Principles Of Critical Pedagogy Research Articles

School Health Education and Teachers’ Preservice Training: The Case of Greece

Background: School health education (SHE) serves as a primary pedagogical aspect of public health. This study aims to explore the curricula of preservice schoolteachers, examining whether graduate courses in Greek universities include SHE, how it is structured, and whether critical pedagogy principles are integrated. Methods: A corpus of n = 21 documents was compiled, encompassing all educational departments in Greek higher education, including Departments of Early Childhood Education and Care (n = 3), Departments of Preschool Education (n = 9), and Departments of Primary Education (n = 9). Results: Content analysis revealed the presence of SHE in 11 out of 21 educational departments. Thematic analysis uncovered significant variability in the curricula, with greater emphasis placed on health-related topics rather than the methodologies and values of SHE. Critical pedagogy principles were not explicitly evident in the curricula, while a persistent biomedical orientation left little room for the development of concepts related to social justice. Conclusions: This study represents the first of its kind in Greece and among the few internationally to examine preservice training for schoolteachers in SHE. The findings underscore the need for revisions to align with the key lessons learned from the major public health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is imperative to acknowledge that vulnerabilities have been exacerbated, and inequalities widened, necessitating a reassessment of current approaches to health education within teacher training programs.

Fostering student agency and motivation: co-creation of a rubric for self-evaluation in an ungraded course

No one enjoys grading, neither instructors nor students. The idea is that grades provide the required incentive to learn and act as an “objective” form of evaluation. This view is especially prevalent in STEM, where practitioners pride themselves in quantitative and objective measurements. However, the science of learning tells us that grades and ranking increase competition and stress, pushing learners to engage in tasks regardless of their effectiveness. Grades have been shown to suppress interest in learning, incentivize engagement in easier tasks, and produce shallower thinking. If wanting to learn is something students and faculty can agree on, how do we get there without grading? From psychology research, we know that feedback, separated from grades, along with opportunities to reattempt work without negative consequence, are powerful drivers of the intrinsic motivation to learn. In fact, feedback loops—trying something new, getting feedback, and making changes based on feedback - are a known developmental pathway to authentic learning. In this article, I describe an experiment with a form of ungrading that involves students in the co-creation of self-assessment criteria. The goal is to create learning feedback loops, incentivize learning for learning’s sake, and give students some agency in the process of evaluation. This was conducted in an upper division Immunology course at a small liberal arts college. This paper outlines an iterative and dialogical process between students and instructional staff to craft a holistic set of criteria for the evaluation of learning. These criteria became the foundation for regular one-on-one conversations with students and a means to track progress over the semester. End-of-semester student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, citing increased motivation to learn, lower levels of anxiety, a less competitive environment, and growth as a learner. Among the few disadvantages cited were anxieties from grade ambiguity, fears about the process, and extra time, especially for the instructor. This paper highlights the ways in which this system aligns with psychosocial theories of learning, fostering an intrinsic motivation to learn utilizing principles of critical pedagogy and students as partners. It concludes with lessons learned from both the student and instructor viewpoint.

The Critical in Critical Pedagogy: The Interface between Challenges and Opportunities

The paper aims at examining the fundamental premises of critical pedagogy as advocated by key theorists among others Paulo Freire, Henry Giroux and bell hooks. In doing so, it examines the major pitfalls and opportunities of critical pedagogy in the classroom context. The paper also examines the current scenario of higher education with the neoliberal hegemony. Finally, the paper examines the present state of quality education in Nepal. The paper concludes that implementation of critical pedagogy principles in the classroom can foster a learning environment that prioritizes student agency and empowerment. By encouraging students to question dominant narratives and perspectives, the teacher in this study created opportunities for students to express their own perspectives and develop their own critical thinking skills. The teacher also fostered a strong sense of community in the classroom, with students and the teacher collaborating and supporting each other in their learning.

Critical Pedagogy in Turkish Education System: Academicians' Opinions

This study analyzed the Turkish education system in terms of critical pedagogy principles. Through the semi-structured interview form developed within the scope of the research, interviews were conducted with 32 academicians, and the data obtained as a result of the study were brought together on a question basis in the first stage and coded using MAXQDA software. The codes that show the same theme group characteristics and provide integrity of meaning within themselves were brought together. The data obtained in this context were analyzed, and the codes, categories, and themes were visualized and presented in MAXMaps according to their frequency of repetition. As a result of the research, the participants primarily defined the concept of critical pedagogy as a questioning perspective. The participants stated that the education system does not respond to differentiated needs, does not contribute to social justice and equality, and does not pave the way for social change and development. Participants also believe a qualified and sustainable policy is not implemented in the Turkish education system. It has been argued that teachers do not contribute to pupils becoming influential individuals or thinking critically and that the reasons for this are the educational systems in place. As a result of the study, it was suggested that education should be free from ideology, teachers should be supported intellectually and professionally, and school-family cooperation should be ensured

