When Learning Becomes a Journey: Education, Democracy, and Field-Based Pedagogy

Having taught for over thirty years, I have long believed, much like Paulo Freire, that education rarely transforms the lives of learners when it is confined to the classroom. I have never viewed education as a “banking model,” in which educators simply deposit information into passive students. Instead, I have always aimed to engage students in their own learning through dialogue that is lived, transformative, and grounded in experience, reflection, and engagement with the world. This belief has shaped both me as a person and my teaching practice, as well as the Democratic Education Network (DEN). When I designed the module ‘Democratic Engagement in an International Context,’ I focused on the diverse needs of our students and my strong beliefs about how education should be delivered. At the heart of both my own pedagogy and DEN lies a shared conviction: learning becomes meaningful when students are immersed in real-world contexts, challenged beyond their comfort zones, and trusted with voice, responsibility, and reflection. I have always believed that it is both in the field and the classroom that students come to know one another, developing friendships, understanding personalities, learning respect, and building trust and collective belief. The field trip to Thailand was not merely an academic add-on; it served as an essential continuation of the module, where students, education, democracy, and their lived experiences intersect. As with all international field trips, this experience represented a collective journey. Students and staff arrived as individuals influenced by their routines, expectations, and the constraints of the institution. Over time, they became a community united by curiosity, vulnerability, and shared discovery. Learning became embedded in place, culture, and everyday experience. Concepts such as democracy, citizenship, public space, and the Sustainable Development Goals moved from abstract ideas discussed in seminars or blogs into tangible practices—forming a shared and lasting collective memory. Every moment, no matter how small, became an essential part of the learning journey. Students felt safe and free to explore new ideas while sitting on campus, sharing meals and conversations with their peers and lecturers, and discussing topics often overlooked in formal academic settings. The trip fostered humility and mutual learning. Students engaged with a different cultural context not as distant observers, but as active participants in the shared creation of knowledge. Interactions with Thai students revealed alternative expressions of civic life, education, and community. In these settings, students often discover their voices for the first time. They learn that democracy extends beyond institutions; it encompasses listening, disagreement, solidarity, and even emotions like anger and tears, all while maintaining respect. As a result, they gain the confidence to speak publicly at Kasetsart University Module UN (KUMUN) and become more engaged. Crucially, this journey shows that education involves both consistency and change. Education builds on students’ existing knowledge, experiences, and identities. It transforms them by challenging their assumptions, encouraging them to try new things, and fostering new perspectives. As Linda Tuhiwai Smith points out, learning has an ethical dimension that prompts students to recognise relationships and power dynamics. Arturo Escobar emphasises the importance of acknowledging diverse ways of knowing and being in the world. In this context, education does not stop when a field trip ends; it continues to change how students understand themselves, others, and their roles in a democratic society. The journey to Thailand, therefore, captured the core values of both DEN and my teaching approach: education as active participation, learning as a transformative process, teaching as a foundation of trust, and democracy as a practice. Finally, as this field trip marks the completion of one phase in students’ learning journeys, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the students, academics, senior management, and professional support staff at both the University of Westminster and Kasetsart University who made this field trip possible and enjoyable. I hope this spirit of collaboration continues, enabling future students to benefit from similar experiences, so powerfully reflected in the student blogs that document this truly transformative journey.

Farhag Morady