Learning Outcomes and Lived Experiences with a Graduate-level Human Rights, Peace, and Social Justice Education Course

• In Event: Building peace through Higher Education

Proposal

Human rights are threatened worldwide, with instances of political oppression, extreme violence, environmental degradation, food insecurity, lack of access to clean water, and inadequate sanitation. These issues challenge societies, creating social inequalities and increasing tensions. Educators occupy a leading role in bringing about change for our future generations, both in their direct work to change the status quo and in their work to inspire the next generation (Verma, Apple, 2021). Teachers can inspire students by incorporating human rights content into the curriculum and guide students toward recognition, awareness, and positive action (Bajaj, 2015). Research suggests that emotions emerging from human rights education learning outcomes play a significant role in affecting authentic change (Zembylas, 2017). Teachers’ discomfort with human rights education knowledge appears valuable for peace education engagement in classrooms (Zembylas & Bekerman, 2019). The research draws on the theorical framework of Critical Peace Education. In this presentation, we discuss our lived experiences as educators attending a graduate-level human rights education course offered at the School of Education at Drexel University. The graduate course Human Rights, Peace, and Social Justice Education was designed for student educators as an elective, open to all majors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the lived experience, knowledge transfer, and the affective impact of an instructor and graduate students during and after a peace education class. Our findings demonstrate that courses of peace education in higher education and teacher preparation programs can play an active role in helping to build reflective practices in educators, deepening understanding of how human rights can be culturally understood and implemented, and acknowledging the importance of affect in learning.
This study's purpose is to understand the lived experience of the instructor and students participating in a peace education course, specifically the impact it had on the participants regarding their understanding of human rights and education. Through a series of auto-ethnographic discussions and written reflections, we sought to understand the lived experiences of one instructor and three students after completing a graduate-level Human Rights, Peace, and Social Justice Education course. Four discussions were recorded and transcribed and 14 written reflection pieces by the researchers, according to hypotheses from the literature review at 4 points in time after the completion of the course. After data collection, we coded using the in-vivo coding method, described by Saldaña (2013) and Ryan and Bernard (2003). Once coding was completed, a thematic analysis of qualitative data was performed, and the findings were discussed.
There are many implications for this research. The program enabled students to become change agents in their teaching practice by providing them with an understanding of human rights, adequate language to start conversations, and teaching tools necessary to encourage teachers to become active participants in positive action and collective protest. As violence and injustice increase worldwide, there is a need for educators to be prepared how to engage with human rights, peace, and social justice across their disciplines and in a wide variety of communities and political climates. This study is critical in helping understand how to incorporate peace education into the classroom. In understanding the lived experiences of an instructor and three graduate students in the School of Education after participating in a Human Rights, Peace, and Social Justice Education course, the study provides context as to what topics resonated with the participants. Protest through collective action facilitates social change. With teachers learning how to create human rights and peace curriculum and how to integrate it into their daily practice, social change can come from within. This study highlights the outcomes of a Human Rights, Peace, and Social Justice graduate-level course designed for educators. It reflects on planning and implementing similar courses, as strategies for social change and encouraging future generations to act.

Authors

• Laetitia Flambeau, Drexel University School of Education

• Kathlyn Elliott, Boston Children's Hospital

• Joe Hendrzak, Drexel University School of Education