Social Justice Case Studies as a Pedagogy of Enactment in Foundations: Are There Wrong Answers?

• In Event: Evaluating Equity-Oriented Pedagogies in Teacher Education: Examining Candidates' Response to Social Justice Cases and Classroom Dilemmas

Abstract

Social justice case studies, by locating discussions of the macrosociopolitical context in one-the-ground representations of the work of teaching, represent a potential area of convergence between social foundations courses and practice-based teacher education. However, at the intersection of justice and practice, teacher educators may position case studies-- and navigate novices’ responses-- as if there were multiple correct responses to the case, or right and wrong responses, or a developmental trajectory to responses. This critical qualitative research study surfaced range and variation in novice teachers’ responses to a social justice case study. Implications for social foundations instructors employing a pedagogy of enactment are presented.

Author

• Andrew J. Schiera, University of Pennsylvania