On November 27, 2023, the Asia-Australia-Oceania Formation Commission organized an on-line webinar on Cooperative Learning in Carmelite Formation. This was one of many on-line events coordinated by the Commission. The Formation Commission has already conducted on-line student and formator gatherings, the Titus Brandsma webinar series and an on-line gathering of vocation promoters from the geographic area.

The presentation on “Cooperative Learning” was given by Dr. Anita Lie, a professor from the Widya Mandala Catholic University in Surabhaya, Indonesia. Using “cooperative learning,” a teaching method as well as guidelines from the RIVC, our Carmelite formation manual, Dr. Lie encouraged the formators to form the students through collaboration and to reflect on their formative experiences in cooperative groups. According to Dr. Lie, one of the goals of formation is to free the formandi, not only from the state of not knowing but also from dependence on the formator. Ultimately this moves into a spirit of interdependence in the community. Using ‘mentimeter’ the interactive presentation software, Dr. Lie showed what formators can do to introduce the cooperative learning techniques in Carmelite formation.

All the formators from Asia-Australia-Oceania, 60 in total, along with the priors of the formation houses participated in this interactive session. The presentation was was well- appreciated. The group recommended that cooperative learning be one of the tools for our formation program.

The Formation Commission is now organizing a week-long gathering of students and formators in Vietnam from July 21-27, 2024.