Justice Education Research Articles

Are there boundaries for epistemic injustice in medical education?

Are there boundaries for epistemic injustice in medical education?

Blackademics as prophetic witnesses and the continuing struggle for racial justice in higher education

ABSTRACT This multidisciplinary paper illuminates white supremacist ideologies that serve to disenfranchise critical Black scholars in the U.S. academy. We situate the work of what we describe as the ‘Blackademic’ within the theological tradition of the prophetic witness. The conceptualization of critical Black scholars as a prophetic witness illuminates how they traverse the increasingly neo-liberal academy while they also navigate anti-Black white supremacist racism in higher education. This paper seeks to identify practical crossroads between the study of the experiences of Black scholars in academia and Blackademics (e.g. critical Black scholars). This paper also extends our previous emergent theoretical understanding of the actions of Blackademics.

Justice‐centered STEM education with multilingual learners to address societal challenges: A conceptual framework

AbstractWe propose a conceptual framework for STEM education that is centered around justice for minoritized groups. Justice‐centered STEM education engages all students in multiple STEM subjects, including data science and computer science, to explain and design solutions to societal challenges disproportionately impacting minoritized groups. We articulate the affordances of justice‐centered STEM education for one minoritized student group that has been traditionally denied meaningful STEM learning: multilingual learners (MLs). Justice‐centered STEM education with MLs leverages the assets they bring to STEM learning, including their transnational experiences and knowledge as well as their rich repertoire of meaning‐making resources. In this position paper, we propose our conceptual framework to chart a new research agenda on justice‐centered STEM education to address societal challenges with all students, especially MLs. Our conceptual framework incorporates four interrelated components by leveraging the convergence of multiple STEM disciplines to promote justice‐centered STEM education with MLs: (a) societal challenges in science education, (b) justice‐centered data science education, (c) justice‐centered computer science education, and (d) justice‐centered engineering education. The article illustrates our conceptual framework using the case of the COVID‐19 pandemic, which has presented an unprecedented societal challenge but also an unprecedented opportunity to cultivate MLs' assets toward promoting justice in STEM education. Finally, we describe how our conceptual framework establishes the foundation for a new research agenda that addresses increasingly complex, prevalent, and intractable societal challenges disproportionately impacting minoritized groups. We also consider broader issues pertinent to our conceptual framework, including the social and emotional impacts of societal challenges; the growth of science denial and misinformation; and factors associated with politics, ideology, and religion. Justice‐centered STEM education contributes to solving societal challenges that K‐12 students currently face while preparing them to shape a more just society.

Analysis of Gender-bias in the Current State of American Education

Abstract: In today's society, educational equity has become the focus of global attention, and gender bias, as an important form of educational injustice, poses a significant obstacle to the growth of individuals and the ovall progress of society. This paper aims to explore the issue of gender bias in the current situation of American education, focusing on its manifestations, impact mechanisms, and potential improvement strategies. The study uses literature analysis, case study and data analysis to explore the gender bias in education in the United States. The subjects range from primary school to higher education, with data derived from government reports, academic research results, and social surveys. This study found that gender bias exists widespread in American education, not only in curriculum, textbook content, and teacher-student interaction but also profoundly affects students' learning motivation, self-perception and future career development. Therefore, eliminating gender bias and promoting educational equity are of great significance for the long-term development and prosperity of American society.

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 interplay between teaching for social justice beliefs and intergroup contact experiences in teachers’ responses to new curricular autonomy

ABSTRACT This study explores how South Korean teachers’ beliefs about social justice teaching intersect with their intergroup contact experiences when teaching migrant students under expanded curriculum autonomy. A comparative qualitative case study approach was used, drawing on interviews, classroom observations, and stimulated recalls. The findings reveal three models of social justice teaching – functional, critical, and liberal – as manifest in each teacher’s practice. The discussion highlights two key aspects: First, regarding contact experiences, teachers’ experience of being minoritized in intergroup contact has a more pronounced effect on their prejudice reduction than the density or frequency of contact per se; and indirect contact with outgroup members can be as effective as direct contact in reducing stereotypes. Second, concerning teacher beliefs and policy implementation, teachers’ beliefs significantly shape their interactions with minoritized students; and increased curriculum autonomy does not necessarily lead to critical social justice teaching. Implications for teacher education are discussed.

Equity in Education: How Classroom Practices Can Promote Social Justice

This paper investigates how classroom practices can actively promote equity and social justice in education by focusing on three core strategies: inclusive teaching, differentiated instruction, and fostering teacher-student relationships. Using a case study approach, the research examines classrooms in underfunded urban schools where these practices have been implemented. Social justice theory serves as the foundation for this analysis, emphasizing how classroom practices directly address disparities in academic outcomes among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Findings show that inclusive teaching practicessuch as using diverse curricular materialsencourage greater participation from marginalized students. Differentiated instruction tailored to individual learning needs reduces performance gaps, while teacher expectations significantly impact student motivation and success. Prior studies are reviewed to contextualize these findings, highlighting a gap in the literature concerning real-world application of these strategies in disadvantaged communities. This research uniquely contributes by providing a concrete analysis of how these practices are applied in practice, offering practical insights for educators and policymakers aiming to reduce inequality in education.

