Study in the Virtual Class: Doings of Feminist Pedagogy and the Covid-19 Crisis

Abstract

While reflecting on our lecturing practices, many of us feminists wish to deconstruct the ex-cathedra teaching position and its symbolic effects. After initial inquiry into feminist pedagogy, the present discussion combines basic information with the author’s teaching practice: underway in tertiary-level education and involving University of Ljubljana students. Some of the preconceived and some spontaneous, yet informed teaching approaches have been tested with positive results, and are worth sharing. They are accompanied by certain concepts, and their applied use which is presented on the list of teaching/learning topoi. Personal advancement in terms of more knowledgeable, skilled and emotionally fulfilling teaching and learning occurred in the first phase of the anti-Covid-19 regime and the virtual studying. The heavy working overload and new teaching and learning technological mode have pushed me towards the vivified and inventive “moderation” of Zoom and Google study meetings. The flexibility of the web lectures and seminars has promoted the invention of less conventional and coded communication, and the situational introduction of actual socio-political topics not inscribed in the curriculum. One of these outer topics was “gender relations in the anti-Covid-19 regime”. The search for novel teaching and learning practices has induced the need to systematise work practices. Reorganisation has been conceptual: the triangulation of students, the “object” (subject matter, related experience, and embodiment through feelings), the teacher. The quality of studying by way of the two way-transfer of knowledges and transferable skills has been proven while working together with students in research experiment at one of the subjects.