Critical Pedagogy Research Articles

The Applicability of Critical Pedagogy in Adult English Language Teaching (ELT)

This paper explores the applicability of critical pedagogy in adult ELT, emphasizing its role in fostering social awareness and change. Critical pedagogy encourages learners to critically examine their social reality, engage in meaningful dialogues, and become active agents for social justice. However, incorporating this approach into adult ELT faces some challenges. This study addresses four major obstacles to critical pedagogy implementation. The four challenges are a) lack of teacher preparation, b) potential risk of misguiding learners, c) cultural barriers in certain countries and regions, and d) insufficient infrastructure for aligning materials and assessment with critical pedagogy. Despite these challenges, evidence from literature and existing successful case studies suggest that critical pedagogy can be integrated inro ELT with thoughtful adjustments. The current paper provides insights for adult English program leaders to overcome such challenges and implement critical pedagogy effectively, thus empowering learners to achieve both linguistic proficiency and social transformation.

Enhancing Trust and Embracing Vulnerability in the College Classroom: A Reflection on Ungrading and Co-Creation in Teaching and Learning

In this reflective essay, we explore how we and our students experienced trust and opened ourselves up to being vulnerable in two iterations of a course that was built on the pedagogies of ungrading and co-creation in teaching and learning (CCTL). As approaches that fall under the broader umbrella of critical pedagogy, ungrading usually involves an alternative to conventional alphanumeric grading systems, while co-creation in teaching and learning consists of a varied scale of student-and-instructor partnerships in the classroom. The course contexts explored here take ungrading to mean student self-assessment and self-assignment of grades, and our implementation of co-creation focused on significant elements of the course such as expectations, content, assignments, and assessments. We suggest that our combination of these pedagogies exposed the significance of vulnerability to nurturing trust in the college classroom. After an overview of the salient points in the literature on these pedagogies and a discussion of trust and vulnerability, we recollect our own experiences of them in a co-taught second-year honors course. Drawing from our reflections and those expressed in student writing, we observe that we brought a significant level of trust in each other and our students to the course. Further, we note that the processes of sharing authority embedded in both pedagogies significantly deepened that trust while also underscoring, in retrospect, the remarkable degree of vulnerability made accessible to students and instructors alike. Instructors who wish to implement these approaches should be keenly aware of the additional opportunities that trust and vulnerability, as made possible via these pedagogies, offer for building relationships in the classroom and working toward increased inclusivity and equity in the course community.

Critical thinking in preparation for student teachers’ professional practice: A case study of critical thinking conceptions in policy documents framing teaching placement at a Swedish university

This paper explores the conceptions of critical thinking in national and local policy documents for teaching placement, using the case of teacher education programs at a Swedish university. The concept under scrutiny is based on three contemporary theoretical models of critical thinking in education: critical thinking movement, critical pedagogy, and “criticality” movement. In Sweden, the teacher profession is framed with a broader socio-ethical scope than the focus on individual cognitive skills of the critical thinking movement. Critical reflection and self-reflection, two conceptions identified with the criticality ideal of education for critical being, prevail in the analyzed documents.

Teaching for Social Justice: How Educators Address Inequalities in STEM Education

Inequalities in STEM education remain a persistent issue, disproportionately affecting underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, and low-income students. This study aims to explore how educators address these inequalities through social justice frameworks in their teaching practices. Grounded in theories of culturally relevant pedagogy and critical pedagogy, the research investigates the role of teachers as key agents in promoting equity in STEM classrooms. A systematic literature review was conducted, drawing from case studies, academic articles, and policy reports, focusing on strategies that educators use to create more inclusive and supportive learning environments. The findings reveal that educators utilize a range of methods, such as differentiated instruction, inclusive curriculum design, and culturally responsive teaching, to address disparities in STEM education. However, significant challenges, including limited resources and inconsistent institutional support, hinder full implementation. This paper highlights the importance of teacher agency and the need for professional development programs that equip educators to better address social justice in STEM education. It contributes to existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of best practices while identifying gaps in research on long-term impacts and global applicability.

The Adverse Effect of Dehumanizing Practices on Student Engagement and Learning in English Language Teaching Classroom

