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INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF PRODUCTIVE SCHOOLS |
| Introducing INEPS
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF PRODUCTIVE SCHOOLS (INEPS) HOW DID INEPS ARISE? INEPS was initiated in 1990 by two educators who were inspired by the experiences at Die Stadt-als-Schule Berlin (City-as-School). During the international conference Learning through Productive Action in June 1990, in Berlin, representatives of European schools and educational projects decided to start cooperation; they agreed to emphasize concepts using learners' experience of being productive to generate the educational process. Productive activity within or without the framework of the school/project is very often more meaningful and more effective than traditional learning in promoting the educational development of young people. But such approaches are rare in all countries thus making exchange and sharing at an international level necessary. For this reason the International Network of Productive Schools was founded. WHAT HAS INEPS ACHIEVED? INEPS has become a stable association of 50 projects from 19 countries (in July 2000). INEPS' members are exchanging their current programmes, methods and perspectives. Despite the diversity of their linguistic and cultural backgrounds they decided to develop common concepts of Productive Learning, in order to promote the idea of learning through activity and experience without suppressing cultural and regional originality. Thus Productive Schools have started their contribution to overcoming European frontiers. WHAT'S INEPS' PROGRAMME? INEPS' programme is to
THE INSTITUTE OF PRODUCTIVE LEARNING (IPLE) IPLE was founded in 1989 by two educators of the experimental school Die Stadt-als Schule Berlin (City-as-School), at the Fachhochschule für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik Berlin. The aim of IPLE is to help develop and spread internationally ideas and methods of Productive Learning -a learning concept based on experiences of being active and productive. This concept can be and is being applied irrespective of national or cultural backgrounds. IPLE initiated INEPS in June 1990, and is at present supporting the network by organizing cooperation, initiating conceptual and practical activities, counselling new projects or programmes, offering Distance Training Programmes and International Seminars three times a year, producing publications and promoting the INEPS association. Since 1992 IPLE is sponsored by the European Communities, the German Government and the Berlin Administration. IPLE is making and maintaining contacts between INEPS and other international organisations as ICEA and the movement Educating Cities created in Barcelona in1990.
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