Abstract submission

Stellenbosch University Experiential Education Conference 2020

CONFERENCE THEME:
Experiential Education as Pedagogy for Social Justice: praxis and practice for shaping 21st century global citizen-leaders.

Social justice discourses in the sphere of higher education, finding expression through student activism, raises several challenges for universities across the world. The key to addressing these challenges lies in the preparedness (or not) of experiential educators and students at the forefront of the emergent social justice issues. Of critical importance is the understanding that social identities do not exist independently – race, class, sexuality, skin colour, and gender (among other identities) exist in intersectionality, due to the interconnectedness and inseparability from one another (Crenshaw, 1991). This requires a heightened consciousness in curriculum and experiential education programme design that instils within students and experiential educators a heart with deep respect, compassion, equity, justice and love for humanity, in its full spectrum, at its core. It requires a mind that is able to engage global complexity, address issues of inequality and systemic prejudices, in all its forms in order to achieve social justice. It proposes the experiential education as pedagogy for social justice, as praxis and practice for shaping 21st century global citizen-leaders.

This conference extends an invitation to all experiential educators to explore the notion of experiential education as pedagogy for social justice, as praxis and practice for shaping 21st century global citizen-leaders.

Conference tracks:

These are the conference tracks and topics to choose from when writing an abstract for submission. Select each of the headers below to see the topics for each track.

Breunig (2008 & 2005) states that experiential education is both philosophy (theoretically informed and intentional) and methodology (teaching strategies). Experiential education therefore intersects with critical pedagogy. The purpose of experiential learning should be to develop a more socially just world (Itin, 1999; Kincheloe, 2004).  

Transformative learning develops autonomous thinking, the ability to make one’s own judgements and interpretations, rather than being persuaded by the values and beliefs of others.  It develops dispositions, skills and capabilities which enable graduates to challenge culture-bound knowledge and to produce new knowledge in a global context.

The focus of this conference-track is to highlight approaches and issues facing experiential educators utilising experiential education theory and methodology as pedagogy towards social justice and student transformation.

Globally university students have been on the forefront of social justice issues across the globe

through social activism as they assert their voices in decision-making processes in higher education and governmental structures. At the heart is a desire for a just society as reflected in the Universal declaration of human rights. 

Social justice theory embraces the idea that social identities do not exist independently. Rather, race, class, sexuality, skin colour, and gender (among other identities) exist in intersectionality. They are interconnected and cannot be examined separately from one another (Crenshaw, 1991). Intersectionality is a framework for conceptualizing a person, group of people, or social problem as affected by multiple discriminations and disadvantages.

This conference-track explores experiential education as pedagogy for social justice. Questions such as ‘Should experiential education be an educational agent of social justice’? and ‘What is the place of experiential education in social change movements? are some discussion points in this approach. In addition, how would social justice and equity be positioned in an online learning space during times of pandemics and global crises.

“Citizen Leadership is an activity... it happens when citizens have power and influence and responsibility to make decisions. Citizen Leadership happens when individuals have control over their own agency. It also happens when citizens take action for the benefit of other citizens.” – Scottish Government, 2008. 

Alleton, editor of the T&D magazine states the following of the current student-generation,  ‘this is a generation that has "grown up under pressure to succeed in academics and sports, and that attitude is likely to continue into their working lives. 

Developing global citizen-leaders requires engaging with assumptions and beliefs about self, context and the world in terms of power, socio-cultural relationships and how these are constructed. De Oliveria Andreotti terms these critical literacies and makes the comparison between ‘soft global education and critical global education’.

This conference-track seeks to build understanding of the role of experiential education towards the formation of the global citizen-leader and the inherent complexities thereof.

“The intentional process of integrating an international, intercultural or global dimension into the purpose, functions and delivery of post-secondary education in order to enhance the quality of education and research for all students and staff and to make a meaningful contribution to society.” – Knight 2015

Internationalisation research indicate a shift towards international education that supports transformative outcomes of human solidarity across cultures and inequities with a focus on human values and rather than material advantage. Escrigas forsees that the evolution of universities, as work partnerships towards the creation of dynamic and sustainable global communities, focused as much on human values as on the pursuit of material advantage. Experiential education and internationalisation form a nexus in terms of global learning and culturally responsive teaching as part of the university curriculum. However Covid-19 requires new responses in uncertain times for students as well as universities 

The Internationalisation conference-track explores the emerging discourses and approaches to higher education internationalisation as building inclusive research networks of reciprocity.

Experiential education as integrated in the curriculum presents exciting new opportunities for scholarship and research. A rigorous and well-developed scholarship agenda in the area of experiential education can lead to innovation moving institutions beyond current limitations

This can be in the form of new curricular; curriculum renewal and experiential education integrations, internship programmes, active and collaborative learning as well as project and problem-based learning. Globally there are numerous experiential education pedagogical approaches, each presenting opportunities for study and research. What modes of learning will emerge as a result of Covid-19 and how will universities remain relevant during mass global change that includes the higher education sector?

This conference-track explores experiential education and experiential learning as expanding frontiers in higher educational research and innovation in responding to pressing humanitarian needs and issues of social justice.

Submitting an abstract:

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