Critical Awareness Research Articles

UNIVERSAL EDUCATIONAL EXISTENTIALS OF PAULO FREIRE: METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE FORMATION OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The issue of the formation of academic integrity is extremely relevant in the context of the integration of the national education system into the European educational space. However, the problem of the methodological principles of this process has not received sufficient attention in the domestic scientific literature. One of the important pedagogical theories that should be chosen to justify the theoretical foundation of cultivating the values of academic integrity is the critical pedagogy of the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. That is why the purpose of this article is to analyze Paulo Freire’s pedagogical theory as a methodological basis for the formation of academic integrity of participants in the educational process. The analysis of Paulo Freire’s pedagogical ideas in the context of critical pedagogy shows that the highest and noblest goal of education is to liberate a person from injustice. Critical education should form a critical consciousness that constantly questions and doubts, that develops itself and encourages others to improve. Bearers of such consciousness are capable of transforming social reality, able to resist manipulative practices, and an important goal of the educational process is the formation of a personality capable of acquiring and producing new knowledge. Such a person can be educated only on the basis of respect, trust, humanity, subjectivity, dialogue and co-creation, using problem-based and person-oriented learning technologies. Young people with developed critical thinking, creative, inquisitive, who build their activities on the production of new things for the improving of people’s lives are based on the principles of trust and justice. They with a high probability will adhere to the principles, norms and rules of integrity, primarily academic, since education is a leading type of activity for pupils and student youth.

Biomedicine and the treatment of difference in a Jerusalem emergency department

Biomedicine has played a key role in the dissemination of modern social norms, such as the emphasis on individual autonomy and the distinction between science and religion. This study examines the way the mostly-Jewish members of the medical staff at an emergency department of a Jerusalem hospital perceive Jewish ultra-Orthodox and Arab patients' behaviors vis-à-vis the existing biomedical norms. We analyzed participants' perceptions in terms of the social constructs they reveal, their meanings, and their implications. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 staff members and were analyzed using content analysis. The staff described challenges in treating Arab and ultra-Orthodox patients, which they related to both groups' embeddedness in traditional “cultures” and collective identities. According to the participants, in both cases, the patients' cultural affiliations constrained their sense of individual autonomy and rationality. However, in the comparative analysis, two differences emerged. First, while both groups were perceived to diverge from modern norms of individual autonomy, in the case of Arab patients, these characteristics were presented as disruptive and potentially threatening to the hospital staff. By contrast, in the case of ultra-Orthodox patients, adherence to traditional and collective values was more likely to be represented as a risk to the patient, rather than to the staff. Second, staff were more likely to provide accommodations for ultra-Orthodox patients than for Arab patients. These accommodations were often described in the frame of “cultural competency.” We suggest that divergences in how staff understood and responded to perceived cultural differences of each group reflect unequal impacts of structural determinants of health, including of political conflict. We recommend moving beyond the conceptual framework of cultural competency to strengthen the staff's structural competency, cultural and structural humility, and critical consciousness.

Serres’s reading of Tartuffe: hypocrisy and comic underdetermination

ABSTRACT In The Parasite (1980), philosopher Michel Serres invites readers to reflect on hypocrisy in a non-moral sense. Ruminating upon the example of Molière’s Tartuffe, Serres takes up the scandalous imposture of the hypocrite and he shows, at the heart of comic pretence, what this essay describes as an underdetermination of identity and individuation. That is, where readers, theatregoers, and participants in public discourse would ground thought upon a principle of determinacy and individuation—for example determinations of the basic wickedness of hypocrites and parasites—philosophical considerations of these figures (and the phenomenon of comic action) explode this principle to suggest an ontological and discursive space of inconsistency and intermediacy. By examining Tartuffe’s ingratiating language of piety and the play’s surprising figures of grace, this essay shows how discursive systems and social systems are equally devoted to ideals of determinable identity that leave them vulnerable to operators who can discern and exploit the inevitable sites of latent incoherence and inconsistency. The essay concludes by developing Serres’s notions of comedy as a play between consistency and inconsistency, individuation and disindividuation, a sad and severed fragmentariness (as with Plato’s Aristophanes), but also the generative spawning of a supplemental comic critical consciousness.

Centering and marginalization in introductory university physics classrooms

IntroductionResearch-based instructional strategies in physics promote active participation in collaborative activities as a primary means for students to construct understanding. Discussions of physics content are also negotiations of social relations.MethodsVideo analysis of small-group collaborative learning activities in introductory physics classrooms at three different universities, using situated learning theory analyses that include a critical consciousness lens.ResultsStudents’ ability to actively participate in sensemaking may be limited by their peripheral or marginalized position. Some people seem to be centered (or marginalized) for reasons other than the strength of their physics reasoning, and some people’s contributions are elevated (or neglected) for reasons other than their scientific merit.DiscussionSome of the behavioral patterns that we observe typify racialized and gendered interactions that are common in broader U.S. society.

