Thinking critically about critical thinking: towards a post-critical, dialogic pedagogy for popular visual culture

Abstract

The influence of critical theory in art education has become commonplace, but its use in addressing students' popular culture in kindergarten to Year 12 classrooms is problematic. The now numerous reports by art teachers of their successfully inculcating critical consciousness towards popular visual culture appears to have more to do with a reforming zeal or advocacy than evidence. Moreover, in echoing the modernist origins of critical theory, their attempts to facilitate critical thinking often take the form of unproblematic and authoritarian pedagogy. Lessons learned from media education in the United Kingdom are employed to recommend that art teachers reject prima facie evidence of critical thinking among their students and learn to appreciate the complexity of student negotiations with popular culture. Taking their cue from media educators, it is proposed that art educators adopt a post-critical pedagogy based on Bhaktin's notions of dialogue.