Enabling transformation through socially just critical pedagogies in a health and wellbeing course: A South African case study

ABSTRACT

This paper offers a uniquely South African (SA) perspective on a blended learning course at a contact institution. In bringing together authentic learning (AL), social justice pedagogies and technology informed by student experiences, this paper hopes to contribute to the discourse around social justice in higher education (both nationally and internationally) and the inherent tension associated with critical (transformative) pedagogies. The attention is focussed on the experiences of a class of diverse 1 year Social Work students at a Higher Education Institution (HEI), particularly exploring the tensions inherent in the Health and Wellbeing Course. We sought to establish links between theory, practice, social thought and social change and understand the tensions and oppressive ideas and practices that abound in the activity system. The findings suggest that students experienced transformed learning, which in turn, transformed their views on their choice of social work as a career. Our argument is that in social work, the most suitable pedagogy in learning design is a type of critical pedagogy that lays bare the power relations and hegemony and requires robust critical articulation and dialogue that impacts on both the educator and the student.

KEYWORDS:

• Authentic learning (AL)
• cultural historical activity theory
• social justice
• social work education
• critical pedagogies
• transformative pedagogies

Notes

1. SA population was divided into socially and politically constructed categories of white, African, coloured and Indian under apartheid. Depending on political ideology, African, coloured and Indian categories denote black and at other times only African denotes black. These apartheid terms, despite being highly contested, are still commonly used throughout the country.