Facilitated Contact: Building the Container for Interracial Conversations about Race

The contact hypothesis purports that intergroup interactions under particular conversational conditions are more likely to lead to positive outcomes, including a decrease in prejudice. Extending the contact hypothesis by conceptualizing conditions as unfolding communicative processes, we held focus group/interviews with 35 facilitators from 14 community organizations that conduct interracial conversations about race. We used thematic analysis to discern the conditions and their enactment (i.e., dynamics) and employed grounded theory to assess any relationships across these conditions and their dynamics. We found six conversational conditions (interracial co-facilitation, using community agreements, adapting to participants’ readiness, equalizing communication, creating welcoming spaces, and promoting critical consciousness), each of which involved particular conversational dynamics that elaborated on what occurs when the conditions are implemented. Our overarching analysis reflected that the facilitators were involved in building a container for dialogue that has the potential to be transformative within the communities they facilitated and beyond.

Movement Toward Critical Consciousness and Humility Through Family as Faculty Approaches

This qualitative study examined preservice special education teachers’ (PSETs) movement toward critical consciousness and humility in working with families of children with disabilities using a Freirean lens grounded in three phases of consciousness: intransitive, transitive, and critical consciousness. The authors expanded upon a Family as Faculty (FAF) framework integrating Freire’s understandings of consciousness applied to the ways that PSETs work with and learn from parents/families of children with disabilities. Using FAF-related activities, PSETs demonstrated varying levels of consciousness as operationalized through specific comments or behaviors. Eight PSET-Parent pairs participated in this study. The focus of analysis was on PSETs’ reflections. Findings indicated that though the majority of PSETs demonstrated movement or growth toward becoming more “conscious,” many PSETs remained in the transitive phase: they could identify inequitable and marginalizing practices impacting students but were not at a consciousness level where they connected these injustices to systemic issues.

Critical Pedagogy: A Journey from Its Origins to Critical Pedagogy in Colombian Education

A great revolution in the way teachers and educators see language teaching and learning, and its scope has started to gain weight in the last decades, all brought about by the extraordinary emerging research and theories to change this traditional view. Language teaching and learning have moved from the classroom settings, where the focus was just on what happens in the classroom, to more pressing matters, and now they aim to develop more than language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and the like). Instead, they intent to develop critical thinking, critical and political consciousness, and social justice awareness through what some educators have called Critical Pedagogy (CP hereafter), which leads to the transformation of the individual, the learning environment, and society (Freire, 1970). What follows is by no means definite about Critical Pedagogy but an attempt to introduce and conceptualize the origin, definition, principles, view of teachers and learners, and the current situation of CP in Colombia and end it with our understanding of what has been presented throughout this paper, along with some general conclusions.

An educational program affirming immigrant entrepreneurship, critical consciousness, and cultural strengths

AbstractThis study reports on the experiences of immigrants in a culturally responsive community entrepreneurship program named Poder. Immigrants make up a sizable proportion of the workforce and contribute to the US economy by creating jobs through entrepreneurship endeavors. However, research about culturally responsive programs for the immigrant community to assist in exploring entrepreneurship opportunities is lacking. The consensual qualitative research (CQR) method was implemented to analyze the interviews of 11 immigrant students, who participated in the 5‐week program at a community college. Analyses revealed that students engaged in critical consciousness regarding barriers to entrepreneurship, educational values and barriers, achievement values, and the unique experience of immigrant entrepreneurs. Students addressed cultural advantages to reduce barriers during the program by engaging supports, family, technology, and community as resources. These strategies may be helpful to scholars, educators, and practitioners seeking to support immigrants in pursuing community entrepreneurship as educational and career pathways.

Critical consciousness development for teachers of multilingual learners: A cultural/linguistic immersion program shaping early teaching careers

This study offers a long-term developmental pathway view of three early career K-12 teachers who participated in a practical TESOL preparation-based language/cultural immersion program abroad. Research continued across 5-years from pre-service through early career years, enabling the researchers to illustrate the curricular and extra-curricular developmental pathways implicated in development of sociopolitical and pedagogical dispositions and skills required to work in a culturally/linguistically sustaining manner alongside multilingual learners. The inquiry identifies the relevance of findings for the broader U.S. teacher education context and beyond with added emphasis on immersion-abroad teacher preparation programs and experiences for teachers of multilingual learners.

