Inequality and Difference in Educational Practice - Literature review Example

ADDRESSING INEQUALITY AND DIFFERENCE IN EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE: APPLYING CRITICAL THEORY Name Institution Professor Course Date Addressing Inequality and Difference in Educational Practice: Applying Critical Theory Conceptualization of Critical Theory Critical theory comes out as a philosophy, which involves the act or practice of being critical of the prevailing views or aspects of the society. In most cases, critical theory relates to closer assessment of the beliefs, which might favor privileged entities such as white men and the rich over other societal groups. In the educational context, critical theory relates to the approach of questioning how the educational system might offer education to all people across the nation (Tarlau 2014). The approach relates to the assessment of the influence of education in the provision of opportunities while exploring diverse perspectives regarding disadvantaged or marginalized society members (Taylor, 1997). For instance, poor children, in most cases, have the tendency to attend more poorly funded learning institutions in comparison to their middle-and-upper-class counterparts. Moreover, the less funding can influence issues such as availability of technology and good teachers. From this perspective, I believe that critical theory plays a vital role in determining what schools and administrators, as well as teachers do in pursuit of inclusivity in the learning institutions (Counts, 1932; Habermas, 1984). Critical theory proves to focus on analyzing and changing the issue at hand. The critical theory offers the descriptive and normative bases for the social or educational inquiry aimed at decreasing domination and increasing freedom in diverse forms. In the narrow definition, a theory proves to be critical to the extent, which it seeks human emancipation, thus, liberation of the human beings from the circumstances, which enslave them. Critical theory aims at explaining and transforming all the circumstances, which enslave human beings. For the critical theory to be adequate, there is need to meet the three criteria (McLaren, 1998). In the first instance, there is need for the theory to be explanatory with the intention of explaining what is wrong with the current reality. Secondly, the critical theory must be practical in identifying the actors for change. Finally, it is ideal for the critical theory to be normative with the intention of offering clear norms for criticism. Critical Theory & Pedagogy In the recent years, critical theory has been able to develop pedagogy to the coining of the critical pedagogy, which comes out as an educational version of the postmodern critical theory. From this perspective, critical pedagogy integrates diverse counter-logics to the positivistic, historical, and depoliticized analysis by both liberal and conservative critics of schooling. The analysis proves to be readily visible in the training programs in the relevant colleges of education (Brookfield, 2005). Fundamentally, critical pedagogy focuses on the centrality of politics and power in the course of understanding how schools work, thus, the platform for the production of work focusing on the political economy of schooling, learning institution and the state, as well as representation of text. The concept also relates to the conceptualization of the student subjectivity (Beyer, 1986). Critical theory has focused on the creation of the platform for the assessment of the relationship between knowledge and power in the integration of the theory in education with resistance as the central theme. Evidently, teaching and learning should be a process of inquiry or critique. Similarly, teaching and learning should be the process of constructing, and building the social imagination, which works within the language of hope (Shaw, 1889; Shaw, 1901). For instance, if teaching is cast in the element of the language of possibility, the potentiality exists in making learning relevant, transformative, and critical in accordance with the needs and expectations of the audience (Aliakbari and Faraji, 2011). Categorically, knowledge proves to be only relevant when it starts with experiences students or learners are able to bring with them from the surrounding culture (Henderson, 1918). On the other hand, learning or knowledge is only critical when the experiences come out as being problematic such as sexist or racist. Furthermore, learning or knowledge is only transformative when the students or learners initiate the utilization of knowledge in empowering others including people in the surrounding community. Article Review and Reflection One of the critical articles, which did inform the documentation of the previous parts of this paper, is Tarlau (2014). In the article entitled “from a language to a theory of resistance: critical pedagogy, the limits of ‘framing,’ and social change,” Tarlau focused on building or constructing a more robust theory regarding the relationship between education and social change. This is through integrating conceptual tools in the critical pedagogy, as well as social movement. According to Tarlau, critical pedagogy has been able to experience large disconnection from its roots in the political sphere. Nonetheless, social movement literature has been able to shift away from the theory of educational processes in the movement building. Besides, Tarlau’s article suggests the incredible limitation in the ability of the framing perspective in the exploration or analysis of the pedagogical aspects relating to organizing. On the other hand, Tarlau believes that the critical pedagogy’s scholars prove to be convincing in the course of investigating the United States schooling or learning. In spite of these developments, the article notes that the field is much weaker in the course of theorizing how teachers utilize critical pedagogy in linking the larger movements for social transformation. Categorically, the article highlights the need for more critical and organizational thinking and by the critical pedagogues. Moreover, the article calls for increased focus by the social movement scholars concerning pedagogical context. In moving forward, the article identifies three valuable conceptual frameworks in pursuit of the increased focus and development of the organizational thinking. In the first instance, the article highlights the need for the conceptualization of the notion of social movements as the pedagogical spaces. Secondly, the article highlights the development of the framework, which concentrates on the role of the informal educational projects to foster the emergence and eventual strengthening of the social movements. Finally, the article highlights conceptualization of the role and influence of the public learning institutions as the terrains of contestation holding the possibility of relating the holistic struggles to the social justice. In this article, I have been able to gain substantive understanding of the growing influence of the critical pedagogy. In the second instance, I did focus on the utilization of Beyer (1986) with the intention of generating the historical aspect of critical theory, especially in the context of education. In the article titled “critical theory and the art of teaching,” Beyer (1986) focused on demonstrating the role and influence of critical theory. According to the finding of the article, in the process of encouraging teachers to develop attitudes and undertake actions regarding reflection and critical thinking, there is potentiality of an increase in the level of frequent tensions between prerequisites and the institutional demands in the workplace. The article believes that this is not a new problem, but the creation of the difficulties or challenges for the teachers might experience escalation following substantive increase between vocational expectations and reflective mechanisms to the art of teaching. Evidently, these tensions tend to exist in the programs relating to the preparation of the teachers. This is because of the tendency of the stage or phase to demonstrate likelihood of apt to conflict with reference to the theoretical understanding, foundational perspective, and critical reflection. Moreover, pre-service teachers or administrators experience trapping in the collision of two divergent institutions. On the one hand, there is the school, which associates with the ongoing or pragmatic worksite embodying extensive or detailed role expectations, as well as the cultural traits or evaluative procedures. On the other hand, there is the university, which has the platform to operate as a research center aiming at promotion of the essence of scholarship, critical thinking, and intellectual inquiry. From this perspective, the article provides a critical platform to enable the target audiences to deal with the tensions regarding establishment and execution of the programs for the teachers to prepare effectively and efficiently in accordance with the critical reflective perception. Most part of the paper did relate to the concrete issues and dilemmas in the implementation of the program, thus, increased focus in understanding the underlying theoretical issues and elements. Categorically, the research article did aim at identifying the predicaments of pre-service teachers and issues confronting educational practitioners who attempt to integrate or implement the approach in pursuit of their goals and targets. Consequently, it is ideal to understand that the tensions between two diverse ways regarding implementation and conceptualization of the activities of teaching are vital rather than the status of people in the educational platforms. Thirdly, I had the platform to integrate Aliakbari & Faraji (2011). In the article titled “basic principles of critical pedagogy,” Aliakbari & Faraji (2011) sought to offer certain context to the discussion relating to the critical pedagogy as one of the most effective postmodern approaches in the course of teaching language. The article sought to adopt and implement the Frankfurt school thoughts as the main source in pursuit of the just society. The objective of the research article was to facilitate increased understanding of the relationship between school context and the social context in the midst of diversity. In the course of overcoming the issue of diversity in the learning environment, the article focuses on the integration of the issue of learning and empowerment of the students with the intention of enabling them to think and act from a critical perspective. The approach is essential in enabling the students to transform their living conditions. The article focused on the exploration of the major themes of the critical pedagogy inclusive of libratory and problem posing education, teachers and student roles, reflection on the world, and application of the approach to the ELT classrooms. From this article, I was able to learn about the basic principles of critical pedagogy. The article did improve my understanding of the concept of CP (critical pedagogy) as an approach to the teaching of language and learning. The CP aims at transforming the relations of power, which are oppressive or lead to the oppression of people. The CP humanizes and empowers students. List of References Aliakbari, M. and Faraji, E., 2011, “Basic principles of critical pedagogy,” In 2nd International Conference on Humanities, Historical and Social Sciences IPEDR (Vol. 17, pp. 78-85). Tarlau, R., 2014, “From a language to a theory of resistance: Critical pedagogy, the limits of “framing,” and social change,” Educational Theory, 64(4), pp.369-392. Beyer, L.E., 1986. Critical Theory and the Art of Teaching. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 1(3), pp.221-32. Brookfield, S., 2005. The power of critical theory for adult learning and teaching. The Adult Learner, p.85. Taylor, C., 1997. The politics of recognition. New contexts of Canadian criticism, 98. McLaren, P. (1998) Life in Schools: an Introduction to Critical Pedagogy in Foundations of Education (New York, Longman). McLaren, P. and Kincheloe, J. (Eds)(2007) Critical Pedagogy: Where Are We Now? (New York, Peter Lang). Shaw, G. B. (1889) Fabian Essays in Socialism (London, Fabian Society). Shaw, G. B. (1901) Socialism for Millionaires (Tract 107) (London, the Fabian Society). Habermas, J. (1984) Reason and Rational Investigation of Society. Volume 1: Theory of Communicative Action (T. McCarthy, Trans.) (Boston, Beacon). Counts, G. (1932) Dare the School Build a New Social Order? (New York, John Day Co.) Henderson, A. (1918) George Bernard Shaw His Life and Works: A Critical Biography (New York, Boni and Liveright). Read More