerly a classroom teacher. You can reach her at learn@outofedenwalk.com.