THE ROLE OF NON-FORMAL ACTIVITIES FOR PROMOTING AND ACCEPTING HUMAN DIVERSITY
THE ROLE OF NON-FORMAL ACTIVITIES FOR PROMOTING AND ACCEPTING HUMAN DIVERSITY

Summary/Abstract: Diversity (human diversity), globalization, communication, digitalization, etc. are social values specific to contemporary society and that create new social ethics. Diversity is the fundament for acceptance and tolerance. Children with special educational needs, people of different religions, or race, with different habits and different culture can live and work together only if they accept the diversity of human beings. This article discusses the problem of the impact of non-formal activities on promoting and accepting the human diversity. The main goal of this study was to analyse the types of activities and their impact on students. A questionnaire regarding students’ and teachers' perceptions on children with special educational needs and focus-groups were used. A number of 200 participants were included in the study, teachers and students, from schools from Brasov. One of the main conclusions drawn is that teachers must adopt a new mentality about their role in promoting social values like diversity, tolerance, and acceptance. They must design non-formal activities that are relevant for students’ experience. The impact of non-formal activities that promote human diversity through learning by projects, collaboration and cooperation is both emotional and cognitive and changes the students’ point of view.

• Details
• Contents