Educational materials for a socio-ecological transformation

four real utopias

This digital learning unit is inspired by the method Another world under construction” and provides a concrete insight into four international, emancipatory lived alternatives. It begins with a quote from feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin, known for her political and intersectional science fiction, emphasizing the relevance of real utopias.

Following this, four international civil society actors are introduced, whose activism already points towards a globally just future: From a feminist care work perspective, the “Poliklinik” in Leipzig and “arcàdia”, an educational collective in an occupied neighborhood in Barcelona based on the pedagogy of Paulo Freire, are explored. Addressing the need for sustainable production methods and social cohesion, “unfuck fashion” from Barcelona/Berlin and the “Repair Café”, a repair collective from Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore in India, are highlighted.

This microlearning is also available on our Instagram (swipe right for the English translation). The actors are linked in the caption of the post, allowing participants to further engage with their activism and explore their profiles.

Tips for instructors

The way we learn about social processes is changing—and so are our educational media. Global learning is increasingly taking place in digital spaces, but how can power-critical education make the leap into everyday formats like social media?

Young people and young adults are increasingly acquiring knowledge through social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. This opens up an opportunity for global learning: By engaging learners in their everyday environments, access to global perspectives becomes more inclusive, and individuals gain a clearer sense of their role and agency.

For this reason, we have adapted some of our methods into small, digital learning units: memes, infographics, and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities, and distribution issues. These microlearnings allow for small learning steps that, through playful and humorous elements, encourage reflection and engagement with broader educational goals. They can serve as discussion starters for workshops, as follow-up materials, or as inspiration for independent research.

winds of change

This short digital learning unit, inspired by the American sociologist Erik Olin Wright, introduces three fields into which various social transformation processes can be categorized. To provide orientation within the diversity of different approaches to change and to make political work tangible and open to discussion, this microlearning presents three strategies for change: Nowtopias, radical reforms, and building counterpower. These are supported with examples and small illustrations.

The microlearning can serve as a starting point for group discussions or as individual work at home. For deeper engagement, the “Three Strategies for Change” method is recommended.

This microlearning is also available on our Instagram (swipe right for English translation).

Tips for instructors

The way we learn about social processes is changing—and so are our educational media. Global learning is increasingly taking place in digital spaces, but how can power-critical education make the leap into everyday formats like social media?

Young people and young adults are increasingly acquiring knowledge through social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. This opens up an opportunity for global learning: By engaging learners in their everyday environments, access to global perspectives becomes more inclusive, and individuals gain a clearer sense of their role and agency.

For this reason, we have adapted some of our methods into small, digital learning units: memes, infographics, and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities, and distribution issues. These microlearnings allow for small learning steps that, through playful and humorous elements, encourage reflection and engagement with broader educational goals. They can serve as discussion starters for workshops, as follow-up materials, or as inspiration for independent research.

The solidarity mode of living

This short digital learning unit provides a playful insight into the concept of a solidarity-based way of life. An animated video explains what this concept means and how it connects global justice with ecological economics. Afterward, participants can discuss various aspects of combating exploitation and social inequalities, fair redistribution of resources, and taking responsibility on both global and local levels. This microlearning is also available on our Instagram. For a more in-depth exploration of the topic, we recommend the “Global Justice” method.

Tips for instructors

The way we learn about social processes is changing—and so are our educational media. Global learning is increasingly taking place in digital spaces, but how can power-critical education make the leap into everyday formats like social media?

Young people and young adults are increasingly acquiring knowledge through social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. This opens up an opportunity for global learning: By engaging learners in their everyday environments, access to global perspectives becomes more inclusive, and individuals gain a clearer sense of their role and agency.

For this reason, we have adapted some of our methods into small, digital learning units: memes, infographics, and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities, and distribution issues. These microlearnings allow for small learning steps that, through playful and humorous elements, encourage reflection and engagement with broader educational goals. They can serve as discussion starters for workshops, as follow-up materials, or as inspiration for independent research.

Free time as a luxury?

This short educational unit serves as an introduction to feminist perspectives on time prosperity. Using a meme, the microlearning highlights the imbalance in societal recognition between care work and wage labor. Additionally, it points out the challenge of fitting hobbies, sleep, wage labor, and care work into a 24-hour day.

As an alternative, the microlearning introduces the 4-in-1 perspective of feminist economist Frigga Haug: The four areas of societal work—wage labor, care work, personal development, and political engagement—are explained with the help of small illustrations.

This microlearning serves as a starting point for the “Who Cares” method, which explores the 4-in-1 perspective in greater depth. It can also be found on our instagram (swipe left for English translation).

Tips for instructors

The way we learn about social processes is changing—and so are our educational media. Global learning is increasingly taking place in digital spaces, but how can power-critical education make the leap into everyday formats like social media?

Young people and young adults are increasingly acquiring knowledge through social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. This opens up an opportunity for global learning: By engaging learners in their everyday environments, access to global perspectives becomes more inclusive, and individuals gain a clearer sense of their role and agency.

For this reason, we have adapted some of our methods into small, digital learning units: memes, infographics, and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities, and distribution issues. These microlearnings allow for small learning steps that, through playful and humorous elements, encourage reflection and engagement with broader educational goals. They can serve as discussion starters for workshops, as follow-up materials, or as inspiration for independent research.