Knowingly or unknowingly, forgetting our multilingual and multicultural scenario, teachers’ behaviors may create social inequalities and injustices in the classroom; in the name of the dominant language of the school and power relation. Our classroom context is multilingual, multicultural and bilingual where students come from different economic and linguistic background. To some extent, our school system, including textbooks, instruction, curriculum, teaching practices seem to have influenced by the dominant ‘English/Nepali only’ approach. Furthermore, some teachers may not motivate minority students looking their low economic status, uncombed hair, roughly managed shirt-paint, unpolished shoes and low proficiency in English language. In this context, this paper aims to analyze the difficulties and struggle of demotivated (due to teachers’ bias behaviors and friends’ insult upon their appearance and language) Nepali language speaking children’s experiences as they feel insulted in school environment. To fulfill this objective, I adopted narrative research design in line with the qualitative research method. Discussing on the basis of classroom observation and unstructured interviews with the student, this paper analyzes that how the learners are marginalized and forbidden equal access to participate in the mainstream of social and political life that enhances their better learning opportunity and participation in classroom and society to what Bourdieu’s word symbolic violence with some examples of how such social inequalities and injustices are seen in school’s teaching-learning practices. Specially, given the problematic nature of schooling for such learners in some of the schools in Nepal, this paper highlights the need for socially responsive school policies and critical pedagogy, aiming at challenging and changing certain practices having identified a problem; originally propounded by Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator; understanding the difficulties of living in poverty, local context entertaining the linguistic and cultural diversity of students. This study contributes to all the educational stakeholders to update and change themselves as human- friendly behaviours with the learners that can maintain social equalities and justice.

Good critics, good criticism: rethinking critical pedagogy in a production economy

ABSTRACT As symbolic production has eclipsed critical consumption, teaching critical communication methods is marked by challenges and opportunities. In this essay, I describe the impact of a critical-pedagogical incongruity on our discipline’s ability to fulfill its vocational and civic potential. I trace the confluence of historical, institutional, and economic factors contributing to our discipline’s critical-pedagogical challenges. And I consider how critical communication instructors can reaffirm the centrality of criticism through a meliorative pedagogy that amplifies critical communication’s unique contributions to a comprehensive liberal arts education by teaching students how to unite critical methods, character, and lived experience.

Recentring the Political in Education for Sustainable Development: Participatory Photovoice Research as Prefigurative Politics Towards Social-ecological Transformation

Abstract Based on the critique of education for sustainable development (ESD) as a socio-political control element of ecological modernisation, we discuss the prefigurative potential of participatory photovoice research in schools in light of social-ecological transformation. We argue that engaging students in prefigurative practices of change in which (sustainable) counter-futures are explored in the (unsustainable) present can help to re-politicise ESD, and we view photovoice as a way to guide this transformative process. Drawing on examples from a participatory research project on the transformation of local food systems in Graz, Austria, we critically explored photovoice as a method of transformative education that creates power-critical spaces of possible futures in which (un)sustainable hegemony and collectively internalised patterns of thought and action can be questioned to envision and negotiate liveable futures for all.

Carving space to learn for sustainable futures

This article addresses the pressing need to reimagine education for sustainable futures amidst the socioecological crises of our time. Grounded in the recognition of modernity as profoundly alienating and unsustainable, we argue for an education informed by theory, critical pedagogies and critical sustainability research. Through an example from our own teaching practice, where we focused on pace, place, connections and modes of engagement, we demonstrate how adult educators can draw on theory to deliberately shape teaching. Highlighting the unsustainability of social acceleration, we encourage educators to slow down and carve out a space for profound engagement with sustainability. Drawing on diverse theoretical frameworks, we propose an approach that cultivates a sense of embeddedness in place and connection to oneself, others and the natural world. Finally, we argue that education for sustainable futures necessitates a departure from modernist paradigms, inviting educators to envision transformative pedagogies that foster critical awareness and societal change.

Toward Postulating a Critical Digital Pedagogy Scale: Development and Validation of a Meta-Connective Attitude Questionnaire for the Online Classrooms

Although digital technology and democracy through digital learning environments are gaining attention in applied linguistics, the lack of a measurement scale with robust psychometric properties hinders progress towards education quality and learning opportunities. To address this gap, this study is a report on designing, constructing, and validating the practicality of critical digital pedagogy (CDP) scale. To undertake the study, a quantitative research following a survey design was adopted to (a) develop and validate the scale, and (b) to screen English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions. To gauge teachers’ perspectives, this study aimed to conceptualize the construct of CDP through the development and validation of a scale specifically designed for use in online classrooms. Utilizing both data-driven and theoretical approaches among 412 EFL teachers has resulted in the development of a 27-item CDP scale. Notably, the findings indicated a high level of internal consistency and satisfactory construct validity of the of the newly developed scale. Such scale can bridge the gap between critical pedagogy and digital instruction.

The Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme from a tutor’s point of view: groundwork for a critical pedagogy

AbstractThe Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) provides one-on-one tutoring for Indigenous students at Australian universities. Qualitative and quantitative research has consistently identified ITAS as a vital means of supporting Indigenous participation in tertiary education, while also lamenting a lack of clear guidelines for conducting the tutoring relationship. Clear guidelines are important for students to know what to expect from tutors and for tutors to understand their purpose. There has been little, if any, research conducted from the perspective of a tutor reflecting on the pedagogies employed as part of their involvement in ITAS. This article fills that gap by laying the groundwork for a critical pedagogy of ITAS tutoring. Drawing on the anti-hierarchical concepts of Jacques Rancière and an autoethnographic methodology, I suggest that tutors should adopt an abolitionist approach that empowers students and discourages dependency. I show how this method can be put into practice through a strategy I call Returning the Question. The aim of this article is to stimulate reflection among ITAS tutors on their pedagogical practice with the hope of improving the quality and efficacy of ITAS as a support service for Indigenous students at university.

The Ideological Dilemma in Using Games in Global Citizenship and Development Education

The objective of this paper is to contribute to discourse informing the use of computer games in Global Citizenship and Development Education. In doing so, it addresses the incompatibility and conflict between the values imbedded in games and those informing development education practice. It is aimed at both formal and informal educators who see the potential in using games in their practice and want to reconcile this dilemma. It is also aimed at policy makers and influencers who want to shape the structures governing such digital spaces in the public interest. The research involved an interdisciplinary literature review across the fields of Education, Game Design, colonialism and social activism. The analysis takes a postcolonial perspective and is informed by the theory and practice of critical pedagogy in youth work and development education. The study was conducted as part of Doctoral research and project work with NGOs over a seven-year period to 2024. In this context it is important to note that this is a rapidly changing and evolving sector. The development of computer games and immersive technologies over the past 20 years has been transformational, in their interactive capabilities and global proliferation, particularly with the emergence of “The Metaverse”. Such expansion has been critiqued as a process of Colonialism, where young people’s time, creativity, identities and attention is being commodified, monetised, packaged and sold to the highest bidder. The structure of the games industry, their content and the ecosystem surrounding gaming are all ideologically driven. Such ideology aligns with one of three systems: the neoliberal hegemony emanating from transnational corporations and market economies; the state control being exerted by China and others; or a blind commitment to opensource being advocated by many industry innovators, developers and users. When using games in an educational context, and particularly when addressing Social Justice and Global Citizenship, the values and cultures underpinning all three of these ideologies are problematic. It is the contention in this paper that such spaces can also be developed as informal educational spaces informed by values aligned with critical global citizenship and development education. Now is the time for development educational practitioners, conscientious games designers and policymakers to collaborate, to act, to legislate, to experiment and carve out a safe, progressive, dynamic, decolonised digital space for engagement with issues of global citizenship and development education

A Scoping Review of Factors Influencing Smoking Cessation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

To provide a scoping review of studies on factors affecting smoking cessation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), so as to provide a basis for healthcare professionals to intervene early in the process of cessation of smoking in patients with COPD, and to formulate personalized interventions for smoking cessation. Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review methodology as a framework, searched databases including CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, China Biomedical Database, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library to collect literature on factors influencing smoking cessation among COPD patients. The literature was screened, data extracted, and summarized accordingly. A total of 28 papers were included. The socio-demographic related factors affecting smoking cessation in patients with COPD were age, educational level, residence, marital status, occupational status, economic status, race, and sex; tobacco related factors included smoking index, smoking duration (years), cumulative smoking (packs/year), smoking intensity (packs/day), and tobacco addiction; disease related factors included mMRC score, GOLD level, severity of airflow restrictions, symptom, activity limitation due to lung problems, history of deterioration in outpatient care, receipt of COPD medication, receipt of lung CT, receipt of pulmonary function tests, receipt of surgery, and comorbid comorbidities; psychologically related factors included mental health status, quit smoking health beliefs, smoking cessation self-efficacy, motivation to quit smoking, stress, and adverse emotions; environmental/Interpersonal network related factors-included environmental impacts, social support, family support, tobacco control policies, and satisfaction with cessation care; and behavior related factors included alcohol consumption, coffee consumption, eating, physical activity, and have a hobby. Healthcare professionals should avoid critical education of COPD patients in the process of smoking cessation management, pay attention to the adverse effects of medication side effects on patients, emphasize the improvement of patients' health beliefs and self-efficacy in smoking cessation, and help patients to establish a correct cognition of smoking cessation.

Applying critical pedagogies to human rights education

ABSTRACT The right to education is recognised in international human rights law, underpinned by guidance for human rights education to assure the goals of the UN Charter. While this vision for human rights education has been around since the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recent developments at UN level have galvanised interdisciplinary scholarship, drawing pedagogical frameworks from education studies, sociology, development studies, psychology, and philosophy into the teaching of international human rights law generally situated within law schools in higher education. Yet scholarship on the pedagogy of human rights education is in its infancy. Recent trends point to the transformative potential of utilising radical and critical pedagogies in furtherance of human rights education. Adding to the toolkit, this article presents a conceptually oriented framework for application to human rights educational practice. It builds on critical human rights education scholarship, interrogating how human rights education can tackle structural injustice, elucidating ways to infuse classroom learning with horizontal human rights principles, and examining the psychosocial factors in this kind of learning. The application of critical pedagogies to human rights education will be of interest to human rights educators and students of human rights everywhere.

