Abstract
Our study explores whether the practice shift from anti-racism to a broader anti-oppressive practice paradigm has led to a weakening or a dilution of anti-racist education and critical pedagogy. Two experienced social work tutors reflect upon their different educator standpoints and present auto-biographical and empirical evidence to interrogate the implications and gains of the discursive shift in social work on ‘what works best’ for students to learn and develop awareness of social discrimination. We draw upon an emerging educational model to map out our respective positionalities and assess empirical work on how student learn about diversity and social oppression. The empirical work we draw upon is from a longitudinal research study undertaken in England and focused on the educational outcomes and experiences of students who participated in a discrete component of learning on anti-racism as part of their professional training. The session explores the educational outcomes of this teaching intervention and the different sets of footprints it left behind. We draw upon different strands of this research to explore the pedagogic relevance and practice utility of teaching students about diversity and anti-racism and whether this enables them to develop ‘cultural awareness’ and ‘cultural competence’. This is contrasted with an educational approach which is centered on Anti-Oppressive Practice and consider the utility of these two approaches how they can challenge the attitudes and values of individual students, and lead to ‘perspective transformation’ (Mezirow, 1981), and ‘critical consciousness’ through the process of conscientization (Freire, 1970).
Presenters
Sukhwinder SinghUnited Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Social Work, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) , Abū Z̧aby [Abu Dhabi], United Arab Emirates
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Education and Learning Worlds of Differences
KEYWORDS
ANTI RACISM, CRITICAL PEDAGOGY, CONTESTED LEARNING, MEASURING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
