ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses three questions about learning theory and pedagogy that students and teachers might ask. There is no teaching or learning that exists without theories behind it, and those theories will have powerful political implications. Definitions of learning engage with philosophy, psychology, sociology, political theory, anthropology, biology and more. Sociocultural theory explores the influence of social and cultural lives on learning. The density and variety of sociocultural influences on learning bring a crucial dimension to the definition of what learning is and how it can be successful. Vygotskian sociocultural theory conceives a learning environment as 'a shared problem space, inviting the students to participate in a process of negotiation and co-construction of knowledge'. Critical pedagogy, like experiential learning, encourages critical thinking and promotes the potential to transform oppressive social relations and institutions. Pedagogy is an important link between theory and practice.