Integrating Critical Content into an Undergraduate Research Methods Course to Support Student Learning Outcomes

Background Undergraduate students have reported low utility for research. Drawing from the literature about motivation and culturally relevant and responsive education, we framed psychological research methods as a social justice tool to enhance learners’ understanding of racial inequality and valuing of course content. Objective Two instructors infused critical methods content throughout their undergraduate psychological research methods courses to increase students’ perceptions of systemic racism in research, multicultural perspective taking, and motivation toward the course. Method Undergraduate students’ attitudes were measured at the beginning and end of the semester using an anonymous online survey. The critical research methods content was integrated throughout the semester. Results Effect sizes provided marginal support for increased awareness of systemic racism in research and multicultural perspective-taking. Results also indicated that students who more strongly perceived research as a social justice strategy reported greater valuing of research, and those who perceived higher value reported greater intentions to pursue research in the future. Conclusion Results provide proof of concept for critical methods content in facilitating undergraduate students’ critical awareness and engagement with psychological research methods. Teaching Implications Teachers can utilize critical content to support students’ critical engagement and goal setting within their learning contexts.

Uniting Teachers Through Critical Language Awareness: a Role for the Early Career Framework?

ABSTRACT In this paper, we make initial advances towards building an argument for the inclusion of Critical Literacy Awareness within the new Early Career Framework in England. Using illustrative examples from recent research projects, we argue that post-2010 education policy has discursively divided practitioners, structuring relationships between different groups of teachers in schools as hierarchical and competitive, rather than collegial and supportive. We argue that such hierarchies may be a contributing factor to the teacher retention crisis, given that research indicates teachers working in schools with a collegial culture are more likely to remain committed and motivated. We propose that engagement with CLA may enable early career teachers to critique and resist dominant discourses which differentiate and hierarchically divide them from their colleagues, and therefore, the utility of CLA should be explored within future iterations of the Early Career Framework.

A cycle model of intercultural learning: educating the global citizen

ABSTRACT This article presents a model of intercultural learning that may be used in the planning and implementation of citizenship education in foreign/second/world language teaching. The Cycle model of intercultural learning aims at the development of global citizenship and comprises four phases: noticing, comparing, reflecting and interaction. Among the central concepts are critical cultural awareness, perspective awareness, local and global contextualisation, and decentering. The article further shows how language learning and intercultural learning may be integrated by combining the Cycle model of intercultural learning with task-based language learning and language learning via chunks and keywords. The argument is illustrated by results from an action research project carried out in Denmark in the school year 2021/2022. Thematically, the project draws inspiration from The UN Global Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities, and addresses students of English, German, and French in grade 8 (15-year-olds). In this article, the focus is on one of the English classes, but the article concludes with reflections on the relevance of all languages.

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Culturally responsive pedagogy is crucial in education, valuing diverse backgrounds to create inclusive learning environments. This paper synthesizes 32 literature sources systematically highlighting the importance of recognizing cultural backgrounds, building relationships, adapting instruction, and promoting critical consciousness. Recognition of students' backgrounds enhances academic achievement and engagement, while positive relationships foster belonging and well-being. Adapting instruction meets diverse needs and improves outcomes. Promoting critical consciousness empowers students to challenge stereotypes and address social injustices. Ongoing professional development and support are essential for effective implementation. By addressing these areas, educational institutions can create equitable and inclusive environments. Further research is needed to explore effective strategies for recognizing cultural backgrounds, investigate the impact of inclusive communities, study strategies for diverse learning needs, and examine the outcomes of promoting critical consciousness. Addressing these gaps enhances understanding and informs evidence-based practices in culturally responsive teaching.

Critical Engagement with Teacher Perceptions of Language and Communication

In recent years, we have seen growing awareness of ELF principles and research, with extensive discussion of the relevance of ELF in all manner of educational settings. Nevertheless, it is also apparent that approaches to language awareness and analysis continue to be underscored by monolingualism and language ideologies. This paper re-examines some long-standing assumptions in language education about the perceived role of Native Speaker English (NSE), both as a pedagogic model and as a means of determining language competence. In doing so, I critically appraise the concept of emergent language, an increasingly influential idea gaining currency in language teaching methodology. As I have argued for some time now, to promote greater uptake of ELF pedagogic principles among practising language teachers, we must engage in critical discussion of the pedagogic impact of ELF in the curriculum for language teacher education. Only by facilitating the development of critical awareness can we hope to move beyond convention and enable teachers to adopt an ELF perspective. This paper is thus primarily concerned with two key questions: what do teachers need to know about language, and how do they respond to student language in the classroom? In order to address this, I will interrogate and offer alternatives to the manner in which knowledge about language is broadly oriented in language teacher education, which, when framed from an ELF perspective, is in need of substantial critical engagement.