Who said it?

This digital learning unit focusses on climate justice and growth logic while incorporating perspectives from young climate activists. It begins with a quote emphasising that the needs of humans and non-humans should be placed above economic growth. A quiz allows participants to guess who the quote comes from. A video reveals that it’s the Native-american activist Tokata Iron Eyes. Finally, participants learn more about Tokata Iron Eyes and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s fight against the construction of an oil pipeline in South Dakota. This method highlights indigenous voices and serves as a positive example for young people who want to work for a more just world.

You can find this post on our social media as well.

Tips for instructors

The way we learn about societal developments is changing – and with it our educational media. Global Citizenship Education is increasingly taking place online, but how can transformative education be transferred to everyday formats such as social media? Teenagers and young adults in particular are progressively acquiring knowledge via social media channels such as Instagram, Twitter or Tiktok. This opens up a window of opportunity for Global learning: By engaging with the audience in their everyday lives, they gain low-threshold access to global approaches. Also, their own role and self-efficacy is emphasised.
As a result, we have transformed some of our methods into small, digital learning units: Memes, infographics and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities and distribution issues. They enable small learning increments that use playful and humorous elements to facilitate reflection and engagement with larger learning objectives. These so-called microlearnings can be used as a discussion starter for a workshop, given as a follow-up or recommended for independent research.

myths of green growth

This microlearning is suitable as an entry module on fossil fuels in green capitalism. It starts with an introduction to technological solutions to the climate crisis, which can nevertheless reinforce global injustices. An example of this is green hydrogen as an energy source, whose social and ecological risks are illustrated by a meme. In the following slides, the neo-colonial aspects of the production and transport of hydrogen are discussed in further detail. The participants can then be invited to consider what alternatives they can think of for an energy transition that is both socially and ecologically just.

You can find this post on our social media as well.

tips for instructors

The way we learn about societal developments is changing – and with it our educational media. Global Citizenship Education is increasingly taking place online, but how can transformative education be transferred to everyday formats such as social media? Teenagers and young adults in particular are progressively acquiring knowledge via social media channels such as Instagram, Twitter or Tiktok. This opens up a window of opportunity for Global learning: By engaging with the audience in their everyday lives, they gain low-threshold access to global approaches. Also, their own role and self-efficacy is emphasised.
As a result, we have transformed some of our methods into small, digital learning units: Memes, infographics and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities and distribution issues. They enable small learning increments that use playful and humorous elements to facilitate reflection and engagement with larger learning objectives. These so-called microlearnings can be used as a discussion starter for a workshop, given as a follow-up or recommended for independent research.

climate (un)just solutions?

This digital learning unit deals with unsustainable ways of (re)production and global injustices by using car traffic as an example. Based on a short, viral meme in video format, the unit humorously presents the CO2 emissions of car traffic, the risks of lithium mining and the advantages of car-free cities. A short text illustrates the negative effects of car traffic and also takes a critical look at electric cars. The contrast between the supposed sustainability of electric vehicles in the Global North and the actual consequences of neo-colonial lithium mining in the Global South becomes clear. In conclusion, alternatives for a socio-ecological transport transition are presented.

You can also find this post on our social media.

Tips for instructors
The way we learn about societal developments is changing – and with it our educational media. Global Citizenship Education is increasingly taking place online, but how can transformative education be transferred to everyday formats such as social media? Teenagers and young adults in particular are progressively acquiring knowledge via social media channels such as Instagram, Twitter or Tiktok. This opens up a window of opportunity for Global learning: By engaging with the audience in their everyday lives, they gain low-threshold access to global approaches. Also, their own role and self-efficacy is emphasised.
As a result, we have transformed some of our methods into small, digital learning units: Memes, infographics and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities and distribution issues. They enable small learning increments that use playful and humorous elements to facilitate reflection and engagement with larger learning objectives. These so-called microlearnings can be used as a discussion starter for a workshop, given as a follow-up or recommended for independent research.

4 reasons for degrowth

This digital educational unit is suitable as a short introduction to degrowth. It presents the benefits of degrowth as an alternative way of life. It uses short summaries and small illustrations to show how we can change our relationship with nature, labour, time and global justice. The method can generate hope and strengthen participants‘ ability to reflect on positive visions for the future.

You can also find this post on our social media.

Tips for instructors

The way we learn about societal developments is changing – and with it our educational media. Global Citizenship Education is increasingly taking place online, but how can transformative education be transferred to everyday formats such as social media? Teenagers and young adults in particular are progressively acquiring knowledge via social media channels such as Instagram, Twitter or Tiktok. This opens up a window of opportunity for Global learning: By engaging with the audience in their everyday lives, they gain low-threshold access to global approaches. Also, their own role and self-efficacy is emphasised.
As a result, we have transformed some of our methods into small, digital learning units: Memes, infographics and short videos on climate justice, global inequalities and distribution issues. They enable small learning increments that use playful and humorous elements to facilitate reflection and engagement with larger learning objectives. These so-called microlearnings can be used as a discussion starter for a workshop, given as a follow-up or recommended for independent research.