Principles
Intersectional symmetrical digital learning
“If the structure does not permit dialogue, the structure must be changed”
― Paulo Freire
We offer five core principle of the CACHO approach that provide the foundation for this approach in digital international learning. In our guide for instructors we offer a free webinar exploring this concepts and their praxis in greater depth.
Note: The current list of principles is under discussion, assessment, and improvement by the team of international partners.
Symmetrical exchange and co-design
Participants act as co-designers and co-constructors of the course. Exchange is based in openness and epistemic humility, allowing for open critique, iterative creation, failure, and multiplicity. This principle seeks to resist the traditional paradigm of digital international education where learning is created for and oriented to the needs of the most powerful partner.
Inverted Syllabus
Privileging of bilingual and interdisciplinary sources and authors to include a range of texts often excluded from syllabi because of english-language dominance We aim to create a bilingual archive of the products and analyse them, assess the results of the course and open them as a contribution to the decolonization of knowledge.
Safe, challenging learning space
Participants are encouraged to assess and share their own backgrounds within a safe environment. Affective reactions to the learning materials and research projects are encouraged, to produce valuable experiences of learning in a respectful and careful exchange.
Learning by trying together
The CACHO activities are organized with an experimental toolkit to produce intellectual exchange among participants. This toolkit incorporates individual and collective exercises for use in courses to facilitate collaboration, learning and knowledge production and mobilization.
Research oriented towards meaningful outcomes
Participants design products that are meaningful to them and not limited to the traditional final paper submission (visualization, art, interviews, videos). We offer knowledge mobilization strategies to facilitate the design of bilingual transformative engagement.