Because we need you! Learning advocacy for educational change

Abstract

This OER is funded by the Province of Ontario, Ministry of Education and Canadian Heritage.Chapter 1: An invitation to the readerChapter 2: Opening education for learning through lifeChapter 3: Resisting the Learning CrisisChapter 4: Stories from and for the (r)evolutionChapter 5: Opening learning for transformationChapter 6: Learning Through LifeChapter 7: Sustaining learning transformation through communitiesChapter 8: The Advocate’s ToolboxChapter 9: The road aheadChapter 10: AfterwordThis book is a call to action for reimagining education as a bold, inclusive, and transformative journey. Written collaboratively by thirteen Canadian educators, scholars, and advocates, it challenges the status quo of commodified learning and standardized systems, offering a vision of education rooted in care, justice, and collective responsibility. Through compelling narratives, practical tools, and visionary scenarios, the authors explore how education can be reclaimed as a public good. They advocate for lifelong learning, community-centered approaches, and open education practices that dismantle barriers and amplify marginalized voices. From resisting systemic inequities to fostering creativity and agency, this book provides a roadmap for meaningful change. Whether you are an educator, learner, policymaker, or community member, "Because we need you" invites you to join a movement to reshape education into a space of connection, curiosity, and shared hope. Together, we can build learning environments that empower individuals and strengthen communities—because we need you