Teaching restorative justice: developing a restorative andragogy for face-to-face, online and hybrid course modalities

Abstract

Teaching restorative justice in an academic setting is different from teaching almost any other academic course. Courses taught in the context of academic criminal justice programs tend to reinforce the structural inequalities in society, replicated and reinforced by instructor driven classroom experiences. In contrast, effective teaching of restorative justice should emulate the values of principles of restorative justice in the organization and management of the course. Teachers of restorative justice must ‘walk the talk’ and apply restorative principles and values to the design and delivery of the course itself. A conceptual framework for ‘restorative andragogy’ is developed that blends principles and values of adult learning with those of restorative justice. Four principles of this approach are identified and applied across three instructional modalities – face-to-face, online only, and hybrid courses. This approach provides a theoretically grounded model for effective teaching of restorative justice courses.

Keywords:

• restorative justice
• adult learning
• andragogy
• restorative andragogy

Notes

1. Facilitated dialogue in the restorative justice context refers to the use of a neutral mediator to prepare, structure, and guide face-to-face interactions between victims and offenders in ways that avoid revictimization of those harmed, promote reparation of the harms caused, strengthen pro-social human relationships and provide an opportunity for offenders to earn redemption and return to the community as constructive citizens.

2. Asking students to determine how they will be assessed is an interesting process. It allows students to work together and come up with a satisfactory solution. However, in one author’s experience, this often ends with students deciding that the instructor should develop and deliver a test in traditional format.