ABSTRACT
Many enabling programs adopt fundamental principles from pedagogies of social justice and other empowering philosophies. As educators, we have drawn upon critical pedagogy to inform the design and development of key courses which serve to embed criticality in our enabling teaching. Our teaching approaches and course design are underpinned by the philosophical work of Ira Shor and Paulo Freire (1987) who believe in the liberating and transformational role that education can play. Through carefully designed curricula that respond to students’ needs and develops awareness, this approach encourages passionate engagement leading to deep learning experiences (Ramsden 2003). This chapter explores the role of educators as change-makers, the students’ adoption of critical approaches, and the power this presents for the development of active learning communities. This chapter demonstrates the role of strong educational philosophy in pedagogy and practice, which provides spaces for students to explore relevant issues, develop class consciousness and critique systems, so that they may engage with societal change.
