Join us to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Alexander Report and discuss its relevance today for CLD practice.

The Programme for the day is as follows:

13:00 Arrival

13.15 Welcome & setting the scene

13:30 Speakers

Lyn Tett, Professor Emerita, University of Edinburgh - Creating spaces that disrupt the ideology of fatalism

In this presentation Lyn will draw on the research she has undertaken with CLD practitioners as well as the literature review of the ‘benefits of community-based adult learning’ to illustrate how Alexander’s aims of promoting of social justice and human flourishing have been translated into practice. She will begin with a summary of the main benefits that the literature shows of participation in CLD experience, then she will move on to show how practitioners have created imaginative, democratic spaces that enable learners to participate in ways they desire and that build their confidence. She will conclude with a call for us all to identify resources of hope that will help us to disrupt the negative ‘ideology of fatalism’ (Freire, 2014) through practising stubborn agency that resists the dominant neoliberal regime.

Lorna McBean, Curriculum and Learning Developer, People Plus - Practitioner Perspective

In this presentation, Lorna will reflect on the relevance of the Alexander Report to her current practice in adult education today.

Lynne McCabe, CLD Development Officer, City of Edinburgh Council - Practitioner Perspective

In this presentation, Lynn will reflect on the relevance of the Alexander Report to her current practice in Community Learning Development today.

14:30 Q&A to speakers

14:45 Small group discussion – How can we reassert Alexander’s aims for CLD purpose & practice today

15.15 Brief Feedback from groups (What is to be done?)

15:30 End of event – informal networking

Venue: Paterson’s Land LG 34, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh

Best wishes,

Jackie Howie, Learning Link Scotland

Sarah Galloway, University of Stirling

Stuart Moir, University of Edinburgh

Alexander Report at 50: What is the Relevance Today?