Affirmative Development: Civic Engagement Ontologies of Hope and Action

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

“Affirmative development” as introduced by Prof. Gordon and colleagues characterizes students as learners across the life-span and across learning settings from social justice perspectives (Gordon & Bridglall, 2007). Opportunity-to-learn and acquisition of competence in knowledge domains serve civic-engagement inseparable from learners’ identities (Lee, et. al., 2021). The ends of knowing are beyond means for personal gain, they are tools for creating social transformations serving realization of fundamental human rights.

This session highlights theory and concrete practice implementations of classroom and out-of-school learning environments directly attuned towards these goals by building on the assets of students’ communities and concerns for civic engagement and emancipation. Attention is given to how we can transform schooling so that it is driven by the affirmative development of students.

Gordon, W. and Bridglall, B. (2007). Affirmative development: Cultivating academic ability. New York: Roman & Littlefield.

Lee, C. D., White, G., & Dong, D. (Eds.). (2021). Educating for Civic Reasoning and Discourse. Washington, DC: National Academy of Education.

Sub Unit

• AERA Honorary President Edmund W. Gordon Series

Chairs

• Eleanor Armour-Thomas, Queens College - CUNY

• Richard P. Duran, University of California - Santa Barbara

Papers

• Chair Session Orientation - Eleanor Armour-Thomas, Queens College - CUNY

• The SCALE Framework and Emancipation - Sonya Douglass, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Youth Participatory Action Research, Cyphers for Justice, and Youth Leadership - Limarys Caraballo, Teachers College, Columbia University

• My Hood Is My Curriculum - Jamila Lyiscott, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Affirmative Development and Civic Engagement - Carol D. Lee, Northwestern University