ABSTRACT
In spite of them not being designed with educational research in mind, Habermas’ theories of knowing and communicative action nonetheless have the capacity to deepen our research understandings in several areas of education, including the role of the teacher and effective pedagogy, as well as the potential of schools to serve as sites of holistic learning. In his theory of knowing, beyond the well-worn techne of learning, Habermas conceives of more authentic ways of knowing through critical refl ection and engagement, or praxis, conceptions of learning with potential to challenge the dominant notions of the role of the teacher and the kinds of pedagogy that are most effective. Furthermore, in his theory of communicative action, Habermas builds on this notion of authentic knowing to posit the self-refl ective knower as one who comes to see his or her own lifeworld relative to the lifeworlds of others. Through this, the knower develops communicative capacity and ultimately communicative action, whereby transformational learning results in taking a stand for justice and effecting change where it is necessary. Many contemporary educational research agendas, be they in quality teaching, authentic pedagogy, values and citizenship education or service learning, are directed towards re-conceiving and re-constructing schools as more transformational learning sites, entailing more holistic developmental experiences for learners. In any of these research agendas, it would seem that a Habermasian theoretical underpinning might serve as a useful ally. This chapter will explore these themes, expound on Habermasian theory and illustrate its pertinence to educational research through a number of contemporary applications.
