Enacting Q Pedagogy in a Graduate Social Studies Education Classroom

• In Event: Contemporary Issues in Social Studies Teacher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to explore the use of Q pedagogy in the college classroom. Q pedagogy is an application of Q research methodology (Q), a methodology designed specifically to study subjectivity of a person or within a group of people on a given topic. In this study, Q pedagogy was integrated into a graduate-level social studies education classroom with a focus on supporting and fostering class discussions. The discussions were analyzed using an evaluation scheme derived from John Dewey’s ideas on the relationship between democracy and education. Results showed that Q pedagogy offered students many benefits for promoting engaging discussions that were substantive and on-task.

Authors

• Lloyd P. Rieber, University of Georgia

• Todd Dinkelman, University of Georgia