Critical Pedagogy A lens through which the disadvantages faced by many people in regard to their ethnicity and gender, and how this effect their ability to learn, is the learning theory of critical pedagogy. This is similar to the theory of constructivism; both are opposed to the transmission model of communication and situate learners as active participants where they are posed problems and allowed to solve them (Lindauer, 2007). But, while constructivist learning focuses on creating valued skills, like problem solving, critical pedagogy wishes to promote social justice (Lindauer, 2007). Critical pedagogy uses particular techniques fostered by dynamic teaching and facilitating which is supposed to amend wider issues of social inequality in
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Too often, it is these facilitators of learning who continue to oppress the learners due to their own biases. Learners are often given negative labels due to how and when they interject in learning spaces and this effects how they are perceived and treated (Thompson). For example, many facilitators consider certain types of bossiness or dominance of others and the information acceptable for boys, but not for girls in the group (Archer). They also must realize that often when students interrupt each other, for example to deride others, to tease them about their abilities or accent for example, it is based on a wider context of social injustice and not a one off activity and should be taken seriously (Emdin). The facilitators must also allow the visitors to make their own meanings and ideally, in terms of critical pedagogy, contribute just as must to the discussion as the facilitator who should not assert themselves as the keeper of absolute knowledge or talk down to the visitors (Lindauer, 2007). The individual must be provided with skills to become active participants and agents in a wider context, so they can bring these abilities beyond the single visit into a life long change …show more content…
Firstly, there has been a wide gap between how much work has been done theoretically and how much work has been done to attempt to bring critical pedagogy into practical use in museums and cultural institutions. Most of the theoretical work on critical pedagogy ignores the practical side of application in classrooms, and is primarily male, while much of the practical work has been done my female teachers in classrooms and institutions (Martin). Secondly, there are issues of socialization when it comes to the potential users of exhibitions and techniques based in critical pedagogy, such as issues with silence or lack or participation. For most people’s lives, they have been educated by the institutional system which serves to continue the cycle of oppression and lack of agency of the learner. Because of this, it has been found that students often have a hard time adjusting to techniques of critical pedagogy; they feel uncomfortable privileging their own voices and making themselves heard (Fobes). This silence is especially true for women, as they have been socialized to be quiet and obey authority is a way most men have not (Martin). Learners also may be afraid they might do something wrong that would effect them later, especially if those engaging in the exhibition is a school group, or some may use
Too often, it is these facilitators of learning who continue to oppress the learners due to their own biases. Learners are often given negative labels due to how and when they interject in learning spaces and this effects how they are perceived and treated (Thompson). For example, many facilitators consider certain types of bossiness or dominance of others and the information acceptable for boys, but not for girls in the group (Archer). They also must realize that often when students interrupt each other, for example to deride others, to tease them about their abilities or accent for example, it is based on a wider context of social injustice and not a one off activity and should be taken seriously (Emdin). The facilitators must also allow the visitors to make their own meanings and ideally, in terms of critical pedagogy, contribute just as must to the discussion as the facilitator who should not assert themselves as the keeper of absolute knowledge or talk down to the visitors (Lindauer, 2007). The individual must be provided with skills to become active participants and agents in a wider context, so they can bring these abilities beyond the single visit into a life long change …show more content…
Firstly, there has been a wide gap between how much work has been done theoretically and how much work has been done to attempt to bring critical pedagogy into practical use in museums and cultural institutions. Most of the theoretical work on critical pedagogy ignores the practical side of application in classrooms, and is primarily male, while much of the practical work has been done my female teachers in classrooms and institutions (Martin). Secondly, there are issues of socialization when it comes to the potential users of exhibitions and techniques based in critical pedagogy, such as issues with silence or lack or participation. For most people’s lives, they have been educated by the institutional system which serves to continue the cycle of oppression and lack of agency of the learner. Because of this, it has been found that students often have a hard time adjusting to techniques of critical pedagogy; they feel uncomfortable privileging their own voices and making themselves heard (Fobes). This silence is especially true for women, as they have been socialized to be quiet and obey authority is a way most men have not (Martin). Learners also may be afraid they might do something wrong that would effect them later, especially if those engaging in the exhibition is a school group, or some may use