Pedagogical practice as ‘feeling-thinking’ praxis in higher education: a case study in Colombia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Some critical perspectives about neoliberal trends in higher education have resulted in exploring different types of collaborations aimed at creating spaces for academics to promote pedagogical practice as praxis. Drawing upon a case study informed by a Latin American intellectual tradition of dialogue as praxis and praxis as political action, as well as by practice theory, it is argued that it is difficult to understand and address what enables and constrains pedagogical practices as praxis if academics fail to put themselves at the centre of a feeling-based reflection process. From this perspective, this study revealed two enablers and four constraints of five pedagogical practices as ‘feeling-thinking’ praxis, which emerged from dialogue as praxis in a group of eight academics from four Colombian universities. Feelings of exhaustion, sadness, disappointment, indignation, annoyance, gratitude, anxiety, confusion, and relief were key so that their ethical-political actions could contribute to rehumanise higher education.