Money, Sex and Power

Introduction  Over the past 25 years - countless reports by educationalists criticising traditional teaching of students in HE  i.e. where teachers/lecturers = experts and pass on knowledge to students, expect students to digest the knowledge and present parts of it in exams and/or coursework

Why all the reports/criticism? Late 1960s and 1970s:  New generations of students in Europe, America and elsewhere starting in HE in increasing numbers  These were the “baby-boomers”, born after WW2, they had grown up in a fast-changing world. What changes?  Decolonisation and independence movements (India, Algeria, Indo-China);  Socialist revolutions & civil wars (Cuba, Vietnam);  Civil resistance/civil disobedience against racial segregation, discrimination, apartheid (USA, S. Africa).

Societal change not reflected in education Students witness momentous changes and some are even part of civil resistance movements but none of this talked about in class. Same old stuff, same old curricula that generations before had done. Traditional courses and teaching stifled thinking and creativity: “listen, understand, do not challenge!”

Students challenge authority  This generation began to question university authorities, educationalists, government about how and what they were taught.  They rebelled against out-of-date HE system  They demanded change in courses to reflect the change in society  They demanded change in how they were taught – more democracy, less hierarchy in T&L process  Student movements in France, Britain, USA etc. demanded change in education in the 1960s and 1970s but only in 1980s and 1990s that changes they had demanded started to occur in HE.

New approaches  Because of student demands and critical reports following student demonstrations, riots, resistance, there developed new pedagogical approaches focusing on critical thinking and study  Teachers in universities have been introduced to a range of approaches to T&L variously described as:  Socratic approach  Dialogic approach

Socratic approach  from Socrates, Greek philosopher and teacher  Involves questioning and discussion to provoke critical thinking and clarify ideas  involves discussion where one point of view is challenged to strengthen both the questioner’s point of view and that of person defending it.  Socratic approach strengthens your arguments and by listening to others defending their point of view you understand better the subject matter. (See Linda Tredway (1995). “Socratic Seminars: Engaging Students in Intellectual Discourse.” Educational Leadership, 53/1: 26-29).

Dialogic approach Talking is key in encouraging students to:  ask questions which don’t invite a simple fact recalling  give answers backed up by evidence which can be built upon  provide feedback which takes thinking forward  link questions and answers to form a coherent line of argument and enquiry  develop argumentation and discussion which challenges rather than accepts established thinking  Respect people’s background and don’t impose hierarchies in class  (See Robin Alexander (2008), Towards Dialogic Teaching: Rethinking Classroom Talk)

Feminist students challenge T&L  Introducing changes in course content and T&L approaches/methods attributable to “feminist pedagogy” –term coined in the 1980s.  Feminist students = a large part of student movements in 1960s and 1970s  They questioned not just that their courses didn’t reflect social change but also that women were “brushed out” from traditional curricula  Also questioned classroom organisation, atmosphere and hierarchical relationships between themselves and male students and between the students and lecturers. From this emerged feminist pedagogy in the 1980s.

What is feminist pedagogy? Question: “What do you understand by feminist pedagogy?” Groupwork Three groups – each group will discuss explanations of feminist pedagogy (blue sheets) You have 15 minutes Whole Group Feedback

Four elements of feminist pedagogy Groupwork 4 groups - each group looks at coloured sheets: Question: “In the teaching and learning process, what is the place of:  Power  Reflexivity  Participation  Collaboration Whole Group Feedback