Equal dialogue
All people are equal and everyone can see it. It has the same value the opinion of a university professor than the one from an illiterate person who participates in the project because the arguments given to defend the proposals should be based on valid claims and reject the pretensions of power. The egalitarian dialogue occurs everywhere and on any subject: the way classes are done, activities carried out, the contents of the modules, etc.. All proposals are discussed, negotiated and nuanced.
So there are situations like deciding to make a module which coordinators proposed not to do it. This would be unthinkable in other models where teachers use the mechanisms of power that they have to impose their decision. The fluid dialogue occurs and appears at any time: in the hallway, in class, during a party or at a Council Centre. In otrer words, we bring the world of life in an area that traditionally belongs to the world system.
Transformation
The principles of dialogic learning involve a process of transformation. Illiterate people who make exhibits, failed scholars who have entered to the university, or people who didn´t participate in social and educational projects and are now driving organizations, are examples. Involvement in collective movements and influence in their environment have been the result of a model based on dialogue and transformation.
We also work and learn with people who have a disability (whether physical, mental or sensory) in order to transform their situation. We try to help to overcome all the barriers to allow them access to educational and cultural spaces in an atmosphere of complete equality with the other participants. This will offer opportunities to acquire greater autonomy and a transformation of the environment as this coexistence make all people equal.
Creation of meaning
This operation can overcome the loss of traditional meaning of modernity itself. Through participation, solidarity, dialogue and representative features that define the project, there is a process of creating meaning. The person who comes to learn to read and write discovers that also has a space for interaction and the opportunity to participate actively in the project by contributing with his knowledge and cooperate with the others: not only learns to read but organizes the week culture, collaborating with other participants and meets the district councilor for funding for a new activity. This process in which the person enters helps him to develop capacities for autonomy, reflection, management and organization that he applies not only in academia but in those things that shape his life: family staff, workplace, neighborhood, etc..
Instrumental dimension
Note that this atmosphere of dialogue is not detrimental to learning, on the contrary it favors it. Instrumental learning is one of the objectives of the project. Through dialogic learning people decide they want to learn and they always want to learn the most:, those skills that enable them to access to other studies, improve their employment situation or organize a new entity. Example of this would be the large number of people who had been labeled as a failed schoolars and that after passing the school have reached the university.
Equality of differences
This process of assessing one´s culture to attain the knowledge of the dominant culture that allows them not to be excluded is inserted into what we call equality of differences. In the same way that all skills are evaluated and rated, all cultures are equally valid and should be respected , but this need not imply social exclusion. In the case of people belonging to a culture with an oral literary tradition, the option should not be or remain illiterate or learning dominant literature but acquire the necessary knowledge to express their culture in forms prioritized by the society, and share the knowledge of different cultures through dialogue. In groups, several Gyipsies, Moroccan Chinese or Paies share their knowledge and collectively decide what things they learn to express themselves and what knowledge and values of other cultures are useful.
Cultural intelligence
You can only achieve this if it is assumed that everyone has the ability to learn and nobody has deficits: everyone has cultural intelligence. We all know different things we have learned in academic, practical and cooperative contexts. Some people have learnt history in school, some other have learnt it doing administrative work for a file or some other have learnt it talking about movies with a group of friends. Therefore, everyone is smart as it is evidenced by the fact that each one has learned what is needed in the contexts in which he participates that in many cases are not academics. If we only take the academic abilities we exclude those who don´t possess them.However, the cultural intelligence involves using practical skills, academic and cooperatives. An example would be when the participants of a group of language can recite poems or sing traditional folk songs they have learned throughout life (practical skills and cooperative) but do not know what meter and rhyme. The coordinator can explain these concepts (academic skills) and propose activities on the subject. Thus the participants not only learn a skill but they value their academic knowledge and are aware of their capacity to create culture.
Solidarity
In this context of dialogue exclusors factors are exceeded, for example, everyone on their own. Some participants help others in the things they know better, advise the coordinator of the group on how to do classes in order everybody achieve their goals or participate in a campaign to ensure that illiterate people have access to the project. The power or money, which is typical of the media world system, is replaced by solidarity.