The Use of Co-Curricula to Decolonize the University

Presentation Structure Understanding what ‘decolonizing’ means Decolonizing in the context of Education Systems Decolonial Pedagogy Co-curricula (students) Co-curricula (local community) Other forms of decolonial work The importance of decolonial language Things I won’t be covering: curriculum! There’s a wealth of material already existing on decolonizing the curriculum, and I could spend a day talking about it! For us in the room however, I think it’ll be helpful to think about decolonial methodology more specifically, though I’m happy to chat about curriculum-related issues after the presentation.

Principles of decolonizing Distributions of power; between individuals, groups, structures and institutions. “To decolonise and not just diversify curriculums is to recognise that knowledge is inevitably marked by power relations. In a society still shaped by a long colonial history in which straight white upper-class men are at the top of the social order, most disciplines give disproportionate prominence to the experiences, concerns and achievements of this one group.” “Although Freire was not writing within the specific framework of the educational system in the United States, his treatise continues to hold relevance for educators across the globe, especially those who recognize the transformative and liberatory power of educational spaces— institutionalized or not.”

Identity Exercise

University of Edinburgh 2019 This picture is obviously photoshopped It’s never been this nice here It is so expensive Students are (broadly) Stressed and upset Staff are also (broadly) stressed and upset Discrimination and harassment This is obviously a very negative portrayal of the University, there are loads of great things going on! But I specifically chose out elements which are important in the context of the presentation (partially for dramatic effect), but I recognize that this isn’t the full picture. Literally it is so expensive There are 40,000+ students here International students pay between £15k and £35k per YEAR

Understanding decolonizing in the context of HE What does decolonizing mean in Higher Education? At the UoE? Decolonial activities in HE can range from arguably one of the most important/significant decolonize movements, Rhodes Must Fall, to Birkbeck Uni choosing to leave the UK Times League Tables. Decolonizing is about destabilizing and readjusting existing power dynamics.

Pedagogy of the Oppressed – Freire “In the banking concept of education, knowledge is a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those whom they consider to know nothing. Projecting an absolute ignorance onto others, a characteristic of the ideology of oppression, negates education and knowledge as processes of inquiry. The teacher presents himself to his students as their necessary opposite; by considering their ignorance absolute, he justifies his own existence. The students, alienated like the slave in the Hegelian dialectic, accept their ignorance as justifying the teachers existence -- but unlike the slave, they never discover that they educate the teacher.” “The raison d'etre of libertarian education, on the other hand, lies in its drive towards reconciliation. Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction, by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students.” Apologies for all the text, but I find Friere’s work really helpful in understanding what education can be. Here, he outlines the ‘banking concept’ of education, wherein knowledge is bestowed upon those seen as less knowledgeable. He highlights the assumption that those who are bestowed upon having no knowledge/having absolute ignorance is a characteristic of oppression, and creates a power dynamic between both parties. We’ll discuss this dynamic a bit more in a minute. He then goes on to speak about ‘liberatory education’, and how much of that involves seeing both parties as equal learners in this process.

Does this reflect your experience of education Does this reflect your experience of education? Have you had an experience which counters these principles?

Decolonial Pedagogy How is information shared? Who has access to that information? Who creates that information? Impacts the curriculum has on education/society – reinforces structures of knowledge/dominance of West. Reinforcing social norms/values, spreading certain cultural beliefs Attainment

Co-Curricula with Students Understanding the current relationship between students, staff, and the ‘institution’ How do we understand how students experience their time as being students? How do we facilitate students’ learning (in terms of pedagogy, but also in creating new forms of knowledge?) Making meaningful partnerships/co-curricula opportunities Are all students able to access these opportunities? Are students given appropriate compensation (course credit/funding/pay) for their work? Students as being students – thinking about other responsibilities students may have? Some students may have access to other forms of knowledge outwith their curriculum possibly because they’ve had to, but often not because they can’t?

