Everything about liberationist pedagogy
Wouldn't it be preferable for learners to be in a virtual classroom where they are not only expecting to absorb the information but encouraged to question, explore and speak? Unfortunately, traditional education can give way to freedom due to structured course plans and generic approaches. This is exactly why the liberationist pedagogy is necessary.
This was first introduced by Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator and philosopher who challenged the conventional education model, where teachers present knowledge to passive students. Instead, he proposed that education is a practice of freedom. According to him, real learning occurs when people think critically, think about what they know and appropriate their understanding.
This liberationist pedagogy is incredibly relevant today, especially in Elearning. While digital learning is becoming more and more popular, there is a huge opportunity to create online spaces where learners do not only scroll through the modules but actively engaging, questioning and leading their own path. Since your learners can live in any part of the world, coming from different backgrounds and having unique experiences, this approach puts people and their individuals at the center of Elearning. Let's see what it is.
The fundamental concepts of liberationist pedagogy
Paulo Freire was born in Brazil in 1921. He grew up in poverty and saw how education and his absence shaped people's lives. This inspired him to challenge the traditional teaching model, the one where the teacher speaks and the students listen and memorize. He said students should not just be passive information receivers. On the contrary, they should actively participate in their learning, their question, discuss, to think critically and to connect what they learn in real life. At the heart of his philosophy, education should allow people to understand the world around them and take measures to change it. Freire's ideas are surprisingly relevant to today's digital learning environments, especially when designing eleending courses which aim to be significant and even that change life.
Now plunge a little more into the concept. The Critical Agency for Thought and Learning plays an enormous role in liberationist pedagogy. Critical thinking It is a question of encouraging learners to wonder what they learn, why it counts and how it connects to their world. In an Elearning setting, this could mean encouraging learners to think about real problems or challenge them to see several sides of a problem instead of simply clicking and selecting the right answers. As for the learning agency, this involves giving learners to choose and allowing them to take care of their own learning paths. For example, in an online course, learners can choose their project subjects according to what excites them or to discuss courses in the forums open without fear of judgment. These strategies help learners to consider themselves not only as a student, but as co-creators of knowledge. Below, we will explore how to practically implement liberationism in your online courses.
How to apply liberationism to Elearning
Open questions
Freire highlighted the importance of dialogue for learning, and questions tend to trigger dialogues and start conversations. More specifically, we are talking about questions that learners reflect and react according to their own perspective. In Elearning, this means opting for open questions. You can use them in discussion forums, as invites in assignments and as questions at the end of videos. Since these questions do not have a good answer, they allow multiple perspectives and encourage learners to connect content with their world.
Journalization
According to Freire, reflection is essential to action. In digital classrooms, reflexive journalization gives students a private space to take a break and find meaning in what they learn. It is more a learning tool than a newspaper. But how does it work? A lot Lms Offer newspaper features where students can publish weekly thoughts, respond to reflection prompts or document their growth. For more advanced learners, you can create a public blog each, allowing them to follow progress and receive comments. For example, you can use prompts such as “what have you found the most interesting in this module?” Or “What would you do differently if you were in this situation?”
Freedom on projects
Most Elearning lessons always follow the traditional model where the instructor decides what is important, how it should be learned and how it will be assessed. On the contrary, liberationist pedagogy is to give learners the freedom to direct their own projects. What is it like in practice? First of all, adopt project learning. Instead of assigning an article on subjects you choose, let the learners choose a specific subject and present it as they choose. In addition, you can offer options on how they can perform a task. For example, they can choose between writing a case study, carrying out an interview or creating a mini-cours for their peers. Finally, for longer lessons, give them a chance to design a final product that reflects what they learned and why it matters personally.
Peer teaching
Freire challenged the conviction that the teacher is the ultimate authority. He saw learning as a mutual process, where the teacher and the student will bring something to the table. In online learning, this is often in the form of peer teaching. When students teach each other, they understand the content better and come together as a community. To implement this, create groups of students, attribute a subject to each group and ask them to explain it in their own words. In addition, give learners the possibility of creating short presentations explaining a concept to their peers or making a short video on this subject. Remember, however, that the learners do not have to be experts – they only have to be curious and respectful of the other's perspectives.
Shared learning spaces
The connection is at the heart of liberationist pedagogy. And since Elearning can be an isolation experience, shared learning spaces are extremely important. These are not just group projects. Shared learning spaces are open environments where students can connect, wonder each other and challenge concepts together. To build them, start by creating discussion tables. There, learners can share articles, current events or personal experiences. Then encourage students to use collaborative documents. Platforms like Google Docs allow learners to co-write and work together on projects or share resources. Finally, try virtual study groups. Host of zoom sessions or optional teams that aim to ask questions, share resources or express concerns.
Conclusion
Educational designers and educators have the possibility of exceeding the good old content delivery methods and trying something different. Therefore, start creating spaces where learners feel seen, heard and authorized. By focusing on connection and adding meaning, you strengthen confidence, encourage reflection and allow learners to explore and express themselves. After all, the more we let students take control of their learning journey, the more invested and committed they become.
