Page 10 - IJPS-10-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Australia’s Knitting Nannas lifelong learning

Curnow, 2013; Ollis, 2011; Scandrett et al., 2010). Similarly, participation.” This refers to the process of knowledge
drawing on Habermas’s three kinds of knowledge (Cranton, and skill acquisition necessary for “full participation
2002), Moyer & Sinclair (2020) identify instrumental, in the sociocultural practices of a community” (Lave &
communicative, and personal transformation as domains Wenger, 1991, p. 16). While Lave and Wenger mention that
of transformative learning theory. Ideally, personal learning within CoPs can be affected by power dynamics,
transformation leads to action, which can be categorized they do not expound (Salminen-Karlsson, 2006). Hodges
as individual, interpersonal, or collective, as seen in (1998) provides a critique of CoP that exposes legitimate
social movements. Transformative environmental adult peripheral participation as loaded with hegemonic
education combines ecological and environmental literacy historical powerlessness and marginalization. Building on
with activist skills and transformative or emancipatory critiques from Hodges (1998) and others (Paechter, 2006;
learning dispositions (Hall et al., 2006; Riedy et al., 2018). Salminen-Karlsson, 2006; Barron, 2007; Hughes et al.,
SML is learning by persons who are part of a social 2007), Curnow (2013) further explores the unchallenged
movement and learning by persons outside of a social reproduction of dominant ideologies and the impact of
movement affected by becoming aware of the existence of a power and social difference (gender, class, and race) on
movement (Hall & Clover, 2005; Hall et al., 2006). Learning learners within CoPs.
within social movements can be informal, incidental, or In her research, Curnow (2013, p. 837) investigated
planned. Social movements develop as people interact the status of women activists in a student movement
and dynamically co-construct meaning from being drawn advocating for ethical purchasing. She found that the
together to make sense of a common conflict, a process women’s transition from the periphery to centrality within
referred to as frame alignment (Della Porta & Diani, the movement was hindered by sexist attitudes among male
2006). As shared understandings grow, identity formation colleagues. Despite gaining the requisite skills, the women
toward “shared collective identity” also strengthens (Della were relegated to performing menial tasks, repetitive and
Porta & Diani, 2006, pp. 20-25). Ollis & Hamel-Green reproductive work that enabled other tasks. When the
(2015) described adult education in the context of CSG women compared their experiences with one another,
protests (in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia), describing it as they were able to identify patterns and interpret systemic
informal, incidental, often emotionally charged, holistic, problems of sexism. Being marginalized, the women
purposeful, transformative, and involving individual and developed a sub-CoP and eventually challenged the male
collective social learning. privilege that relied on exclusionary leadership styles. Thus,
When individuals join together in a specific context, “social movements are sites of situated learning where
building rapport, sharing experiences, and learning from power dynamics related to socio-historical inequity are
one another’s insights over time, a CoP is likely to emerge. reproduced and contested, and their critical consciousness
Curnow (2013, p. 837) succinctly captures this concept, led to political analysis and collective action.” (Curnow,
stating that “the group, not the individual, is the source 2013, p. 847)
of knowledge, and meaning derives from participation in Thus, CoPs are applicable to SML. In both, learning is
the community. It is through participation in the collective recognized as a situated, unstructured, informal, and social
activity that meaning is negotiated, identities are formed, process where knowledge is collaboratively co-created and
and the CoP coalesces.” Lave & Wenger (1991) developed shared among members of the community or movement.
the concept based on two premises: (i) that learning is a Through this process, a collective culture, patterns of
social process situated within a cultural and historical interaction, and identity emerge (Curnow, 2013; Kluttz
context; and (ii) that a CoP can occur in any area of human &Walter, 2018; Ollis & Hamel-Green, 2015; Scandrett
endeavor (Farnsworth et al., 2016). et al., 2010). CoPs were originally conceptualized by Lave
When interviewed by Farnsworth et al. (2016), Wenger & Wenger (1991) as work-based participatory learning
considered that CoPs are learning partnerships related to a through apprenticeship-style enculturation, where people
domain of practice in which they have the legitimacy to define move from novice to full practitioner, contrasting with
competence. Identity in CoPs is formed on two levels: (i) formal teaching and learning.
Through the individual’s negotiation of their identity within CoP theory assumes an existing work culture into
the CoP, determined by their participation and recognized which novices progressively integrate from the periphery
competence, and (ii) through how the individual’s identity to the center. Social movements, on the other hand, are
within the CoP reflects in other social contexts. emergent forms of grassroots collective action for social
The process of building one’s identity within the CoP change. Social movements are characterized by a “shared
is encapsulated in the concept of “legitimate peripheral collective identity” linked through “dense informal

Volume 10 Issue 2 (2024) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.381