13.1 Introduction to Ecology of Learning 

We introduced ecology of learning within the framework of our research into human self-organization as a study of the web of dynamic interrelationships and interactions of agents, factors and conditions affecting the process of learning – a process vital for sustaining life on the planet and stimulating realization of the self-organizing impetus of people (Dimitrov, 2002).

Plants and animals ‘learn’ to adapt to the environmental changes in order to survive, reproduce and increase their fitness. Some animals easily learn to follow human instructions and develop behavioural patterns classified by people as "clever", "friendly", "faithful", etc.

Similarly to the other species, people learn how to better cope with the changes in the environment. Some people go further: they learn to be aware of the events of their experiences and make sense of them not as isolated phenomena but in connection with one another. For others, learning constitutes the meaning of one’s live; they learn to grasp the wholeness of existence and express it through their experience and behaviour, feelings and thoughts, words and actions.

Ecology of learning sees learning as a holistic process – process which requires from us not only to think, contemplate and make decisions, but also to feel and intuit, inspire and be inspired, love and care for one another.  Together with our minds, our hearts and souls are also factors vital for manifestation of human creativity, and without creativity learning is a mere repetition of knowledge borrowed from books and experts.
 
At the level of human interactions with nature, ecology of learning promotes people's action for sustaining continuity of life and the urge inherent in natural dynamics towards fulfilment, renewal and evolution.

At the level of interpersonal relationships, ecology of learning promotes mutual sharing of experience and knowledge, and stimulates any wholesome realization of people’s will to help and care for each other.

At the level of an individual, ecology of learning supports individual efforts to have a healthy and fulfilling life.

In the context of our research, the mission of ecology of learning is to be as a catalyst of human dynamics of enlightenment.

13.2 Ecology of Learning and Fuzziology

When exploring fuzziness inherent in the realization of human capacity for understanding, learning and knowing, fuzziology postulates that this capacity grows from within and cannot be implanted or imposed from without (Dimitrov, 2002a).  The same postulate lies at the basis of the ecology of learning.

Similar to one’s understanding and knowing, learning is a self-organizing process, and any self-organizing process in nature works from inside out. The universe expands due to forces that emerge from inside of its whirling dynamics. Every single seed grows from inside when the outer conditions do not impede but stimulate this growth; in much the same way our learning, our understanding and our knowing grow. They expand and grow from inside out following our inner urge and will to learn, understand, know and thus realize our potential, whenever there are conditions for this.  Hence, there is an important role for human society to play in the process of learning: not to impede, but to stimulate our yearning for wisdom.