Rethinking and remaking “the social”: co-production, critical pedagogy, and mental health among university students in the USA

ABSTRACT This paper presents findings from a qualitative study exploring how students at a university in the southern USA conceptualize, theorize, and attempt to influence the role ‘social factors’ play in mental illness and well-being. Drawing on models of research co-production and principles of critical pedagogy, a group of 10 university students (‘student researchers’) worked with a faculty member to develop and conduct the study. The results highlight three ways in which the student interviewees (‘student interlocutors’) theorize ‘the social’. The first two – (1) via the ‘social determinants of health’ and (2) by means of theories on ‘neoliberal subjectivity’ – provide a powerful frame for interrogating hierarchical systems of power. However, because neither of these corresponds to our interest in producing knowledge for social change, we used prefigurative and speculative approaches to explore a third notion of the social, that of (3) ‘world-making practices’. We conclude by reflecting on the relevance of this project for educators, learners, and researchers seeking to deepen knowledge and theories of the social in mental health. We argue that co-produced research that draws from principles of critical pedagogy can enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and lead to more nuanced, transformative, and innovative analyses.

Humanising Pedagogy in Mathematics Education at South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges: Influence on TVET Teaching and Learning

This study examines the implementation of a humanising pedagogy in teaching mathematics at a TVET college in South Africa. Despite the country's transition to democracy, disempowerment and dehumanisation persist within the education system, particularly affecting learners from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. Mostly, TVET mathematics classrooms are neither humanised as mathematics is taught in isolation with social issues nor linked to students’ lived experiences. Student engagement is minimal as the classroom environment is a banking zone model. The study explores how a humanising pedagogy, based on critical pedagogy principles, can address these challenges. A humanised pedagogy has been explored through workshops and lesson presentations that were based on humanising pedagogy. Findings reveal that the adoption of a humanising pedagogy enhanced student engagement as the teaching strategies were engaging and student centred. Students were actively involved; mathematics was linked to students’ lived experiences. Additionally, the adoption of a humanising pedagogy helped students and teachers to see the relationship between the content and real life and how they can use mathematics to address social problems. The study highlights the need to humanise mathematics teaching and calls for educators to become agents of social change. Embracing a humanising pedagogy can foster a more inclusive, responsive, and equitable education system.

Enlightening and empowering students to take action: Embedding sustainability into nursing curriculum

Graduate nurses are set to face complex global challenges in their future careers. Yet, current pedagogical practices fall short in preparing the future workforce for what lies ahead. There is, thus, an urgent need to disrupt traditional nursing education methods in order to transform our society. Transformation includes ensuring our students are educated on their responsibility toward social, economic and environmental sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of global targets developed by the United Nations, offer a framework for engaging in higher education that promotes a better future; however, to date there are few examples of how the goals have been embedded into nursing curriculum. This article showcases a case study of how the SDGs can be integrated and taught in nursing higher education through the principles of critical pedagogy. Through significant course re-development in an Australian undergraduate nursing course, students engaged with the SDGs along a transformative continuum of enlightenment and empowerment to awaken critical consciousness. While this article offers some findings in relation to student development, the article's key contribution is in detailing the methodology and framework for embedding SDGs in nursing curricula and to encourage other nursing academics to take up the challenge to empower their students' to take action toward addressing global sustainability challenges.

Beyond bad behaviour? Towards a broader understanding of school student activism

This paper explores UK school students’ protest activism relating to their schools’ policies and practices, drawing on two datasets: 1) a newspaper analysis of media reports relating to school protests between 2000 and 2021; 2) a survey of 800 secondary school pupils in Wales. Drawing on social movements literature and adapting concepts for the school environment, we present a framework for exploring children’s protest repertoires that distinguishes between institutionalised, legitimated and disruptive forms of activism. Our analysis outlines trends in pupil protest activities and explores stated motivations for protesting. We find that pupils are using a broad range of protest actions, often in combination, to voice concerns about school-based issues. Our data also suggest that pupils link their grievances to wider themes of social justice, rights, fairness and solidarity. Using principles of critical pedagogy, our study challenges hegemonic and deficit-laden ideas about children’s (mis)behaviour as potential mis-readings of activism.

