Pedagogical notion of (dis)continuity in learning and its critical-pedagogical potential

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to research the pedagogical notion of discontinuity in learning, its pedagogical importance and discover the notion of pedagogical subject that is complementary to it. Discontinuity is closely related to the idea of negativity in its existential sense. Discontinuity and negativity in learning are investigated in their various forms and meanings, in order to understand the pedagogical approach to these phaenomena. Our approach is differentiated by approaches based on “school success”, since pedagogical authors such as J.F. Herbart, J. Dewey and A. English see negativity and its pedagogical potential in an existential sense. Based on these insights, we further ask which kind of pedagogical subject can embody discontinuity and negativity in learning. We find that specific ideas of (critical) theory, (dialectical) knowledge and (critical) subject are needed for that. These ideas open often unexplored possibilities for pedagogical theory and practice.