Collateral human rights learning situations: what are they?

Abstract

This article furthers pedagogical knowledge on educating children about their human rights, specifically in school contexts, with the aim of elucidating the features and the collateral learning of educative situations through which children are supported to grow as rights-holders. The data, obtained from fieldwork in three Year 1 classes in Swedish schools, were analysed drawing on John Dewey´s theory of experience, growth and collateral learning. The findings show that, in everyday classroom interactions, teachers' actions have implications for human rights learning. Four categories of collateral content were identified: a) Experience and respect equal value; b) Form, express and respect opinions; c) Take part and participate in individual and collective matters; d) Demonstrate understanding, and tolerance. It is argued that teachers' pedagogical actions support children's human rights learning in various everyday situations in the classroom, often in unintended and unplanned ways.

Youth digital activism, social media and human rights education: the Fridays for Future movement

“…As far as learning about the right to a clean and healthy environment is concerned, findings show that the learning processes identified in the activists' interactions focused on concrete examples of what a right to a healthy and clean environment encompasses-clean air, clean water, access to natural resources, and the protection of natural resources for future generations. These findings reveal that activism and participation in grassroots movements can work as collateral human rights learning situations (Isenström, 2021), in which it is possible to develop values, attitudes and behaviours essential for human rights, despite the scarce reference to the right to a healthy environment or limited knowledge of their legal frameworks. However, in relation to learning about their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, the findings show the potential social media has to develop experiential learning opportunities.…”