Transforming education for the just transition

Society faces many challenges in promoting a just transition to a low-carbon economy, a transition that does not create or exacerbate injustices. Notably, the just transition can only be attained with new educational approaches which revolve around social, climate and environmental justice. This paper advances that for a just transition, the shift to a greener economy cannot be driven by the traditional neoliberal engine, which has captured educational practices. Rather, the necessary educational transformation needs the principles of critical pedagogy and the dimensions of justice provided by the JUST Framework. We bring these two important schools together and draw on the experience of the global periphery and Latin America in particular, to develop a unique theoretical framework that contributes to the literature on education for sustainable development. Therefore, this conceptual research provides a theoretical framework that should guide education for a just transition. This paper establishes what is referred to as CCR Education Framework which involves: Critical thinking about climate, environmental and social costs of fossil fuels; Coexistence with nature and the other; and Resistance against neoliberalism and other forces that jeopardise the just transition. The CCR Education Framework is a response to the question of what education needs to include to achieve a just transition. The paper also opens the discussion about the implications of the Framework in terms of teacher training and education and appropriate pedagogical approaches. The key theoretical advancements here is that education for the just transition must affirm the importance of teachers and students as agents of transformation, and promote critical educational practices and approaches which support the transition to a low-carbon economy, and which value the characteristics of justice (which include equity, equality, fairness, and inclusiveness) to build a curriculum that advocates sustainable growth and a societal just transition.

(Un) Critical Pedagogy: Current Priorities and Prospects of Development

The article highlights the relevance of the problems of critical pedagogy, associated with the name of the Brazilian scientist Paulo Freire (60s of the XX century), who promotes problem-oriented learning, anthropological interpretation of culture, and concepts of humanity. The main content of the concept of critical pedagogy is highlighted due to the necessity to overcome stereotypes regarding the organization of pedagogical education and teaching in an educational institution based on oppression, humiliation, and (non) recognition of differences, in particular linguistic and cultural. It has been revealed that followers of Freire’s ideas regarding critical pedagogy emphasize the principles of equality and justice, understanding/acceptance of various issues that are debatable or in need of public criticism (repression and resistance in higher education, teaching, and consumerism, issues of transsexuality and transgenderism, etc.). The author extrapolates the main principles of critical pedagogy to the subject of their use in modern conditions, when slightly different forms of bullying (violence) take place in educational institutions (or outside them) or the virtual world – a negative attitude towards persons with special needs, various types of bullying (physical, social, verbal), cyberbullying, cyber grooming, flaming, harassment, denigration, etc. It is substantiated that various forms of discrimination often arise in the educational setting due to the social or material status of the child's parents, and his/her racial or religious affiliation, that is, they are associated with the rejection of diversity and have an impact on the educational process and personal self-expression in society. The issue of criticality in education must be considered in the modern dimension: in school and student society, teaching and scientific activities, educational management, pedagogical imageology, intercultural education, etc. The theoretical analysis of the content and structure of the concept of “critical pedagogy” was carried out, the necessity to develop students' critical perception of the world, critical thinking, and info media literacy. To motivate young people to search for and acquire new knowledge independently, to be active in applying it in practice, to teach them to criticize and respond adequately to constructive criticism, to draw conclusions and check them, etc. In a practical context, it is recommended to use the improvisation method to develop students’ critical thinking, as well as Problem Based Learning, Project Based Learning, Inquiry Based Learning, Flipped Learning, Interactive or Dialogic Learning, etc.

Diversifying the ‘Great Economists’: An Assignment to Promote Inclusivity and Belongingness in Introductory Economics Courses

ABSTRACT In this paper, I present an innovative assignment designed to promote inclusivity and belongingness in the undergraduate economics classroom while also allowing students to gain familiarity with prominent economists and understand how their economic contributions are embedded within social, historical, and political contexts. Students are asked to create a presentation in which they give a biography of a ‘Great Economist,’ explain in detail one of the economist’s major contributions, and relate that concept to current course content, the economist’s life, and their own lives. To diversify who is considered a great economist, I have students choose from a pre-set list of economists and associated contributions. Purposefully curating a list of economists allows for the representation of a wide range of pluralistic and mainstream economic perspectives in addition to social identities and lived experiences, which students discover through their research. The assignment is structured to promote significant learning following Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning and informed by key principles of feminist and critical pedagogy. I provide an instructional overview of the project, including recommendations for implementation in a face-to-face or online learning environment, considerations for crafting a list of economists, and end with observations from my own experiences.

