On Democratizing Knowledge

“The learning of the grammar of silence is an art
much more difficult to learn than the grammar of sounds.”

– Ivan Illich

Handmade paper collages by Aydasara Ortega

When we look at – let’s say – a paper collage, we relish becoming lost in that other realm; “webs which heighten the opportunity for each one to transform each moment of his living.¹” When we watch or read a papermaking tutorial – for instance – we remember the steps involved in the process and mimic them. “Teaching, it is true, may contribute to certain kinds of learning under certain circumstances.²”

During those activities, we seldom query what we see or hear. Somewhat similar to riding the subway from our home to work: we board the cart and get off. “Most people learn best by being^.3”

Now, if we relate these latter “routes” to a discussion among peers – for example – we may believe everything or nothing of what is said. We will inquire, wonder and search on our own, then get together again with the others to retake the exchange where we left it. “Creative, exploratory learning requires peers currently puzzled about the same terms or problems.⁴”

This latter approach is known as the democratization of knowledge – the gaining and extent of knowledge among the common people – a process that continues with questions, assuring the understanding is “truthful”. Libraries and the internet play a key role in democratizing knowledge by providing open access of all kinds of information to the masses.⁵ “On Wednesday, the library released more than 180,000 of its public-domain items — including maps, posters, manuscripts, sheet music, drawings, photographs, letters, ancient texts — as high-resolution downloads, available to the public without restriction.⁶” We all want to see the whole picture.

“A good educational system should have three purposes:
it should provide all who want to learn with access to available resources at any time in their lives;
empower all who want to share what they know to find those who want to learn it from them;
and furnish all who want to present an issue to the public with the opportunity
to make their challenge known.⁷”

LINKS:

1. Ivan Illich. De-schooling Society.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Democratization of knowledge. Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press.
6. New York Public Library Makes 180,000 High-Res Images Available Online. NPR.
7. Ivan Illich. De-schooling Society.