Rancourt: academic rebel or pioneer of learning? photo: Stuart Trew

What started out in 1997 as a mandatory physics credit for anyone in the environmental studies program, last year morphed ever so slightly into a non-graded, highly participatory workshop in understanding not just how science impacts everyday life, but how it relates to greater power structures. Or, in Rancourt's words, learning "what the high priests of science have been talking about and how science is being used."

More importantly, Rancourt recently told XPress he wants to impart to his students a sense that through activism, informed by science, they can have a say in changing those power structures. It's also largely up to his class what they want to learn in order to help them do so.

"The idea was what could be called 'Academic Squatting,' [where] you take a course that was assigned and you make it into something else, something you feel is more important, more relevant and that students will appreciate more, that they need more in their program of study," said Rancourt. There are no lectures, only discussions from guest speakers, following which the class splits up into working groups that last term dealt with topics from ending apathy to finding better activist tactics.

Rancourt has even written a "beta" version of a new textbook that introduces students to some fundamental principles of science before exploring such popular environmental studies topics as global warming, ozone depletion, and resource management and use.

But truly new last term was an emphasis on challenging the uses and abuses of science, and power more generally.

"To be fair, it wasn't a complete overhaul of the course because the course already had invited speakers that touched these broad questions [of the social/political impact of science]. And I was planning and have always planned to cover the science aspects as well, which were part of the original course."

Still, the directional shift, which was posted at www.alternativevoices.ca (but not on the university's website) and explained to the students who had signed up for the fall term, irked some of those students, according to Dean of Physics Dr. Christian Detellier, who shut the course down mid-class last September. Detellier told XPress at the time that he had consulted Rancourt prior to interrupting his class with the announcement, but the dean couldn't specify how many complaints had led to the move.

The shut down was short-lived, and Rancourt's class was allowed to finish its fall term after even more complaints in its favour. Based on feedback on the course posted at alternativevoices.ca, and the number of students who leaped at the opportunity to speak to XPress, the new PHY 1703 was apparently a hit.

"It's great to learn about moles and atoms and all that, but if you can't apply that to the context of the environment there's no use," said Nate Lessnick, an undergrad in the environmental studies program who had to take Rancourt's class to graduate. "This helped me understand the socio-economic context, which I'm sure a lot of other science classes would not have done."

Philippe Marchand, an undergrad in the final year of a physics degree who also volunteered to update Rancourt's website, told XPress that students often disagreed vehemently with the guest speakers but that no one was ever afraid to say so. He said he thinks the fact that they were not being marked had something to do with it, but so did the content.

"Other classes are disconnected from the community, which is why this class is exciting. It shows students that their classes are linked to what people do in the community," said Marchand.

Rancourt said that it's not enough to make it clear that as long as "you're here, you're participating, you're authentic about the participation," you will pass his class. "[Y]ou have to then find a way to catalyze and encourage this intrinsic motivation, and the way to do that is to have good content. And so one way to have good content is to give the students a large say in what the content's going to be. They have a good idea what's important to them."

Though the list of speakers was largely set in advance, Rancourt said that he encouraged students to suggest their own. One group of three students just back from the World Youth Festival in Caracas, Venezuela, volunteered to present what they had learned from the event.

As well as a regular Wednesday class, many students hooked up at Café Nostalgica every third Monday of the month for an "Activism Night" of discussion and drinking.

"Given [this course's] philosophy, it basically expresses that you don't need the administration. That you don't need structured programs. It negates their existence. You just need professors and students organizing themselves so as to learn what they need. It just flies in the face of the whole institution. I think that's what freaks them out. That's why I think there's this resistance."

Resistance there may be, there is also a push to get "Activism Class" a brand new name and a new spot in the faculty of science. Cheekily dubbed SCI 1984, it would "examine the role of science in society, in the broad socio-economic, environmental and political context, with emphasis on the role of activism (in the broadest sense of actions to improve conditions for all) as both an important agent for change and a central motivating factor in learning."

Rancourt is encouraging students (and anyone from the community, for that matter) interested in taking such a class to sign a petition at www.alternativevoices.ca/supp_ac.htm. With any luck, it will be up and running for the fall.

 
 

		Write your comment on this article!