‘It wasn’t adults and young people […] we’re all in it together’: co-designing a post-secondary transition program through youth participatory action research

ABSTRACT This paper aims to contribute fresh insights into youth participatory action research (YPAR) by using bell hooks’ engaged pedagogy to illuminate the process of co-designing a program for transition beyond secondary school. Engaged pedagogy is a critical pedagogy that combines critical consciousness and radical wholeness and seeks to foster a learning community. The 10-week YPAR included six staff collaborators (SCs) and five youth collaborators (YCs). Data comprised recordings of weekly collaborative group meetings; group interviews with SCs and YCs; and reflections and artefacts such as planning documents, graphic organisers and photographs. Informed by engaged pedagogy, findings are represented in two themes. First, YCs and SCs raised critical consciousness by collectively unpacking and critiquing the concept of transition. Critical consciousness allowed YCs to share their lived experiences and critique the dominant deficit discourse that represents transition as a linear process that needs to be smoothed by expert adults. Second, YCs and SCs demonstrated what hooks describes as radical wholeness, by bringing their whole selves to the YPAR. While some SCs and YCs struggled with the messiness of co-design as they negotiated expectations and roles, they learned to be honest and share their emotions, becoming what hooks describes as a learning community. Using an engaged pedagogy lens, we conclude by advocating for a holistic approach for YPAR in which educators take the risk of being vulnerable, sharing uncertainty and discomfort while encouraging youth to also take risks by bringing their whole selves to the process.

Weaving reflections on critical awareness and the choice of Mathematics textbook

This article proposes a reflection on the choice of textbook (TB) and the importance of critical awareness in this process. The result of doctoral research, with a qualitative approach, this text shares its results presenting a new perspective of analysis for the tensions that permeate this theme. We believe that the moment the teacher chooses books has a direct consequence on the students' critical formation process, as this material can contribute both to reproducing the oppressive ideology and challenging students to think critically in the search for equity and social justice. Thus, the choice of TB by the teacher has an impact on the critical formation of students, which depends on the teacher's autonomy and conscience. In summary, critical awareness is fundamental for teachers in choosing TB and in promoting pedagogical practices that empower students to become agents of change.

Dismantling Anti-Black Racism With Unapologetic Boldness: Redefining Our Values and Living Them Out Loud

In her 2023 Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP) Presidential Address, Dr. Shavonne Moore-Lobban reflects on the work of the division to continue dismantling anti-Black racism. Through personal reflections of societal oppression and harm toward Black people, she calls on the SCP to engage in critical consciousness and center the liberation of Black people for the liberation of all people. Central to her message are redefined SCP values which she reviews and challenges SCP to boldly live out loud.

Teaching for Social Justice: A Teacher Researcher's Journey and Evolution

AbstractThis article (a) explores the experience of an early childhood teacher researcher as she intentionally uses interactive read‐alouds to promote social justice and to encourage critical consciousness in her preschool classroom and (b) offers guidance for educators to embark on their own social justice journey. Over the course of a 2‐year study, the teacher engaged the children with 12 books. Findings describe the personal and professional evolution of the teacher researcher as social justice became her “way of being.” As she studied and reflected on issues of oppression and equity, and considered her own classroom read‐alouds, she shifted her approach from centering social–emotional learning to social justice. This shift was marked by changes in book selection and presentation and by two key turning points. Findings also detail the roles the teacher adopted as she explored books with her students and illustrate how these roles supported and prompted social justice. Self‐reflection points and steps are included to support educators in teaching for social justice.

“It’s How You’re Delivering These Messages”: An Examination of Black Women Early Childhood Educators’ Liberatory Practices Through Poetic Inquiry

ABSTRACT Over the course of 18 months, I found myself on a journey that began with two research questions based on my wonderings and observations about the lives of the women I witnessed engaging with young Black children in ways that the academic literature had not expounded upon. In this article, I use poetic inquiry to elucidate the liberatory practices of five Black women early childhood educators in a southwestern state. Rooted in Black feminist thought and ars spirituality, I analyzed my co-researchers’ narrative portraits to craft found poems that explored the connection between their embodiment of reciprocal authenticity and liberatory practices that further developed young Black children’s critical consciousness. As a means of (re)claiming my responsibility as a scholar and teacher educator, I provide the reader with poetic offerings that speak to the intergenerational freedom dreams of these Black women educators.

Love in a Time of Genocide: A Palestinian Litany for Survival

This essay centers the affective insights and pedagogies of transnational Palestinian feminism through a conversation and friendship that emerged between Mona Ameen, a young feminist scholar trapped in Gaza, and the author, during Israel’s latest military assault, which is still ongoing at the time of writing. It argues that practicing decolonial love in a time of genocidal war is a life-affirming practice of critical Palestinian feminist consciousness.