Learning Exchange 05

In this fifth and final post about learning exchanges, I want to do two things: i) ask whether learning exchanges offer a viable institutional form capable of scaling beyond the hyper-local; and ii) ask for your help identifying examples of learning exchanges or problems with the entire idea.

A search for “skill exchange” uncovers the usual deluge of 124,000 Google hits. Even a cursory review turns up a number of tantalizing but barely viable choices. A few of these are listed below. Still others miss the mark more widely, such as 1-to-1 barter exchanges and more traditional community adult education offerings. These, however, tend to be more well established.

The earliest mention I found of learning exchanges appeared in an abstract to a 1974 journal article that mentions the Chicago Learning Exchange. Surely there’s an earlier history of which I’m simply unaware.

A Google search is likely not the best way to begin researching actual learning exchanges. I’m hopeful that readers can provide leads of any kind. Particularly anything prior to 1970 or in diverse cultural settings.

I’d also welcome the howl of protest that certainly must exist around the idea of learning exchanges. These are the “Yah, ok idea, but what about x, y, and z?” For example, “Peer-to-peer learning exchanges? Good idea, but what about real teachers?” Gee, that’s a great question.

Another challenge should be directed at complementary currencies and credit clearing systems. Someone should say “What the heck? Isn’t the dollar good enough for you?”

That, too, is a good question. My suggestion that local currencies and credit clearing fit well with learning exchanges actually violates Elinor Ostrom’s admonition that every situation is different, that rules must be worked out by the participants themselves, and that blueprint thinking should be avoided.

It’d be best then to consider local currencies and credit clearing as a conjecture, something that local participants might consider but could accept or reject as they saw fit.

One of the things I like about local currencies is that they tend to be countercyclical. When times are tough, people are unemployed, and money needs to stretch as far as possible, a learning exchange provides an opportunity to develop new skills without an outflow of cash.

Someone might then ask, “Ok, what happens when a person in one learning exchange wants to learn something from someone in another learning exchange?”

The threads from that question trail away into many different areas. One critical item it raises is how two different local currencies can be calibrated. A mechanism must exist to assign value to local currencies based on some commodity (eg, gold or silver) or on some market basket of commodities. This is actually well-trod territory among existing credit clearing systems.

The list of questions just goes on and on. What does federation mean? How might it work? What services could usefully be shared by various learning exchanges?

I think you can begin to sense my implication here. Learning exchanges seem an intriguing idea that might join the many other intriguing ideas now complementing or barking at the heals of traditional education. But, to use Elinor Ostrom’s warning, “nothing is a panacea.”

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Chagford Skill Exchange
“The Chagford Skill Exchange is a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS) – a network in which goods and services can be traded without the need for printed currency.”

Community Skill Exchange
“Community Skill Exchange is a link that enables people to trade skills, knowledge and talents within their community and make friends in the process. We believe that learning shouldn’t stop with formal education, and teaching doesn’t necessitate expertise. The Skill Exchange requires absolutely no tuition or long-term commitment. The only catch is that in order to learn, you have to teach something of your own!”

Skills Exchange
“The Skills Exchange Service is based on a very basic concept. Offering our own skills or services to others on a personal basis in exchange for the skills and/or services that they can offer us in return. A kind of skills / services swop shop or bartering service.”