Transformative Pedagogy

An excerpt from “Transformative Pedagogy” by Dr. Julia Speller, delivered in public Convocation at Chicago Theological Seminary, February 9, 2011.

Educational theorist, of the constructivist persuasion, affirm that knowledge is socially located and thus emphasize the value of multiple perspectives in the teaching/learning experience. This philosophy of education asserts that learners construct their own knowledge, based on their interaction with the environment. It is within the constructivist perspective that we find insights about transformative pedagogy. Steven A. Meyers, in the article, “Using Transformative Pedagogy When Teaching Online,” says very simply that transformative pedagogy “encourages students to critically examine their assumptions, grapple with social issues and engage in social action.” This definition provides an appropriate starting point for face-to-face or virtual classroom experiences and in many ways is an activist approach to education. Departing from adult learning theory that argues that learners contribute a wealth of life experiences and assumptions to the full content of a classroom experience, transformative pedagogy assumes that students are both teachers and learners. It is in this environment that the critical questioning can lead to deeper self-reflection as students grapple with knowledge and perspectives that differ from their own. This dialogue and interaction between what is old and new, familiar and unfamiliar, comfortable and uncomfortable, superficial and critical can lead to additional questions but also to a deeper awareness of others and the need for ongoing engagement. It is important to note that this process of transformative pedagogy does not end with classroom dialogue and interaction. It opens the door for the cultivation of problem-solving skills that promote active responses within the larger society, making transformative pedagogy far more than the transmission of information. It also expands the worldview of students and teachers alike, leading to greater self-awareness, deeper compassion for others and a commitment to produce change in self and the world.

I think we see clearly from this summation of transformative pedagogy, the potential tension within the dilemma of diversity that emerges as students are encouraged to transgress their boundaries of difference. Transformative pedagogy begins clearly enough with the individual experiences, assumptions and perspectives that students and teachers bring to the teaching/learning experience. In this respect, it mirrors the first part of the dilemma of diversity – acceptance of the fact of reasonable pluralism. It is, however further complicated when students not only acknowledge their differences but to also critically reflect on the implications of their experiences and assumptions in light of others that may be appreciably different. At this point, values are clarified but they are also problematized in light of an expansion in consciousness that now includes others. Here, transformative pedagogy cracks open the dilemma of diversity to fully expose reasonable values that collide, causing cognitive dissonance that cannot be ignored. The teaching/learning experience, then requires an environment that affirms the right of all to maintain their different assumptions and perspectives yet simultaneously compels them to listen to, reflect upon and engage others, even when it is uncomfortable and difficult.

It is at this point that a pedagogical choice must be made: to live within the confines of half of the dilemma or boldly and perhaps even perilously reside within the tension. Our Vision, Mission and commitment statement affirms our institutional choice for the latter when it says: “We are committed to embracing not only the rhetoric but the reality of diversity, to celebrating the cost and joys of discipleship, and to boldly accepting the challenges entailed by this statement of commitment.”

Certainly, the joys include the richness of dialogue and the potential to learn in ways that only come through direct encounter with difference. The costs on the other hand is more difficult because it requires a willingness to be transformed. Because transformative pedagogy suggests the blurring of roles between the teacher and the learner, it can drastically change the power dynamic for example, requiring a teacher to move from the “sage on stage” to the “guide on the side.” A singular reliance on written text expands as we recognize the wealth of “content” that resides within the students. This encourages a more intense posture of listening and responding in ways that push students to the edge of a difficult and perhaps even painful idea, but that also knows when to step back, as the moment of discovery happens. Students become willing to trust the process as they step into a place of courage, that activates their voices but also obliges them to listen critically to others as well as themselves. Each case brings with it a certain level of risk and discomfort but at each moment, transformative pedagogy beacons the enlightened ideas and enhanced perspectives to take new form through action in the world. Indeed transformative pedagogy inspires both pain and promise when it is grounded in a commitment to navigate the waters of the dilemma of diversity.