Critical performance pedagogy: an approach for developing critical praxis in social work education

ABSTRACT

Educating students to think critically about theory and practice is no simple task. Performative approaches, using the arts as a catalyst for learning and teaching, can be useful to develop students’ capacity for critical thinking and action. Critical performance pedagogy (CPP) is an approach that draws on critical, performative, and collaborative practices to open students to new ways of thinking and acting for emancipatory change. CPP is an embodied learning approach that draws on traditions in critical education, political theater and the social sciences. Its purpose, to make learning accessible through critical and creative exploration. A performance assessment, as an example of CPP, demonstrates how performative processes (e.g. the development and delivery of a performance play) can be used to support the development of critical praxis. Students can initially be apprehensive coming into this assessment, however report that their engagement in performance development, delivery of the performance play and watching other students’ performances has supported a deeper understanding of critically reflective practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical performance pedagogy
• critical pedagogy
• social work education
• critical praxis
• theater of the oppressed
• transformative learning

Introduction

The arts, more specifically performance art, has been widely recognized in social work education through a range of theater-based and experiential learning approaches. Some of these include embodied and simulated learning, applied drama and theater of the oppressed (see Barak, 2016; Fantus, 2020; Geisler, 2017; Kourgiantakis et al., 2020; Sodhi & Cohen, 2012). Arts-based practices have been recognized as valuable for problem solving, building confidence, relational connection, teamwork and self-reflection (Dodds et al., 2018). Additionally, in some instances, arts-based education is used to develop and concretize social work knowledge and values, develop practice skills, critical thinking and to examine power, oppression and privilege (Barak, 2016; Fantus, 2020; Geisler, 2017; Leonard et al., 2018). Research suggests the use of the arts is limited when supporting students to develop the capacity for praxis (i.e. the linking of theory to practice), responding to culture and diversity and mobilizing for social action (Kourgiantakis et al., 2020).

The shifts that have occurred in academia to a more market-led focus, of which austerity and technical-rational practices are key features, has undermined creativity in social work education (Leonard et al., 2018). When addressing the social and political complexities of our current climate in social work practice and education, critical and creative strategies are required (Ferguson & Lavalette, 2016; Leonard et al., 2018, p. 301). The importance of developing students capacity for praxis, responding to diversity and social action in social work is widely recognized (see Garrett, 2018; Morley et al., 2019; Reisch, 2013). According to Geisler (2017, p. 347), performative pedagogies have the ‘potential to radicalise social work education’. Critical performance pedagogy (CPP), an approach that resists the dominance of neoliberal and technical-rational education, adopts arts-based practices to foster critically reflective learning in social work (Carruthers, 2020; Morley & Ablett, 2017).

This paper provides an overview of CPP, informed by ethics approved research through Queensland University of Technology (see Carruthers, 2020), and offers an example of its use through a performance assessment that is delivered in an Australian university education program. It is argued that CPP is a useful strategy that supports students to build their capacity for critical learning, specifically the development of critical praxis (i.e. the ability to think critically when linking theory to practice) in social work education.

Critical performance pedagogy

Critical performance pedagogy is an approach used in social work that draws on critical education (e.g. critical pedagogy and transformative learning theory) (see Brookfield, 2012; Giroux, 2020; Mezirow, 2018), performance art (applied drama and theater of the oppressed) (Boal, 1979; Boal & Ward-Jackson, 2006) and the social sciences (Denzin, 2003; Gadamer, 1989) to support a performative approach to embodied transformative learning. CPP adopts critical (e.g. critical analysis, critical praxis, activist practice and critical reflection in action), performative (e.g. aesthetic and semiotic expression, characterization, symbolism and metaphor, humor, music, dance and poetry) and collaborative (democratic leadership and decision making, collective sharing of knowledge, collaborative assessment) modalities to elicit an embodied experience and/or produce an artifact, as a catalyst for transformative learning (Carruthers, 2020).

Students learn through the process of working together to develop an artifact or engaging in an embodied performative experience which requires the development of collaborative knowledge and skills. In addition, collaborative academic assessment practices (e.g. self/peer evaluation, teaching team approach) are prioritized (see Carruthers, 2020). The following section showcases a performance assessment as an example of CPP.

Performance assessment

The performance assessment is an applied drama process that is designed to support students to develop and deliver a performance play showcasing their conceptualization of theory and application to practice. It is described as:

a theatrical form, for students to explore, compare and critique a range of theoretical perspectives associated with social work, making relevant links between theory and practice in a critically conscious way. Students, as part of a whole-tutorial collaborative assessment, develop a play and perform this in front of their student cohort. Each tutorial group showcases their group’s understanding of social work theory and practice, as a way to share knowledge creatively and collectively across the cohort. (Carruthers & Ablett, 2020, p. 478)

There are three stages that support a scaffolded learning approach. Firstly, students (with the support of their tutor) piece together a case-study based on a social justice issue (e.g. an issue of gendered violence, child exploitation, racial discrimination, homophobia, etc.) then shape this into a personal story of injustice/suffering. This is achieved using archetypal characters meaning characters with a common, recurring, recognizable representation of social injustice, as opposed to stereotypical characterization which would reflect a dominant, fixed or oversimplified representation to frame the narrative. Following this, students form small groups (approx. 6–8 students). Each group researches and presents a social work related practice theory in the tutorial. A mix of three contrasting critical (e.g. radical, feminist, anti-oppressive or postmodern) and conservative (e.g. psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, systems, trauma informed) theories from those presented are chosen along with the case-study as a foundation for the whole tutorial group to collaboratively develop and deliver a performance play (approx. 20 mins duration). Using a creative existing narrative (e.g. fairy-tale, reality TV program, gameshow etc.) and creative forms (e.g. characterization, symbolism, metaphor, poetry, dance, music etc.) students are required to describe, analyze, apply, compare and critique the theories within the performance (see Carruthers, 2020). Emphasis is placed on demonstrating an understanding of the theories key tenets/assumptions and develop links between theory and practice methods within the performance. The performance assessment supports students to think critically and creatively as they compare and critique the three social work theories as a means to conceptualize emancipatory practice. An example of a performance from one student group, titled Rosie’s Journey, is shown below.

