PAE302 Agroecology: Action Learning in Farming and Food Systems

The course has action learning as educational approach. This means that

• experiences from doing things in the field constitute the starting point for learning,
• theory relevant to the experiences are brought in when needed (e.g., through introductions, lectures, literature seminars and individual study), and
• learning takes place through systematic reflection on experiences and their links to theory and to personal development as an agroecologist.

The learning is based on a participatory, action-oriented project work in real-life farming and food systems cases. In groups of 4-6, the students work with various stakeholders to observe, describe, analyse and redesign the cases, and plan action. This work ends with a report written for the main farming or food system stakeholder, and an individual report where the students reflect on their own learning during the course regarding

• the contents of the case,
• the methodology for dealing with it and
• one’s own learning, competence development and transformation to an agroecologist.

Both reports are also presented orally.

Knowledge

• Farming and food systems (goals, structures, functions, practices, dimensions, interactions, influences, effects)
• Sustainability of farming and food systems
• Methodologies for improving the ecological, economic and social sustainability of farming and food systems
• Agroecology as a holistic, transdisciplinary, participatory and action-oriented approach
• Agroecological principles

Skills

• Facilitating a holistic, participatory, systemic, action-oriented inventory in real-life cases
• Gathering, analysing, compiling and presenting qualitative and quantitative information relevant to improve real-life cases
• Communicating and working with different people (e.g., fellow students, farmers, advisors, governance representatives and other food system stakeholders)
• Giving and receiving peer feedback
• Searching relevant theory when needed, and linking it to experience

General competences

• Participation
• Observation
• Dialogue
• Reflection
• Visioning
• Planning and taking informed action
• Systems thinking
• Transformative and life-long learning by action and reflection