Understanding Gender in the Contemporary World UGitCW is a pre-honours level course based within the School of Social and Political Science. The course was created by a group of students, through their taking of an honours course, guided by staff members. The students developed the learning objectives, course content and assessment methods. The course spans various disciplines, and is taught by academics across the University. The course content is regularly updated by the academics involved. The course, UGitCW, is one of the most popular UG courses.

The Future of Our University This course was birthed out of a collaboration between staff members and students part of the USS Occupation in March 2018. The course has a “cooperative approach to learning involved staff and students learning together”. The students and staff decide the structure of the course. Group work is integral to the course. The assessment structure is: pass/fail. “The course will adopt a cooperative approach to learning involving staff and students learning together. At the beginning of the course, students and staff will decide how to structure the course, and some class time will be devoted to deliberating the ongoing workings of the course. The first weeks will be devoted to initial readings on the university as an institution, methods of critical enquiry and identifying themes for the group work. Each group will then be responsible for identifying a set of readings, workshops or other appropriate and multi-modal learning activities, and leading sessions on their chosen theme. Groups composed of staff and students will engage in project-based learning on the theme they have identified. All students and staff involved will also produce reflective papers on the process of the course, to encourage critical engagement with the course aims, methods and content, and also inform future courses with a similar learning approach.”

Co-Curricula with Local/Global Community Understanding the position of the institution in the local/global landscape Gentrifying? Spaces inaccessible by local public? “Invisible fence”? Relationship with local community (e.g. consultations, discussions)? Making meaningful partnerships/co-curricula opportunities Address root causes of inequality Are all students able to access these opportunities? Are community groups appropriately supported in building these partnerships? Invisible fence (but not) – UEA art gallery!!

‘Edinburgh Course’ This course proposal is an online course, aimed at all University of Edinburgh students, and uses Edinburgh as a city as a space for research and learning. The course was developed by 3 student interns, guided by staff members. The course explores different themes, including geographical developments and social stratifications, and is interdisciplinary in nature. The course aims to build students’ knowledge of different subject areas and the city as a whole. The final assessment is proposed to be a group project, with students working with local community organizations.

Decolonial Methodology – why it’s important These frameworks have existed for decades, and it’s important to acknowledge and respect the work and labour that especially students of colour have invested into building these movements. Things to be wary of: Angela Davis (1996) critiques the “containment and co-optation” of race, in which diversity and multiculturalism is managed and controlled. This containment approach pays little attention to the power relations and racial, gender, and class hierarchies that exist in our society. Chandra Mohanty (2004) discusses the danger of an accommodation of multiculturalism in an increasingly privatized and corporatized society. It’s important to support the work of student activists and those involved in these movements, and enabling work to happen, without co-opting the movement.

Other “non-curriculum” stuff Library Resource Lists Book displays Reading groups Liberation Campaigns Give them money!! BME Attainment Gap Understanding the experiences of marginalized students, consistently

Pedagogy of the Oppressed – Freire “Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor. Instead of communicating, the teacher issues communiques and makes deposits which the students patiently receive, memorize, and repeat. This is the "banking' concept of education, in which the scope of action allowed to the students extends only as far as receiving, filing, and storing the deposits. They do, it is true, have the opportunity to become collectors or cataloguers of the things they store. But in the last analysis, it is the people themselves who are filed away through the lack of creativity, transformation, and knowledge in this (at best) misguided system.” “For apart from inquiry, apart from the praxis, individuals cannot be truly human. Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other.”

Library RAB form!! Holding diff forms of knowledge https://projectmyopia.com/ https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jan/05/diverse-reading-list-shakespeare-students

Curriculum Content Does the curriculum contain academics from diverse backgrounds? Does the curriculum appropriately represent people/cultures in the Global South? Does the curriculum include sources which acknowledge and/or are critical of Western hegemonic ideas/values, in any form? Accessibility Who has access to these sources of knowledge? How easy is it for students to access these sources? Impacts the curriculum has on education/society – reinforces structures of knowledge/dominance of West. Reinforcing social norms/values, spreading certain cultural beliefs Attainment