Transformative pedagogies - a useful theoretical framework for promoting ESD

Abstract

So significant is the contribution that constructivism has made to education, that it has been described by the American Association for the Advancement of Science as a ‘paradigm change’ in science education (Tobin, 1993). Such changes in education raise political, ethical and moral claims that have consequences that directly affect classroom ecology. These claims are intimately linked with issues such as the “emancipation of student learning” (Jenkins, 2000). Besides such issues, constructivism raises fundamental epistemological issues that have been the cause of many debates (Harding et al., 2000; Jenkins, 2000; Millar,1989; Osborne, 1996; Philips, 1995; Scaife, 2007; Solomon, 1994 & von Glasersfeld, 2000). The first part of this chapter will present a critique of constructivism and some of its exponents. Following the critique, the manner in which constructivism has linked with critical pedagogy to yield a transformative pedagogy will be discussed. By definition, a transformative pedagogy is an ‘activist pedagogy’ that empowers people to critically examine their beliefs, values, and knowledge with the goal of developing a reflective knowledge base, an appreciation for multiple perspectives, and a sense of critical consciousness and agency (Ukpokodu, 2009). Finally, this contribution will provide some insights on how characteristics of transformative pedagogy have yielded other pedagogies, such as the eco-justice pedagogy. This pedagogy by its very nature addresses social concerns with the intention of promoting change, both on the micro and the macro level.