Beyond Awareness: Black Studies for Consciousness and Praxis in Teacher Education

Abstract

ABSTRACTCritical Studyin' is a Black Studies-inspired, morally engaged pedagogy. With roots in anti-racist teaching, it is focused on race, ideology, and education. This study explores the learning experiences and outcomes of seven, preservice educators after taking a course that was based on Critical Studyin' and offered in a College of Education at one university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Researchers employed constructivist grounded theory techniques to the analysis of semi-structured interviews and course documents. Findings highlight the development of students' critical consciousness and agency as they engaged in critical interrogation of the complex relationships among race, culture, and classroom teaching. This study highlights the potential of Black Studies as a pedagogy teacher educators can enact to orchestrate disruptive learning experiences and environments necessary for anti-racist teaching. It adds further support for culture-centered approaches in educator preparation that scaffolds preservice educators in their development of justice-oriented perspectives and practices in education.