Critical Pedagogy constitutes a major means through which important aims within the National Curriculum Framework (2012) can be achieved effectively. Specifically, adopting a critical pedagogy approach in class helps teachers to provide all learners with a “holistic education relevant for life” (NCF, 2012, p.32) and also an education that enables all learners to respect diversity in all its forms and promote an inclusive environment (NCF, 2012). Most importantly, critical pedagogy is a way through which teachers can promote the development of “analytical, critical and creative thinking” (NCF, 2012, p.32) in all learners, by helping them to challenge unjust power structures and consider possible alternatives. This module aims to develop course participants’ ability to critically engage with core issues within the Critical Pedagogy scholarship. Throughout this module, learners are enabled to critically engage with concepts such as: gender, ethnicity, race, ethnic minorities, transformative education, ‘conscientization’, justice and structural disadvantages, along with several other key notions.  Course participants will evaluate the contribution that Critical Pedagogy can make in the compulsory education system. Once learners develop a strong grip of the core notions, they will engage with different ways in which a critical pedagogical approach can be implement in their classrooms, through dialogic (as opposed to banking) education, learner-centred approaches, and democratic teaching strategies

By the end of this programme, participants should be able to: