The Community Change Pedagogy is CCI’s educational approach that cultivates autodidactic (self-directed and self-motivated) learners by blending academics, personal interests, and real-world content with classroom, school and community learning experiences. The Community Change Pedagogy is designed to develop students’ critical thinking, research, and executive functioning/management skills.
The Community Change Pedagogy is structured around three components:
- Questions to build critical thinking — for figuring things out
- References to develop research skills — for finding things out
- Exercises to strengthen executive functioning skills — for getting things done
Each session follows a six-step sequence:
- Welcome – Greeting participants and introducing the focus question
- Icebreaker – A quick, movement-based or trust-building warm-up activity
- Exploratory Exercise – Using references to explore the focus question
- Expression Exercise – Sharing findings through an interest-based activity
- Review – Recapping the questions, references, and exercises of the session
- Reflection – Providing feedback and sharing personal insights
Sessions are delivered in cycles of six phases over a period of time, culminating in student-led presentations and action projects that involve the community.
The Community Change Pedagogy is effective across a variety of K–12 and adult education settings to help prepare all learners to survive and succeed in the real world.
