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P2PU and Folkbildning: How they can relate to one another

Here we describe the relation between open models, such as OSS (Open Source Software), and Folkbildning – a name given to an approach to community education in Scandinavian countries. Since OSS has broadly inspired P2PU, the description of the relation between OSS and Folkbildning can be used to describe the relation between the Folkbildning approach and the P2PU approach.

The OSS model has proven successful not only to develop software but also to enable effective informal learning environments. This model supports collaboration, problem solving and learning activities among people who are geographically dispersed and semi-organized. In recent years such a model has inspired the so called peer-to-peer universities, such as P2PU.org, in which educational practices occur outside of institutional walls and adopt a high degree of openness in terms of sharing materials and cooperation. Folkbildning, whose uniquely Scandinavian elements make many of its proponents reluctant to find an English term to render its meaning, is a large meeting place for adult learners and is based on the idea that everybody has innate abilities and latent resources which can come out and develop in a stimulating environment. A central concept in Folkbildning is “Bildung”, which contains two elements: the strength and expression of the self and the power and influence of culture.

Folkbildning, in Sweden, is organized in Folkhigh schools, which offer adult education in between high school and college/university, and in study groups organized by study associations receiving grants from the Swedish National Council of Adult Education. These study associations have different profiles and emphases in their activities. There are close connections between these study associations and the Swedish popular movements, concerned with  the inclusion of people at disadvantage such as disabled and immigrants, and environmental organisations. The study associations are located throughout Sweden. The study circle is the most important form of study in the study associations. In the study circle, a small group meets to learn together based on a plan of study and with a study circle leader. There are study circles in hundreds of different subjects (see http://www.folkbildning.se/Folkbildning/Oversattningar/English-translations/ )  Folkbildning in the other Nordic countries (Denmark and Norway) is organized in similar ways as in Sweden.

Thus they play an alternative to the traditional educational system, and encourage education driven by the needs of learners and where the teacher takes more of a role of facilitator or moderator.  
 
From the documents available about  P2PU  http://p2pu.org/en/pages/about/ and Folkbildning http://www.folkbildning.se/Folkbildning/Oversattningar/English-translations/,  it is obvious that there are some differences between the two organizations. Folkbildingen has more than 100 year old tradition and is rooted in the local society. This is the opposite of P2PU, which is a recent and global organization. Another difference between the two is that Folkbildning provides education  in between high school and higher education, while P2PU aims at providing education complementary to higher education.
It is obvious that Folkbildning  and P2PU are built on different premises. There are probably huge benefits for both organisations to start a dialogue on how Folkbildning, using the P2PU platform, can be anchored to local society, and how the Folkbildning can move to P2PU - Nordic or P2PU - Folkbildning.