A learning planet

png;base64a91370e47bb04e7dThere is much debate about whether culture should be placed at the service of social change and learning. It is important that Cultural organisations and individuals are free to experiment and not be forced to the service of social change and education. Art will lose its magic, and heritage will lose its sacredness, if they are reduced to messaging, propaganda or reaching targets for government agendas. However, as environmental and social challenges intensify, it will become clear that all civil society organisations will have to turn themselves to help individuals and communities learn fast and profoundly. The key is to do this in ways that honour cultural diversity and creative imagination.

The Learning Planet model has five P’s or principles for effective learning:

  1. Play: through free, improvisatory play, creativity and metaphor
  2. Praxis: through practical experience of real or simulated situations, and by designing solutions
  3. Plurality: through a diversity of voices and ideas
  4. Peeragogy: through learning in networks, or between peers, on an equal basis (also known as Paragogy)
  5. Planet: with an ultimate focus on regenerating the health of people and their habitat.

These elements work best when they interact together in a system.


Cultural organisations are perfectly placed to support learning in formal and informal settings that fully develops these five elements.

Carry out an informal review of how your own organisation inspires and supports learning, looking at each element in turn. 

What do team members think about the validity of each element? Could any of them be enhanced more in your work?