Youth Pedagogies & Possibilities in the Age of Educational Turmoil

• In Event: Sociology of Education Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 10. Learning and Teaching in Contentious Times

Abstract

At a time when fascism is on the rise and First Amendment protections have worn thin, the role of formal educational spaces in developing a civicly engaged generation is increasingly in jeopardy. Since the rise and fall of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as formal initiatives following George Floyd’s murder in 2020 and the re-election of Donald Trump, education policies and initiatives have drastically shifted from funding, centering, and celebrating marginalized communities to disciplining those who do. Whether through the threat of budget cuts, termination, or doxxing, educators and institutions have been pushed to focus solely on what is deemed neutral and apolitical. Simultaneously, social media platforms have become institutional spaces for “peer pedagogy” (Dezuanni, 2020) and “culturally digitized pedagogy” (McDaniel, 2024), expanding the possibilities of knowledge production and dissemination. In this context, an urgent question emerges: if young people were in control, what would teaching and learning look like today?

Situated in a youth hip-hop research and activism conference, this study examines how youth design and facilitate learning spaces that reflect their desire to resist, dream, and organize their existence. Specifically, this study asks: What pedagogical decisions do youth make when designing learning spaces? How do these decisions reflect and potentially interrupt young people’s perceptions and experiences in traditional educational spaces? What do these decisions reflect about young people’s sense of possibility and hope?

Drawing on a multi-faceted qualitative analysis, including lesson plan materials, coaching observations, lesson observations, and pre- and post-interviews, this study aims to illuminate how young people envision and enact transformative learning practices beyond conventional classroom structures. This study provides insight into how young people make sense of the world, education, technology, and their role as community members—highlighting how youth-led pedagogical innovation can cultivate hope, possibility, and critical engagement in both formal and informal contexts.

Author

• Toomi Al-Dhahi, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity