A series of new television programmes which tell the story of a small but significant player in Irish education was launched today, Wednesday 24th of February, by Dublin’s Lord Mayor, Cllr Emer Costello, at the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield.

‘Beyond the Classroom’ is a series of four programmes which tells the story of the development of community education in Dublin as it was experienced by the communities of Tallaght, Kilbarrack and Dublin’s inner city. The programmes were funded by the BAI (Broadcasting Authority of Ireland) through the Sound and Vision Fund, and produced for broadcast by Dublin Community Television. Four stories span the last 30 years and provide an insight into what community education is and how it has been used in past by Dublin communities.

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Within community education the gap between learner and practitioner is often absent. Not only did many of the practitioners in the previous discussion present themselves as ex or current learners but the process itself speaks of a journey, a partnership where everybody must be open to learnings and examination and ‘reflexive’ practices. However, framed as a communication from current learners to those who are considering doing a community education course this 45 minute TV programme deals with the issues that new and prospective learners face as they embark on this journey.

From the practical tasks around, for example, childcare and integrating CE with day to day life to the vital issues around identity and confidence – thinking of yourself as a learner and how to deal with this new role. Honest and approachable this programme is facilitated by Liam Kilbride as a community education session within itself. Not only are the words spoken by the participants important – but the supportive atmosphere and use of experiential learning techniques is demonstrated by the participants.

DCTV invites centres to distribute this programme to prospective learners to support their consideration of whether to start on a CE course and the full series is being released under a creative commons license to facilitate this.

During the nearly two years that this series was in production the DCTV crew were privileged to meet many impressive, thoughtful and articulate people who spoke to us of Community Education. There is an ongoing, honest and exciting conversation taking place across the centres and offices and classrooms and kitchens that CE inhabits and the sharing and open nature of the practitioners meant that we were welcomed quite quickly into this.

This programme attempts to document this – to capture the essence of the discussion around the practice and impact of community education here, today: Dublin in 2010. But when DCTV asked some of these same practitioners what they wanted to make television for they instantly requested the production of a learning tool – and this is more than a document. All involved in making it hope that it is a relevant and useful tool for those who are seeking to develop their own practice and theory of community education.

Presented both as a 3 part series and a single, ‘as live’ document of the 90 minute conversation, DCTV invites groups and individuals to record and re-screen this important advance in educational programming. As a snapshot of the state of thinking about community education in Ireland this is important television that has not only learnt about, but subsumed itself into the community education process and principles. From the round table set to the care and attention to their words from these inspiring educationalists and activists this is not television that talks down to an audience but rather an opportunity to consider some of the most important questions for our communities today.

Episode 1

Episode 2