The Effects of the Economic Crisis on Greek Society and the Youth Unemployment: Self-Perception and Expectations of the Young Neets

The economic crisis of the previous decade left its mark on Greek society through its multidimensional economic and social effects. However, the most basic issue in Greek society was the rapid increase in unemployment and in particular youth unemployment, culminating in the emergence of the Neets phenomenon, the population of young people who are out of employment, education or training. Young people were affected the most during the economic crisis, shaping their expectations and self-perception against the risk of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion. In this context we explore expectations and self-perception of unemployed young people in debt-ridden Greece based on nationwide quantitative research conducted through questionnaires. The sample was 360 young persons of 15 – 25 years old who are out of employment, education or training (Neets). According to the results, the majority of young people maintain their optimism for their future, continuing to make plans, having high job motivations and desiring full employment, as well as the continuation of their training in programs which, however, are linked to the labor market. The reduction of their expectations and their participation in brain drain is done mainly for livelihood reasons and in the absence of other alternatives. The decrease in their optimism is mainly based on the fear of long-term unemployment, the low level of income, but also on the inability to utilize their high qualifications, while despite their optimism, young people show increased levels of anxiety and depression, due to the difficulties that they face. The capture of these expectations and self-perceptions is critical in the effort to develop appropriate and effective social barriers for reintegrating young people into work and social life and avoiding social exclusion. This is an issue of social vulnerability as reflected in modern sociological theory but also in the active practices of applied social and educational policy. This research can be framed also by the principles of critical pedagogy as young people could reach for critical consciousness before they radically change the material conditions of their society.

A Reflection on the Transformation of My SELF as an English Teacher: A Critical Journey Towards a New Becoming

ABSTRACT This essay shows how I came to assume the role of an activist-scholar and educator through engaging in self-observation and self-reflection in the course of my day-to-day professional practice. The story of my professional growth comprises epiphanies that were transformational, enabling me and my students to transcend our traditional roles. This critical adventure occurred in an Iranian language institute where I was able to implement a curriculum inspired by principles of critical pedagogy and Rumi’s literary texts. I drew on material from divergent sources to develop and understand my transformed self. My story illustrates my departure from domineering syllabi, how I embraced alternative roles, and became what I call a ‘nomad’ educator. My aim is to show how teachers can bridge the theory-practice gap to implement a curriculum that is congruent with their internal selves and their students’ souls, thoughts, and lived culture.

In-Service EFL Teachers' Perceptions Towards the Application of Critical Pedagogy Principles in Palestinian Public Schools

This paper aimed to explore in-service English language teachers� perceptions towards the classroom applications of critical pedagogy (CP) principles in Palestine. It also focused on the possible relationships between categorical variables such as gender, years of experience, major, classes taught per week, educational degree and teachers� perceptions of using a mixed-methods approach. Ninety-six teachers participated in this study, 64 females and 32 males. Both quantitative and qualitative results indicated that the participants had positive perceptions towards the application of CP principles in the FL classroom. Particularly, qualitative results revealed teachers� lack of awareness of CP and lack of emphasis on the importance of integrating CP principles in the English curricula taught at public schools, shedding light on the difficulty of applying these principles because of the subtleties of the situation in Palestine. The overall results suggested that CP principles can and should be applied to public schools in the Palestinian context.

CRITICAL PEDAGOGY OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: VIEWS AND ATTITUDES OF EFL TEACHERS FROM SERBIA

This research aims at identifying the extent to which principles of critical pedagogy guide Serbian EFL teachers’ decisions related to the course, the materials, the syllabus and the roles they assume in the classroom. To that end, a total of 116 EFL teachers completed the Context-Specific Teacher Critical Pedagogy Questionnaire – CSTCPQ (Roohani, Hashemian & Haghparast 2016). The goal of the analysis is to determine whether the teachers’ philosophical orientation, their gender, level of education, years of teaching experience, type of institution they work in and the average size of class they teach in have effect on the classroom-related choice they make. The results show that the teachers with positive attitudes towards the principles of critical pedagogy, those with six to ten years of teaching experience, working with groups of six to ten students tend to organize their teaching so that it facilitates the development of active citizens who seek justice and emancipation.

Creating Anti‐Oppressive Digital Spaces for Social Justice Language Education

AbstractContemporary moves towards social justice education and digital pedagogies require language educators to examine the ways digital learning platforms reinforce economic, social, and cultural inequities, and to explore how to instead offer anti‐oppressive pedagogies for diverse online communities. In this Teaching Issues essay, I draw from the principles of critical pedagogy to argue that non‐linear, non‐modular and multimodal digital learning platforms created on content‐management systems (CMS) can provide anti‐oppressive pedagogical affordances for 1) dismantling teacher‐student power relations, 2) cultivating a sense of a digital learning community, and 3) promoting intersectionality within language teacher education programs. Next, I present a discussion of the challenges involved in designing an anti‐oppressive, transformative digital learning space, and of several critical questions teacher educators can reflect upon while designing their own virtual environments.

