Situated, collective and mixed learning in diverse territories: the ‘tejedoras/es’ experience in Mexico

Abstract

This work analyzes our experience as four researchers who participated in the Interinstitutional Program Specialty in Food Sovereignties and Strategic Local Incidence Management PIES-ÁGILES for its Spanish acronym), in the role of ‘tejedores’ or weavers. The program was conducted in 18 states of Mexico with 286 students who specialized in promoting agroecology and food sovereignty through collective proposals involving families, collectives and organizations. We ask, ¿what has been the role of weavers in the educational process aimed at the territorialization of agroecology? Making use of the triad methodology, we carried out an analysis of the educational practice during PIES-ÁGILES’ first generation (2021-2022). We found three characteristic structural axes of the program that transformed our educational practice: the situated educational process, collective learning through learning communities, and combined (online and face-to-face) learning. The importance of the student emerged as a catalyst for participatory processes linked to experience, assuming a leading role that also determined our path. The form of our educational work contributed to the territorialization of agroecological processes favoring autonomies and extensions from communities, but we also faced other challenges such as the need to address intercultural aspects, multiple activities and interdisciplinarity, among others.