How can GenAI foster an inclusive language classroom? A critical language pedagogy perspective from Philippine university teachers

Recent studies have recognized the potential and drawbacks of using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), especially ChatGPT, in education. However, studies exploring the possibility of GenAI tools in language education are scarce from the perspective of critical pedagogy. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of 14 academics in Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs) regarding the use of GenAI in pedagogical contexts and how such use of these GenAI tools fosters an environment of inclusivity and equality among learners. Employing an open-ended survey questionnaire and follow-up individual interviews, the findings not only highlight the perceived benefits of GenAI in terms of boosting inclusion, participation, and confidence among students, as well as supporting tailored learning experiences and providing feedback in real-time but also its transformative potential, fostering educational fairness, and maximizing the learning experiences of all students. Teachers viewed the integration of GenAI positively, as it could enhance language education by providing students with personalized learning experiences, interactive simulations, and real-time feedback. We discuss the limitations and offer some recommendations.

Implementing Critical Pedagogy in EFL Classes: Pre-Service Teachers’ Experiences

The application of Critical Pedagogy (CP) based on strengthening and valuing the identity of each person to educate them in diversity and achieve social equity becomes key to helping learners identify themselves as agents of change to contribute to the creation of social solutions. The study reports the experiences of pre-service teachers of the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) undergraduate program while implementing CP to teach English to children and teenagers who are beneficiaries of a Charity Foundation in Cuenca, Ecuador. The findings show that pre-service teachers were able to implement the principles of CP not only to teach English but also to foster in students a sense of self-identity and social justice, achieving the goals of using this approach.

Transgressive teaching and the Kingdom of God: Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Teaching to Transgress

This year marks the 30th anniversary of bell hooks’ critical pedagogy classic, Teaching to Transgress. In her book, hooks offers a Black feminist perspective on education as the practice of freedom, putting forward an “engaged pedagogy” that seeks to foster healing and liberation for both teachers and students. This essay aims to honor hooks’ influential text by identifying how it has shaped our efforts to develop kingdom pedagogies. Through a collaborative Christian dialogue, we illuminate how Teaching to Transgress can empower Christian educators to resist domination, cultivate embodied vulnerability, and pursue teaching and learning as a healing enterprise.

EP.16E.02 15 Years of the Lung Cancer Living Room Expert Speaker Series Provides Critical Education to Global Audience

EP.16E.02 15 Years of the Lung Cancer Living Room Expert Speaker Series Provides Critical Education to Global Audience

영어교육과 세계시민교육 융합 수업 사례에 대한 체계적 문헌 분석

This study analyzes 12 research papers focusing on the integration of English language education and global citizenship education (GCE) in South Korea from 2015 to 2024. The analysis reveals a predominance of research at elementary and university levels, while studies focusing on middle and high schools are comparatively scarce. Most studies pursued the dual objectives of enhancing English communication skills and fostering global citizenship awareness, with key themes including multiculturalism, human rights, and environmental issues. Teaching methodologies encompassed content-integrated learning, media-based learning, learner-centered approaches, and critical pedagogy. The effects of these integrated courses were global citizenship awareness and attitudes, English communication skills, socio-emotional and motivational aspects, and career and practical applications. Based on the research findings, the study discusses implications for future directions in integrated education.

Addressing Post-Truth in the Classroom: Towards a Critical Pedagogy

Post-truth strategies are characterized by the manipulation of facts and personal assertions of the truth for political gain. By seeding polarization, skepticism, and mistrust, post-truth presents challenges to teaching and learning within academic settings. In this paper, we explore how post-truth is articulated in higher education literature using a critical pedagogical lens. We suggest that pedagogical scholarship needs to expand its scope beyond a focus on the media antics of individual politicians in order to interrogate the reliance on dominant framings that simply define “post-truth” as circumstances where personal beliefs take precedence over established facts. We argue that the current framing of post-truth shapes the educational response to this issue, which focuses on helping students discern correct from incorrect information, as opposed to teaching students how power and knowledge are intertwined in post-truth and ways to understand and address the subsequent and potentially harmful power relations. Since post-truth strategies are enacted to restrict thoughtful reflection on dominant relations of power, we propose a critical pedagogical framework to problematize the notion of objective truth, account for the politics of exclusion, examine power relations, and contest post-truth strategies.

"Education As A Tool For Social Change: Examining The Role Of Critical Pedagogy In Addressing Inequality"

"Education As A Tool For Social Change: Examining The Role Of Critical Pedagogy In Addressing Inequality"