New Abstract

Abstract: Teaching for Change: Reflections on Empowerment and Action in Education.

John Tagg has noted that today’s universities are misaligned toward teaching, not learning, meaning that emphasis is placed on imparting knowledge on students as opposed to engaging students in a process of discovery and realization. I contend that this passive consumption of knowledge and education is a manifestation of more widespread cultural mores that devalue creativity and autonomy of Self.

Teaching for Change explores the work being done in the fields of alternative, critical and radical pedagogy and makes use of the theoretical frameworks and best practices provided by such to create a context for analysis and critique of my student teaching experience. I propose that a model of learning which relies heavily on experiential education, reflection and student autonomy is best suited for achieving the goal of transformative education and that this type of educational process is germane to the misaligned condition of higher education today.