Encountering Freire: An International Partnership in Experiential Learning and Social Justice.

This paper presents the development of a field course undertaken by four post-secondary institutions (two Canadian and two Brazilian) in São Paulo, Brazil. The authors brought twenty students drawn from two Canadian institutions to Brazil, the homeland of educator and philosopher Paulo Freire whose Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970) was a foundational part of the course content. The course explored how students could implement critical pedagogy's calls to action in their respective fields of education, journalism and broadcasting. Partnerships were forged between the faculty and international offices of the four institutions to arrange for classroom space for the Canadian students, guest lecturers, and multiple opportunities for Brazilian and Canadian students to interact. Additionally, a partnership with two São Paulo journalists provided insider perspectives on Brazil's social challenges; and a partnership with The Paulo Freire Institute resulted in an opportunity to hear Freire's son speak on his father's work. This paper presents the challenges and rewards associated with the project as a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]