Fruition Academy of Social Imagination and Action

Posted by on September 03, 2012

Fruition Academy of Social Imagination and Action

The Fruition Academy of Social Imagination and Action, an online school for scholars and practitioners who are interested in organizational and social change, is launching in October 2012. The academy is a new component of The Fruition Coalition, an organization that is working to actively create a flourishing world by supporting progressive social change and community benefit organizations through education, dialogue, and consulting that integrates research, intuition, experience, and dreams.

There are six classes scheduled for this fall:

Teaching, Learning, and Transformation
Friday October 5, 2012, 11 a.m. EDT

Perhaps the most critical teaching and learning that takes place in our lives occurs through the interpretation of our everyday interactions. Every moment is an opportunity to teach and to learn. Through exploration of ideas including Socratic method, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, multiple intelligences, punk pedagogy, and Bloom’s taxonomy of learning domains, participants will develop a greater understanding of their own philosophy of teaching and learning and create a strategy to use this to advance progressive social change goals.

Social Reciprocity
Friday October 19, 2012, 11 a.m. EDT

This class will explore the generative potential of social reciprocity which we define as doing more good in the world and, as a result, inspiring others to do the same. We will examine the social, emotional, and cognitive aspects of reciprocity and discuss its implications for community organizing, outreach, fundraising, and activism.

Existential Leadership
Friday November 2, 2012, 11 a.m. EDT

As leaders for social change, we authentically serve our communities as Kierkegaardian Knights of Faith. In this class, we will discuss cultivating radical self-awareness, the process of becoming, intersubjective exploration, negotiating the space between the self and the system, discovering truth, creating meaning, the transformative potential of angst, and how to redefine and reclaim the concepts of freedom and responsibility.

Evaluation Planning
Friday November 16, 2012, 11 a.m. EST

Process and outcome evaluation can help us align programs, strategic initiatives, and advocacy efforts with the dynamic needs of the community served and teach us how to strengthen the cumulative impact of our work. In this class, we will discuss the purpose of evaluation, creating an evaluation plan, developing organizational capacity to collect and analyze data, integrating and communicating results, contributing to the global knowledge base, effectively using resources for evaluation, collaboration, creating opportunities for community engagement and participation, and managing expectations for accountability.

Quantum Theory for Activists
Friday December 7, 2012, 11 a.m. EST

This class will examine social change from the systemic to the subatomic level through the lens of quantum theory with particular emphasis on Bohr, Einstein, Schrodinger, and Capra. We will explore how science frames our understanding of the world and discuss how interconnectedness, irrationality, uncertainty, complexity, energy, tension, disruption, and chaos influence self-organization and political mobilization. We promise that there will not be any complicated formulas in this class – it’s all fun!

Theatre of Change
Friday December 14, 2012, 11 a.m. EST

In this class, we will satisfy our thirst for drama with a theatrical interpretation of progressive activism and the social change process. We will examine how plot, setting, and performance intertwine to evoke emotion and provoke action and learn how these can be manipulated to achieve specific social and political outcomes. We will also discuss roles, props, scenery, wardrobe, choreography, and engagement with multiple audiences. Students will learn how to develop dynamic characters and tell compelling stories to create memorable performances.

PHENNDies may try a class at no cost by using the promotional code FCFRIENDS2012 at checkout. To register or for more information, visit http://www.fruitioncoalition.com.