Doing Critical Pedagogy Together A Case Study in a Norwegian Postgraduate Program. (April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thomas, Paul
• Is Part Of: Journal of transformative education. Volume 21:Number 2(2023)
• Page Start: 245
• Page End: 261
• Publication Date: 2023-04
• Subjects: critical thinking -- higher education -- action research -- Norway -- global south -- Freire; Transformative learning -- Periodicals; Adult learning -- Periodicals; Adult education -- Periodicals; Adult education -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Critical pedagogy -- Periodicals; Self-actualization (Psychology) -- Periodicals; Continuing education -- Periodicals; 374.001
• DOI: 10.1177/15413446221092480
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1541-3446

Abstract

This paper applies a critical lens to a Master's degree program in education in one University in Norway and its stated aim of promoting critical skills in students from the global south in particular. Two groups of students, one an international mix in Oslo, and the other, South Sudanese students studying in Hawassa, Ethiopia, were compared. The study employed tenets of action research, with the aim of boosting the continuing professional development of both students and course instructors. The findings reveal varying levels of challenges related to, among others, uncritical deference towards course instructors and literature and varying levels of language proficiency which, it is argued, undermines critical thinking. Despite the above, it is argued that the degree programme furnishes an important platform for culturally diverse students to interact and foster the kind of critical thinking skills valorized in the course aims.