Using Creative Classroom Activities as a Mode of Initiating and Sustaining Dialogue on Social Justice

• In Event: 3423 - Teaching and Learning Symposium Roundtable
  In Informal Discussion Roundtable: Table 3: Engaged Student Learning

Abstract

Early learning that socializes students into modes of critical sociological thinking that happens in many undergraduate classrooms can be enhanced and impacted by integrating collaborative and creative assignments. Inviting students to imagine, think, and design something creative in class—after they have read on a topic and listened to a lecture— can help seamlessly incorporate social justice education within sociology. I use this practice in my introductory and lower division sociology courses successfully to get students interested in sociological concepts, theories, and methods. When faced with semi-structured—sometimes daunting— creative freedom, students come up with interesting visualizations (creative writing and drawing) as well as enactment and performance of concepts such as socialization; cultural conformity; interaction under the condition of power asymmetry; unjust globalization and cultural imperialism; civil rights; intersections of identities; and matrices of domination/privilege. Using a range of tools from new media to pencil and paper, it is possible to transform a classroom into a space of mutuality and creative/critical intersubjectivity. Students gain not just knowledge of sociology and social problems/justice/resistance, but they also develop skills of problem solving; innovation and resourcefulness; critical and creative thinking. I advocate for a deeper integration of creative assignments in critical pedagogy through providing examples of my own classroom activities and experiences.

Author

• Debjani Chakravarty, Utah Valley University