Rosie’s Journey

In the performance, Rosie’s Journey, students used an Aboriginal Dreamtime¹ storyline (see Carruthers, 2020). The case-study: Rosie is a 12 year old Aboriginal girl from a remote community. Rosie was removed from her family by Child Safety due to the department’s concerns for her wellbeing. As Rosie was reaching high school age a decision was made (by the department) to send Rosie to boarding school. Rosie has been running away from boarding school and her mental health has declined. The theme emerged out of a class discussion whereby a student had expressed some misguided racist views about Aboriginal people. The group (and tutor) thought focussing on a story that explores an Indigenous context would be a good way to share knowledge that provides a more informed perspective (for the student) and supports knowledge of culturally safe practice (see Duthie, 2019) more broadly.

On advice from a local Indigenous Aunty (through student consultation) the group used animals native to Australia to characterize the theories in the dreamtime theme. For example, psychodynamic theory was characterized as Emu, systems theory as Platypus and anti-oppressive theory as Kookaburra. The mannerisms of the characters and verbal responses to Rosie’s concerns as she embarked on her journey back home (after running away from the boarding school) reflected the theory’s key tenets/assumptions and practice methods, playfully interwoven with metaphorical representation of the animals/theories. For example, Emu’s head was a sock puppet that intimidatingly peered over Rosie reflecting psychodynamic theories tendency to position the worker as the ‘expert’. Platypus attempted to support Rosie to ‘build a bridge’ over the creek (her habitat) which reflected the relational nature of family systems theory and organizational supports synonymous to ecological systems theory. However, as a critique, the bridge metaphor also represented systems theories expectations that Rosie ‘build a bridge’ by conforming to the status quo (i.e. becoming accustomed to attending boarding school). Kookaburra, indicative of an anti-oppressive stance, took a ‘birds-eye view’ symbolizing the theories examination of the social, political and cultural context and prioritizing Rosie’s rights and self-determination by flying alongside Rosie as she navigates the terrain (Carruthers, 2020).

Students choose the theory most relevant according to their critical analysis. In this instance, anti-oppressive theory was chosen to respond to Rosie’s concerns due to its relevance to the cultural context and the ways Rosie felt that her voice was heard, and she had some agency in the decisions being made about her.

Students account

Students found the performance assessment to be a fun way to learn about theory. As described by one student, ‘[i]t could have been a really heavy, bogged down course but this just lightened it up’ (Carruthers, 2020, p. 134). One student highlights the important role critical reflection plays in the process of developing critical praxis:

[When thinking about the performance] I think of the critical reflection. It is a lot to sit back and critically reflect how you apply a theory, or what did or did not work for Rosie. It made you think about that a lot more, [for example] … Why would that [theory] not help, when you thought it probably would? [Y]ou just pull it apart, really scrutinise, to see what is happening within all the parts of Rosie’s life and then critically reflect on the contributing factors as to how they got there in the first place. (Carruthers, 2020)

Leading into the performance some students tended to experience some initial anxiety. Stereotyping was of concern (countered by some education on archetypes), negotiating power and accommodating language barriers was important.

CPP, through the assessment, is a means to problematize theory and practice by critically considering theoretical concepts and assumptions and their implications within a given social and political context. The educator’s role, as critical pedagogue, is to develop students’ capacities to think critically, collaborate, and share knowledge relevant to critical praxis. Consequentially, the approach supports the beginning point for students to become social actors for emancipatory change, with transformative outcomes (Carruthers, 2020)

Conclusion

Using the arts as a platform for learning social work is not new. Critical performance pedagogy is an embodied learning approach that extends beyond market-led, technical rational approaches to education, instead fostering a performative and critically reflective educational approach. The performance assessment provides a loose structure and means for embedding CPP into curriculum. The educator’s role is to become a critical pedagogue with a strong critical foundation supporting critical analysis, critical praxis and transformative learning. The transformative potential for CPP is recognized in students accounts of the performance assessment, as such, CPP is considered a valuable strategy for developing students capacity for critically reflective practice in social work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jean Carruthers

Jean Carruthers is a Lecturer in Social Work at the Queensland University of Technology. In her academic work, Jean uses the arts, specifically performance art, as a means for embodied transformative learning in social work education to expose novel and innovative directions in teaching critical social work practice.

Notes

1. 2 The Dreamtime is the period in which life was created according to Aboriginal culture. Dreaming is the word used to explain how life came to be; it is the stories and beliefs behind creation. It is called different names in different Aboriginal languages, such as: Ngarranggarni, Tjukula Jukurrpa. What is the Dreamtime and Dreaming?—Aboriginal Contemporary www.aboriginalcontemporary.com.