The Project

“If, in each hour, a man could learn a single fragment of some branch of knowledge, a single rule of some mechanical art, a single pleasing story or proverb – the acquisition of which would require no effort, what a vast stock of learning he might lay by”
John Amos Comenius
The heart of Ragged University is about the free exchange of knowledge and skills in social spaces. It is about people who love what they do sharing what they have invested their time in. It is not about motivating people; it is about motivated people.
A key practical activity is the social custom where we enjoy knowledge and talking over ideas whilst breaking bread. It is not an organisation but a culture of developing a practical philosophy from social traditions of learning which anyone can practice in their own lives. Here are some aspects about what the Ragged University project is…
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It is about valuing knowledgeable people
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It is not about certificates
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It is about exploring what is possible
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It is not about CVs
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It is about creating something generative
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It is not about making money
The project is non-commercial and it’s aim is to act in the tradition which built the free education system of the United Kingdom today through the Ragged Schools. The events which are organised are all free and open for everyone to attend, and anyone can do a talk. It started in 2010 by a group of friends and has been running ever since.
Anyone can create learning events using available infrastructure (pubs, cafes, museums, libraries, businesses) and common technology (the internet, projectors, screens, laptops). Ragged University argues for free education and valuing knowledge wherever it may lay.
The coordination of the project and website is an open copy book which evolves over time. Ideas are explored, activities take place, people share and those who get involved collectively and individually build from what happens.
It is experimental, it is an exploration and play-filled changing space which is also research focused and socially oriented; it is non-institutional and a construct which generates social documents that give reflections of various commons constituted of forms of non-financial wealth. It is one expression of the evolving symbiosis of ideas which belong to everybody and which nobody can exclusively own.
What do you think education means ? You can read many different posts below about what has been explored over time since 2010 as discovery informs and evolves what happens in connection with and via the digital space which is this website:
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Articles:
- Where to Begin The Ragged University Story
- Imagining Education: What is it all about Brian?
- How Hard it is to Make Policy
- The Ways in Which We Do Things…
- A Rose Is Ragged By Any Other Name…
- Inclusive Education and the Dialogue of Learning
- A Crash Course in Social Capital
- Edinburgh Short Film Festival: Successful Format Piloted
- Ragged University Events Are Free Events
- Conference: Rethinking Inequality in Historical Perspective
- Education History: A Brief History of Ragged Schools
- Education in the Negative Sense
- Historical Document: Glasgow Ragged University
- The Story of the New Ragged Website
- A Bitesize History of The Ragged University
- Local Economies and Neighbourhood Renewal
- Economics: Special Exam by Donald Rutherford
- Welcome to the Ragged University By Adam Smyth
- Developing Social Capital; From Promises to Knowledge Exchange
- It’s About Individuals Not Groups
- Ragged Digital Vision: Historical Document
- How The Ragged Uni Idea Came About by Grant Crozier
- The Beginnings of Ragged by Will Bentinck
- A Word From The Janitor
- Journal: Finding a Way to Participate
- Participation Now and Open University
- Ragged University Graphic Design by Chris Behr
- The Digital Aims of The Ragged University Project
- Ragged University: ‘Something For Nothing’ by Don Ledingham
- Prospective View: Creating Ragged Universities
- The Great Good Place: A Digest
- Creating and Organising a Ragged University Event
- Ragged University Collaboration with Edinburgh Fringe Live
- Development as Freedom: The Human Capabilities Approach
- A Theory Of Culture As A Framework For The Ragged Project
- Collaboration: University of Manchester and Ragged University By Steve McIndoe
- Facilitating Rather Than Prescribing: The Outcome Of Measuring
- Educational History: The Democratic Intellect; Scotland’s Pedagogical Tradition
- Collaboration and Distinguishing the Selfish from Self Interest
- Down The Ragged Road: A Story So Far…
- Edinburgh Fringe Live: Bad Habits are Alright Now
- The Differences Arise In Group Psychology
- The Rough Etiquette of Ragged University
- How To Do Ragged University Events by Carrie Newman
- Ragged University Website Development Workshop Pilot by Mike Harkness
- Common Sense: A Theory of Inherent Knowledge
- The Big Idea: Community Open Online Courses
- Presentation on the Free Education Network for John Morrison
- What Values Ragged University Is About
- Manchester Takes Ownership of Ragged University
- Adapting to Marginal Spaces: Floating Classrooms
- Floating Classrooms: A Model For Mobile Teaching
- Collaboration Between Edinburgh Palette and Ragged University by Karl Graham
- Ragged University Has No Funding: Anyway, It Is Not About Money
- Where Information Goes In And Nothing Comes Out
- Why Is Everyone Not A Demographic ?
- Kintsugi: Learning To Love The Critical
- Experiments in IT Delivery: The Floating Classroom
- Education: Power Differentials and Problems of Scale
- Studying the Press: Alex Dunedin Answers Questions and Analyses Article From Journalist Kashmira Gander
- Why Not To Chase Wealth And Status: A Community Project Perspective
- Issues of Seeking Patronage: A Thought Experiment
- Live Better, Help Often & Wonder More: Presentation for Sunday Assembly
- Education, Utopia, Necessity, and Existential Poverty
- The Principal; Power and Professionalism in FE: Measuring Up To The Mean – Beggars Belief
- Lifelong Learning that learns for Life! by John Salway
- Conversation on Education: John Salway and Alex Dunedin
- An Exploration of Informal Education with Students at John Moores University
- Education as Human Development
- Winding up Ragged SCIO as a Charity: Miles and Miles to go Before I Sleep…
- Twas The Rant Before Christmas: Absent Friends and Being Absent as a Friend
- Working Class Academics Conference: 14th – 15th July 2020
- Shoestring Initiative: Ragged University – The Means to Organise Education Beyond Money
- Official Ragged SCIO Now Officially Closed; On with the real work
- The Story So Far… Ragged University and Moving into the Future
- Ragged University Events: Opening the doors again…
- Learning Artifact (Prototype): Drew Whitworth The Book as a Technology
- Experiments in Education: The Possibility of the 19th Century Auditor Today
- The Nucleus: Do It Yourself ‘Ragged University’-like Events
- Thinking About The Learning Affordances of Interpersonal Interaction
- Constructing Resilient Education: Social Practices Which Form Community