No wrong people no wrong students     I am currently attending this Activism course. I am experiencing and observing other students becoming immersed in the process. Challenging the speakers and the professor is the norm. The result is that the students are abandoning their acquired understanding of their role as a student. i.e. role of passive receiver of "knowledge". Instead they are coming to understand they can and ought to think independently and form their own opinions based on sound and solid argument and evidence. As a child I was forced to "sit still and listen" to things that barely catch my interest. And then there was this always lingering-fear of ridicule, punishment, rejection, failure for being "wrong". Rather than engage with others and explore my environment actively as director of my own learning I was systematically inundated with propaganda about how I should think, feel and act. Any resistance to this was treated as "wrong". Later I came to understand some of the reason why these "educational" environments are so unsocial, unintellectual and most definitely uneducational and this is because they do not support human development they hinder it. They disallow human interaction and exploration of the environment, which are the necessary elements to personal growth and intellectual development. This Activism Course environment stimulates and encourages involvement in the learning process. Only this kind of experience supports recovery from the restricted mindset created by the passive rote learning methods described above. In short there are no wrong people and no wrong answers in this course we are all the directors of our own education as participants of this class and we are handsomely rewarded with personal growth and intellectual development. When we challenge societies conventions including educational dictates we see that we can live free of domination and control thereby feeling and thinking clearly and therefore acting rationally.
Jane Scharf		November 29th, 2006
No wrong people and no wrong answers     I am currently attending this Activism Course. I am experiencing and observing other students becoming immersed in the process. Challenging the speakers and the professor is the norm. The result is that the students are abandoning their acquired understanding of their role as a student. i.e. role of passive receiver of "knowledge". Instead they are coming to understand they can and ought to think independently and form their own opinions based on sound and solid argument and evidence. As a child I was forced to "sit still and listen" to things that barely caught my interest. And then there was this always lingering-fear of ridicule, punishment, rejection, failure for being "wrong". Rather than engage with others and explore my environment actively as director of my own learning I was systematically inundated with propaganda about how I should think, feel and act. Any resistance to this was treated as "wrong". Later I came to understand some of the reasons why these "educational" environments are so unsocial, unintellectual and most definitely uneducational and this is because they do not support human development they hinder it. They disallow human interaction and exploration of the environment, which are the necessary elements to personal growth and intellectual development. This Activism Course environment stimulates and encourages involvement in the learning process. Only this kind of experience supports recovery from the restricted mindset created by the passive rote learning methods described above. In short there are no wrong people and no wrong answers in this course we are all the directors of our own education as participants of this class and we are handsomely rewarded with personal growth and intellectual development. When we challenge societies conventions including educational dictates we see that we can live free of domination and control thereby feeling and thinking clearly and therefore acting rationally.
Jane Scharf		November 27th, 2006
Felicitations for the facilitation     Thank you and thank you again for putting Denis Rancourt's academic experiment in the spotlight. As a former member / student of the activism class, I speak with deepest sincerity when I say that this course changed the way I view the world. Rather than simply feeling frustrated by apparent injustices, Denis not only helped me to understand current socio-political structures, but also taught me ways to contribute positively to improve upon those structures. I commend Denis's successes within the University of Ottawa's walls and I am pleased that the broader community has the chance to hear about the amazing things he has done. One of the activism class's main objectives is to create intimate dialogue between the University and its community and an article such as this helps to facilitate that sort of communication. Felicitations!
Anne Davison	{14 votes}	January 5th, 2006
Revolutionizing education...     Many thanks to Stewart Trew for one more example of what real journalism should be. Through activism class we didn't only have the opportunity to challenge our own perceptions of the roll of science in society and the roll of activists in the community but we managed to learn by experience. I just hope that this article helps our shortsighted University administration see that what they have in their hands is true innovation in pedagogical methods. Many thanks to Denis Rancourt who had to battle agaisnt layers of academic opression (and who continues to do so) to hold what I see as the best course this University has offered in a long time. The ripples of Activism Class will be felt for a long time, and I think there are enough committed people out there that are going to ensure this class is given a permanent spot in our school. I know I'm certainly not going to settle for anything less than that. 3rd Year Electrical Engineering
Federico Carvajal	{6 votes}	January 7th, 2006
Viva la class!     X-Press, thank you for publicizing an article that gives a motivational and revolutionary look at post-secondary education and what can be done for students who want to think outside the academic box. Denis Rancourt is a revolutionary, especially within the University system because he is providing a space and creating a forum for students to discuss power structures, the global world order and alternatives to the current system, the best part being that these topics are being discussed WITHIN the very structure of power itself. I had an amazing time being in activist class, and not only was Denis dedication to the class more than evident, he had (and continues to have) a dedication to his students. He supports events that his students organize and attends them, he doesnt awkwardly cross the street when he sees his students, as most other professors will do, he purposefully plans events that his students will be interested in and actually enjoys spending time with his students outside of class!!! One of my favourite memories of Denis Rancourt was his attendance at a big house party that my roommates and I threw...he was without a doubt the HIT of the fiesta, and it was absolutely fantastic. es todo que quiero decir...thanks!
Lauren Abbott	{12 votes}	January 6th, 2006
Learning To Squat.............     Don't you love stories of strict non-conformists willing to put their necks on the line, just to make a point? High fives to activism and debunking the way things have always been, to show that there are other ways to look at the world. What a narrow-minded place this would be if everyone was taught to think the same way and to never challenge conventionality. Bravo to Professor Rancourt for fighting the lions of our educational establishments and taking your students on a ride of personal challenge, self-discovery and teaching them that the road less travelled is often paved with gold.
Steve Landry	{5 votes}	January 6th, 2006
I like the concept!     I like the concept in which you'll end-up taking his class, and have the option to making it into something else, something you feel is more important... Although, in order to be a better critic about this, I think I should definitely assist to one of his class. But, as far as I am concerned, I think it would be great for me (or anyone who enjoys this topic!) to learn more about moles and atoms and all that. It will actually be a plus in my life!
Valerie Augier	{1 vote}	January 11th, 2006

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