Liberating Curriculum to Liberate the Imprisoned: Action Research as Transformative Pedagogy

• In Event: 31.061 - Culturally Relevant Curriculum

Abstract

This paper examines the experience of a first-year teacher at an urban high school, who sought to engage students in critical conversations about social justice issues. These conversations were limited by the dual constraints of traditional curriculum and a disconnect in terms of student-teacher identity dynamics. A new pedagogical approach, teacher-centric action research (AR), was introduced in the classroom in order to improve instructional practice. Changes in student engagement followed the implementation of this AR project and led organically to a student-centric participatory action research (PAR) project, in collaboration with a community based organization. By implementing this AR to PAR process, levels of student engagement and the overarching student-teacher dynamic in the classroom were impacted.

Author

• Kathleen Marie Sellers, Miami University - Oxford