Conference Program

This study re-envisions the role of public school through the Pedagogy of the Commons approach (De Lissovoy, 2011; Pechtelidis, 2023; Pechtelidis et al. 2023). At its core lies the notion of conviviality, the art of coexisting in equality and reciprocal interdependence (Illich, 1973; Les Convivialistes, 2014; Bollier & Helfrich, 2019). The research sought out to explore whether, and to what extent, counter-hegemonic pedagogical practices and forms of commoning can unfold within public education, and how schools may function as sites that host such practices without abandoning their institutional character. Adopting a critical action-research design (Kemmis et al., 2014), nine sixth-grade primary school students participated in an extracurricular program where they co-designed Educational Escape Rooms. This collective endeavor fostered practices of co-creation, peer learning, and shared decision making. Data, collected through participant observation, reflective focus groups, a field diary, and pedagogical artefacts, were thematically analyzed (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Findings reveal the potential of convivial commoning as a pedagogical process within public school. Students cultivated collectivity, while conflicts served as opportunities for preserving and strengthening relationships, thereby establishing a positive and engaging atmosphere.