Educational Justice and the Value of Excellence

Developing educational excellence is a goal espoused by education systems. Yet despite its universal endorsement, philosophers have not given sufficient attention to questions such as: Why is excellence good? For whom is it good? And is the value it generates different in nature or in importance from the value generated by developing low or average abilities? This paper examines the instrumental and noninstrumental value of excellence, aiming to contribute to the scholarship of educational justice by elucidating the value of excellence and the tension between developing it and meeting the needs of students with lower levels of ability.

The Role of Indian Academic Libraries in Advancing and Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

This study aims at defining the role of academic libraries in supporting the sustainable development goals in the global quest as the United Nations calls for. Academic libraries play important roles in supporting SDGs – particularly Quality Education (Goal 4), Gender Equality (Goal 5), Reducing Inequalities (Goal 10), and Strengthening the Means of Implementation, Partnerships (Goal 17). To this end, this paper seeks to discuss how academic libraries in India can function as a service provider in the achievement of these goals through assimilating their services, collections, and policies into the IDAG. The research explores how these libraries support educational justice, enable the disenfranchised, establish gender parity, and build cooperation through openness and the use of digital tools. However, critical roles notwithstanding, challenges that academic libraries face in India include limited funding sources, digital resource constraints, professional development opportunities, and low levels of networking both nationally and internationally. Additionally, a general lack of understanding of what the libraries can and should do with reference to the promotion of the SDGs limits potential. Besides, the paper also discusses the current research findings regarding the contributions of Indian academic libraries towards sustainable development and adds the strategies for future enhancement for achieving the sustainable development goals by 2030.

How higher education teachers see their professional identity

An important dimension to understand the student learning process is the professional identity of teachers, which is conceptualized as a continuous process of construction and reconstruction. In this process, teachers define and assume their roles in a specific educational context that is characterized by tensions, adjustments, and transformations. This study focuses on understanding the professional identity of higher education teachers, a field characterized by constant evolution and demands. The personal characteristics of this identity are explored, including experiences and biographical representations, as well as its interrelationship with the institutional environment. Using a qualitative interpretive approach, six teachers recognized for their pedagogical innovation and educational commitment were interviewed. The results reveal outstanding motivation and responsibility in educational work, but also tensions between personal identity and the work context, reflected in the perception of low recognition and the importance of institutional leadership. The teachers show a critical and reflective view of their work, influenced by childhood experiences that impact their conceptions of educational justice and equity. To conclude, the common characteristics of professional identity in higher education highlight the need to integrate them into professional development. The article advocates for the design of more personalized training programs and the promotion of continuous learning among peers as key elements to strengthen this identity and improve pedagogical practice.

Choosing private alternative schools in Czechia: parents’ narrative identity study

ABSTRACT The aim of our study is to describe the identity of parents in a selected private alternative school. We chose a narrative approach based on an analysis of eight in-depth interviews with parents. The results of this research show how parent identities are manifested in their narratives in terms of opposition to mainstream education, negotiation of their needs and legitimisation of their choice. The research contributes to ongoing debates on school-choice policy by understanding how parents at a private school perceive themselves, form their decisions on choice of a school and how they justify their actions. Parent narratives are discussed in terms of quality of education as well as in terms of social justice in education.

Dialogues across difference: Teaching for social justice and inclusion in health professions education.

Dialogues across difference: Teaching for social justice and inclusion in health professions education.

Engineering modelling requirements for integration of assistive technology as a pathway for inclusive education in the disability unit

The phenomenon of 'massification in higher education ', which refers to the significant increase in the number of students enrolling in universities, has made it difficult for inclusive education to be attainable owing to unknown reasons that are encumbering the students living with disability from having a sense of belonging. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between students living with disability and social justice through inclusivity in higher education with the aid of Assistive Technology (AT) to conceptualise a framework. The researchers employed a mixed methods approach to collect and analyse data statistically and descriptively. The requirements for integrating the model to ease the lack of consideration of students living with disability in the digital age were evaluated and critically reviewed regarding its impact on students’ sense of belonging in the digital age. The major findings from this study elucidate the factors perceived as the central requirements for mitigating the lack of inclusivity and social justice in higher education. The procurement of ATs was topical as most respondents (83%) categorically opined the need to improve this process by making timely purchases of the proper ATs from reliable service providers. The successful implementation of this framework could significantly enhance the educational experience of students with disabilities at the University of Venda, making it a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. The findings on the appropriateness of ATs for students overwhelmingly indicated that many of the available devices and technologies meant to assist learners were not fit for the tasks they were intended for. The university should establish a procurement committee and a high-level action plan outlining the requirements for delivering assistive products & services.

How Much Participation Is Participatory? Opportunities and Challenges of Doing Participatory Action Research With Latin American teachers.

