Adding some glue to the pot: community development, education and the development of social capital

Beck, D. (2007) Adding some glue to the pot: community development, education and the development of social capital. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, pp. 78-108.

Abstract

This article explores the development of social capital within a group of students resulting from undertaking the Bachelor of Community Learning and Development at the University of Glasgow and how they in turn affect the development of social capital in the communities within which they work. The article contends that the participatory approach to education adopted by the programme builds social capital within the learning group and facilitates reflection and analysis of how social capital is both understood and experienced. In parallel to this process, community development tools are being learned and used in communities and an increased social capital in those communities is one of the outcomes of that work. Drawing on Freirean and participative research methodology, discussed below, their understandings were explored within a framework developed by the World Bank (2002) to measure levels of social capital in communities. The results suggest that the impact of community development education is wider than the individual; influencing the development of social infrastructure and power relations within communities. It also highlights some of the potential conflicts that students experience and points to the need for additional support for students involved in this process.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Beck, Mr Dave
• Authors: Beck, D.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races; L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Journal Name: Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts
• Publisher: http://www.cdu.edu.au/centres/spil/publications_ijlsc.html
• ISSN: 1329-1440