A Critical Evaluation of The Existing Pedagogical Dimensions in Higher Education in KRI

Abstract

This research paper critically evaluates the significance of the existing pedagogical dimensions in higher education (HE) to reveal an understanding of these concepts in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) in higher education. The concept of pedagogical dimensions was first proposed by Amsler (2012), who looked at the significance of four pedagogical dimensions in higher education. The dimensions are considered to have immense effects on future university achievements and attainments: first, collaborative team teaching; second, thinking skills; third, explicit instructions; and fourth, cooperative learning. The present study was inspired by a newspaper headline “The Critical Pedagogy and Popular Education Matter Today,” by Amsler (2012), which establishes an understanding of the critical precepts in pedagogical dimensions in HE. In addition, it is dynamic that higher education educators recognize and interpret the existing pedagogical dimensions while developing pedagogical approaches and curricula in response. A mixed-method has been used to obtain reliable responses to the two main research questions, first, what are the challenges of educators in HE when they use pedological dimensions in the classroom? Second, to what measure do the critical pedagogy approaches involve academic achievement? The study implemented a structured interview with 13 educators and a questionnaire for 85 teachers to facilitate the data collection procedure. The findings of the first research question show five core main challenges educators face in HE by using pedagogical dimensions. The results of the second research question were redounding to the researcher in the field: they illustrate the four main factors that impact pedagogical approaches that address academic achievement. Thus, this is a root for skilled autonomy teachers to achieve academic accomplishment.