This paper provides a detailed account of a participatory action research project carried out with trainee teachers in Chile. Two participant cohorts embarked upon a research study seeking to identify instances of violence and exclusion in their classrooms. Such exploration was conducted through a series of participatory workshops that explored the link between violence and inequality, as well as how nonviolent approaches might assist in fostering more inclusive learning environments. Both participatory action research (PAR) and workshops as a research methodology constitute novel approaches within the Chilean context, where a large number of studies interrogating issues of inequality and classroom violence are of a descriptive rather than empirical nature. Consequently, this paper gives a rationale for using PAR in the first place, then provides a detailed account of how each iteration was designed, the changes that were made in between and the degree of participation achieved with each cohort. Further, the paper makes an argument for a wider use of PAR as a method that strives for social justice and equity in education, while at the same time exploring its advantages, common critiques, and the challenges encountered during the study. Finally, and in light of what transpired in this study, this paper posits that workshops constitute a sustainable participatory research method that provides space for collaboration, creativity, and self-inquiry, while considering several improvements and modifications for future studies.

Language teaching in the 21st century: incorporating culturally sustaining pedagogies for social and cognitive justice in education

Language teaching in the 21st century: incorporating culturally sustaining pedagogies for social and cognitive justice in education

EXAMINING UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ AWARENESS & ACCEPTANCE ABOUT CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING

This research examines awareness and acceptance of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) amid university teachers and students, aiming to elucidate its implications for educational practice and policy. This qualitative study seeks to explore the awareness and acceptance of CRT among university teachers and students, shedding light on the nuances of their perceptions and experiences. Through thematic analysis of participant interviews, this study explores how CRT is understood & integrated into teaching practices across diverse disciplines. Findings show that varying levels of awareness among educators, highlighting importance of professional development & institutional support in promoting effective CRT implementation. Student viewpoint underline effect of culturally related pedagogy on engagement and academic performance of teachers. Ultimately, research underscores CRT's potential to foster inclusive learning environments & prepare students for diverse global contexts, leading to debates on equity and social justice in education. Thus, by exploring knowledge, acceptance and execution of CRT in educators & students of university, this research pinpoint strengths and weaknesses of implementing CRT principles into university teaching and learning endeavors.

Envisioning the Beloved Community: Racial Justice, Property Law, and the Social Mortgage

Abstract The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was concerned about both poverty and race, inextricably linked because of the long and brutal history of racial injustice in housing, employment, and education. What Dr. King called the beloved community reflected a vision of a world built on peace, human dignity, and shared material abundance for all people. To explore this linkage of poverty and race, I employ two related Christian theological concepts: the universal destiny of the goods of the earth and the social mortgage that encumbers all private property to ensure the equitable provision of those goods to all and for all generations. I analyze the ways in which the universal destiny of goods can be mediated through U.S. property law by structuring the ownership and use of land and buildings within the context of social obligation. But while the law has the capacity to ensure ownership, security, and infrastructure for all, U.S. society has failed to make the necessary payments on the social mortgage that would create this reality—a failure due primarily to severe racial and economic injustices, both historical and contemporary. Yet there is hope: I present examples that offer glimpses of the beloved community.

Critical Pedagogy in Addressing Social Inequality and Promoting Social Justice in Education

How can critical pedagogy contribute in addressing social inequality and promoting social justice in education? In what ways McLaren, Giroux and Apple conceptualize the role of teacher and student, and the issue of power and domination in education? How do critical consciousness, critical thinking and critical action address in education along with implications for teaching and learning practices? These questions are the main concerns to be discussed through this paper. Critical pedagogy is the philosophy of education that develops the learners to critique regarding the structures of power and oppression and it also shows the social movement that combines education with critical theory. Similarly, it is a theory of education that focuses on the relationship between power, knowledge and social justice. This review paper attempts to explore the contribution of critical pedagogy in addressing social inequality and promoting social justice in education. It is qualitative in nature. It adopts the analysis of documents from books and journal articles related to the critical pedagogy. This review paper concludes that critical pedagogy as a revolutionary approach to education to combat various diverse types of oppression. Through critical analysis and questioning of social inequalities, the development of a sense of agency, and participation in transformational action for a more just and equitable society are all goals of critical pedagogy.

Environmental justice in education for climate action: Case studies from Perú and Uganda

Environmental justice in education for climate action: Case studies from Perú and Uganda

Enacting Social Justice: Exploring Applied Theatre’s Influence on Anti-Oppressive Social Work

As a profession committed to social change, social workers must engage in practices that encourage clients and communities to reflect on oppressive conditions to later envision and create new equitable and inclusive possibilities. Applied theatre, such as theatre of the oppressed, is an interactive theatrical approach that engages in ‘world-building’ across space, time, issues, and emotions. The embodied nature of applied theatre allows social workers, clients, and communities to imagine, dream, and practise new possibilities for social change. This paper offers a review of existing literature on applied theatre and theatre of the oppressed that promotes social justice and liberation in social work education and practice in the United States and globally.