Welcome to Canadian Politics: Collaboration for Student-Led Knowledge Building

In the Winter of 2020, my introductory Canadian politics class started to develop its own online, collaboratively-built, open-access, introductory “textbook” on Canadian politics. Drawing on the principles of critical pedagogy, the assignment engages students in group work to generate plain-language primers that can connect with an audience beyond our classroom while contributing to knowledge-building in the field. Once submitted, students’ work is compiled, edited and uploaded to the project website. Students have multiple opportunities to provide feedback about their experience and the project as a whole. Since the project was piloted in 2020, it has been used twice more in two Canadian politics classrooms, with plans for further expansion. This article chronicles the process of developing, revising, and expanding the project. It identifies the principles behind the assignment, and the challenges the project has faced so far. Further, drawing on scholarship demonstrating that colonialism, racism, and marginality remain peripheral to the study of Canadian politics, it imagines how a student-led, collaboratively-built online “textbook” might also work to contest the historic boundaries of the discipline.

Critical pedagogy: Loving and caring within and beyond the classroom

Critical pedagogy scholars have described teaching as an act of love. This love is not a trivial emotion but a conscious action that demonstrates care, respect, honesty, listening, and solidarity. However, translating love and other principles of critical pedagogy into the classroom can be complex and painful. This article discusses our pedagogical experiences of love and care inside and outside classrooms. Our reflections on working in a juvenile detention center and a food justice mutual aid project show how understanding love, care, and solidarity as actions have been essential for working with our communities. At the same time, our experiences pose questions about the complexities and possibilities of loving and caring in precarious and totalitarian circumstances. We contribute to thinking about the application of critical pedagogy beyond school classrooms.

Sport-for-development, critical pedagogy and marginalised youth: engagement, co-creation and community consciousness

ABSTRACT The principles of critical pedagogy proposed by Paolo Freire have been widely cited as presenting the necessary intellectual tools to underpin sport-based programmes that are targeted towards marginalised groups. Yet, despite the widespread advocacy for Freire’s educational philosophy, to date there have been few attempts to present theoretical articulations of how these pedagogical principles might be more precisely understood within the context of sport-for-development (SfD). One example, proposed by [Spaaij, R., & Jeanes, R. (2013). Education for social change? A Freirean critique of sport for development and peace. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 18(4), 442–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2012.690378], offers a framework for ‘critical SfD education’ and emphasises the necessity for programmes that are co-created, inclusive and directive. However, there are an absence of studies that apply this framework directly to examine SfD programmes. This article seeks to offer some form of corrective in this respect by providing empirical insights which illustrate the utility of the principles outlined by Spaaij and Jeanes within the context of programmes that employ sport as a vehicle for individual development. The article draws upon the qualitative elements of two evaluations of sport-based programmes, both of which were concerned with providing support and vocational training for young people residing in areas of high deprivation in the United Kingdom. Findings reveal how the pedagogical methods employed within both programmes highlighted a co-created, inclusive and directive ethos, to demonstrate the benefits of adopting an educational approach that is community conscious and designed in concert with the themes and conditions of participant lives. Further studies are required to substantiate the suitability of Spaaij and Jeanes’s framework within SfD practice, and there is a clear necessity to develop and empirically test further theoretical frameworks that are infused by the tenets of critical pedagogy but are more specific to the realm of SfD.

Active agents of change: A conceptual framework for social justice-orientated citizenship education

Social justice–orientated citizenship education (SJCE) can help young people to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to work collectively towards solutions to problems such as human rights violations, global poverty and environmental sustainability (DeJaeghere and Tudball, 2007; Banks, 2017; Hartung, 2017). Furthermore, SJCE can enable young people to think critically, consciously and compassionately and allow them to grow intellectually with a concern for equality and justice. This paper presents a conceptual framework for SJCE for educators and educational researchers wishing to explore citizenship education within social justice contexts. The framework is based on four constitutive elements: agency, dialogue, criticality and emancipatory knowledge, and has its philosophical foundations deeply rooted in the values and principles of critical pedagogy (Kincheloe, 2004; McLaren, 2014; Giroux, 2016). This conceptual framework for SJCE is ultimately concerned with developing justice-orientated active agents of change who are concerned with making the world more democratic, equitable and just.