Learning Philosophy
USB-ED functions on the African continent in a global context in the 21st century. We therefore align ourselves with a systems worldview to navigate the Information Age. We are informed by various learning theories. We view human beings holistically, leadership as a social-psychological phenomenon and organisations as complex human populated systems. We link to our purpose Dewey’s comment: Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife.
We design, develop and deliver learning interventions based on a deep understanding of the individual and the organisational client. Our learning experiences involve emotions, energy drivers and the context of the client, and we employ multiple senses. Our intent is to leave learning behind and to liberate the client from the expert.
Our learning interventions aim to develop leadership that is locally relevant and effective, and globally responsible. We aim to contribute to organisations in becoming powerful vehicles of social and economic well-being in a sustainable manner.
We view learning as a way of being. Learning to us is a process and the process is not always linear or sequential. The learning process is a facilitated one and is designed to challenge views, beliefs and assumptions. The learning process assumes knowledge to reside in the user and therefore the learning is embedded through multiple applications in practice. We testify with Hooks: "My hope emerges from those places of struggle where I witness individuals positively transforming their lives and the world around them. Educating is always a vocation rooted in hopefulness.”
To execute our philosophy in practice we structured the process with key elements known as the DNA of our process:
- Collaborative design
- Learning journal
- Reflections
- Coaching
- Action learning.
Sustainable effective learning happens with appropriate governance. We govern the integration of philosophy and execution amongst others through collaborative design, the role of the Programme Director, the Learning Process Facilitator, the Academic Head and the Programme Manager. This overlaps with and is complemented by the role of the Steering Committees set up for the respective learning interventions.
“…thought without practice is blind, and practice without thought is empty”- Kwame Nkrumah
