Conflict as a Transformational Mechanism in Education: A Philosophical Framework for Curriculum and Identity

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Conflict, Power, and Entanglements with Curriculum

Abstract

This paper proposes a structural-dialectical framework in which conflict is conceptualized not as disruption but as an essential mechanism of transformation in educational processes. Grounded in developmental psychology and curriculum theory, the model explores how tensions between divergent perspectives catalyze reflective learning and identity formation. The framework bridges philosophical inquiry with practice by positioning conflict as a necessary condition for both cognitive and emotional integration. Through this lens, curriculum becomes a space not merely for knowledge transmission but for negotiated meaning-making, where pedagogical encounters activate deeper layers of student engagement, agency, and ethical responsibility.

Author

• Anastasiia Puzyrina, Restore Connection Development Centre