Critical educational praxis in university ecosystems: enablers and constraints. (3rd July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mahon, Kathleen; Heikkinen, Hannu L. T.; Huttunen, Rauno
• Is Part Of: Pedagogy, culture & society. Volume 27:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 463
• Page End: 480
• Publication Date: 2019-07-03
• Subjects: Praxis -- critical educational praxis -- higher education -- university conditions -- higher education pedagogy -- ecologies of practices -- practice theory -- cognitive capitalism -- marketisation of education; Education -- Curricula -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Education -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 370
• DOI: 10.1080/14681366.2018.1522663
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1468-1366

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Universities serve several important functions in society today through research, education, and community engagement, not least helping people to live meaningfully in society and create a world worth living in. A kind of practice that seems particularly important in fulfilling such responsibilities is critical educational praxis, a social-justice oriented, educational practice/praxis, with a focus on asking critical questions and creating conditions for positive change. Yet, the contemporary university is not exactly a niche for critical educational praxis. There are practices and arrangements within higher education that make the enactment of critical educational praxis challenging. This paper explores this concern by explicating the notion of critical educational praxis and examining enablers and constraints for critical educational praxis drawing on an empirical study conducted in one university setting. Our aim is to prompt consideration of the kind of university ecosystems currently being created, and the implications for academic communities and society.